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THE 


CYCLOMDIA  OF  FRATERNITIES 


A   COMPILATION   OF 

EXISTING    AUTHENTIC    INFORMATION    AND     THE    RESULTS    OF 
ORIGINAL  INVESTIGATION   AS  TO  THE  ORIGIN,  DERIVA- 
TION, FOUNDERS,  DEVELOPMENT,  AIMS,  EMBLEMS, 
CHARACTER,  AND  PERSONNEL  OF 

MORE   THAN   SIX   HUNDRED   SECRET 
SOCIETIES   IN   THE    UNITED    STATES 

SUPPLEMENTED  BY 

FAMILY   TREES   OF   GROUPS  OF   SOCIETIES,  COMPARATIVE  STATISTICS 

OF  MEMBERSHIP,  CHARTS,  PLATES,  MAPS,  AND 

THE   NAMES   OF   MANY 

represe:n^tative  members. 


COMPILED  AXD  EDITED  BY 

ALBERT   C.  STEVENS 

ASSOCIATE  EDITOR  OF  THE  STANTIARI)  DICTIOXARY  AND  FORMER  EDITOR  OF  "  BRADSTREET'S 

V 

ASSISTED  BY  MORE  TIIAX  ONE  THOUSAND 
MEMBERS   OF   LIVING   SECRET    SOCIETIES 


NEW  YORK  CITY: 
PATERSON,   N.  J.: 

HAMILTON   PRINTING   AND   PUBLISHING   COMPANY 

1899. 


w^ 


f.fXS^ 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1896,  by 
Albert  C.  Stevens,  in  the  OflBce  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress 


••iirw-Jf. 


THIS  BOOK   IS  DEDICATED 

TO 

THAT   UNIVERSAL   BROTHERHOOD, 

TO  WHICH,  IN  TRUTH,  BELONG  THE  GOOD  MEN  ANT>  TRUE  OF 

ALL  FRATERNITIES. 

—THE  AUTHOR. 


Dicitis  omnis  in  imbecilitate  est  et  graiia,  et  caritas. — Cicero. 


Reason,  it  is  certain,  would  oTjluje  every  man  to  inirsue 
the  general  liamnness  as  the  means  to  procure  and  establish  his 
own ;  and  yet,  if,  besides  this  consideration,  there  were  not  a 
natural  instinct  'promiAing  men  to  desire  the  welfare  and  satis- 
faction of  others,  self-love,  in  defiance  of  the  admonitions  of 
reason,  would  quichly  rtm  all  things  into  a  state  of  war  and 
confusion. — The  Spectator,  Sept.  1,  1714. 


PREFACE 


Ix  the  Cyclop^i::dia  of  Fraternities 
the  first  attempt  is  made,  so  far  as  known, 
to  trace,  from  a  sociological  point  of  view, 
the  development  of  Secret  Societies  in  the 
United  States. 

Freemasonry,  of  course,  is  shown  to  be 
the  mother  fraternity  in  fact,  as  well  as 
in  name;  but  particular  interest  will  attach 
to  details  connecting  many  of  the  more 
important  fraternities  with  Freemasonry. 
Broader,  and  fully  as  interesting{is  the  fact 
that  in  free  and  democratic  America  there 
are  more  secret  societies  and  a  larger  ag- 
gregate membership  among  such  organiza- 
tions than  in  all  other  civilized  countries!^ 

The  probable  extent  of  the  influence  of 
secret  society  life  may  be  inferred  from  the 
fact  that  more  than  6,000,000  Americans 
are  members  of  300  such  organizations, 
which  confer  about  1,000  degrees  on  300,000 
novitiates  annually,  aided,  in  instances,  by 
a  Avealth  of  paraphernalia  and  dramatic  cere- 
monial which  rivals  modern  stage  eflPects. 
More  than  30,000  members  are  annually 
added  to  the  rolls  of  Masonic  Lodges  in  the 
United  States;  quite  as  many  join  the  Odd 
Fellows,  and  one-half  as  many  the  Knights 
of  Pythias;  more  than  100,000  join  other 
secret  societies,  the  lodges,  chapters,  or 
councils  of  which  dot  the  country  almost 
coincidently  with  the  erection  of  churches 
and  schoolhouses. 

C^It  is  rarely  that  one  in  ten  of  the  active 
members  of  secret  societies  is  familiar  with 
the  origin  and  growth  of  his  own  fraternity, 
and  not  one  in  a  hundred  has  a  fair  con- 
ception of  the  relation  of  his  own  organiza- 
tion to  like  societies,  or  of  the  origin  and 
evolution  of  leading  organizations  which 
form  the  secret  society  world-J  For  this 
reason  not  only  the  200,000  new  members 
of  such  societies  each  year,  but  older  breth- 
ren as  well,  should  find  in  the  Cyclop.-edia 
OF  Fraternities  a  valuable  supplement  to 


all  previously  acquired  information  on  the 
subject.  So  much  that  is  not  true  has 
been  written  about  secret  societies  by  their 
friends,  as  well  as  enemies,  and  so  much 
that  is  of  doubtful  authenticity  regarding 
them  appears  in  what  have  been  considered 
standard  works,  that  an  analytical  supple- 
mentary treatise  becomes  a  necessity. 

]\Iore  than  half  the  secret  societies  in  the 
United  States  pay  death,  sick,  accident,  dis- 
ability, funeral,  or  other  benefits.  They  are 
an  outgrowth  of  the  old  English  friendly 
societies  and  of  Masonic  influences,  and  are 
generally  described  as  beneficiary  and  char- 
itable organizations,  sometimes  as  fraternal 
orders.  Their  total  membership  is  enor- 
mous and  is  growing  rapidly.  The  move- 
ment represents  a  system  of  cooperative  in- 
surance, usually  characterized  as  "protec- 
tion," and  is  attracting  the  attention  of  not 
only  old  line  insurance  companies,  but  of 
legislatures  as  well. 

So  important  has  this  branch  of  secret 
society  life  become,  that  it  has  been  given 
extended  treatment  under  "  National  Fra- 
ternal Congress,"  which  chapter  is  contrib- 
uted by  Major  N.  S.  Boynton  of  Port  Hu- 
ron, Mich.  Returns  as  to  the  nature  of  the 
protection  or  benefits  given,  and  methods  of 
collecting  the  same,  with  costs  per  capita 
at  various  periods,  have  been  furnished  by 
nearly  all  the  large  beneficiary  societies, 
and  are  published  in  full.  The  accompany- 
ing analysis  and  comparison  are  by  Mr. 
Frank  Greene,  managing  editor  of  Brad- 
street's.  This  feature  should  prove  of  ex- 
ceptional interest  to  members  of  beneficiary 
orders. 

One  of  the  revelations  of  the  book  is  found 
in  the  reference  to  secret  sisterhoods  at- 
tached to  beneficiary  fraternities,  as  well 
as  separate  societies  of  women,  relatives  of 
members  of  brotherhoods,  numbering  alto- 
gether about  half  a  million  women.     Among 


PREFACE 


the  larger  are  the  Daughters  of  Eebekah, 
the  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star,  Ladies  of  the 
Maccabees,  the  Eatlibone  Sisters,  Pythian 
Sisterhood,  the  Daughters  of  Liberty,  the 
Daughters  of  America,  and  others.  In  ad- 
dition, there  are  many  beneficiary  societies 
which  admit  both  men  and  women. 

The  results  of  an  examination  of  standard 
histories  of  Freemasonry,  condensed  for  the 
Cyclopaedia  of  Fkaternities,  ignore  un- 
corroborated traditions  as  to  origin  and 
growth,  but  embody  the  conclusions  of  the 
ablest  modern  Masonic  historians.  Supple- 
mentary chapters  on  Freemasonry  contain 
much  that  is  published  for  the  first  time. 
In  all  of  them  the  view-point  is  that  of  the 
inquiring  Freemason,  young  or  old.  Too 
much  is  left  nowadays  for  the  newly-made 
Master  Mason  to  find  out  by  studying  the 
thousand  and  one  books,  good,  bad,  and 
indifferent,  truthful  and  traditional,  with 
which  the  shelves  of  Masonic  libraries  are 
filled.  The  results  of  prolonged  investi- 
gation are  embodied  in  special  chapters 
on  "Freemasonry  among  Negroes,"  includ- 
ing the  English,  American,  and  Scottish 
Eites;  "  Freemasonry  among  the  Mormons," 
containing  original  matter  contributed  by 
brethren  familiar  with  the  work  of  the  Mor- 
mon Lodge  at  Nauvoo,  111.,  fifty  years  ago; 
and  "  Freemasonry  among  the  Chinese/' 
which  phrase  acquires  a  new  meaning.  Ma- 
sonic Eites,  their  origin,  growth,  and  dis- 
tribution of  membership  throughout  the 
world,  their  present  condition,  relationship, 
and  modes  of  government,  are  presented 
more  clearly,  perhaps,  than  ever  before. 

Scottish  Eite  Freemasonry,  the  discussion 
of  which  includes  a  list  of  the  names  and 
addresses  of  all  thirty-third  degree  Free- 
masons in  the  United  States,  is  dealt  with 
so  as  to  make  plain  much  that  is  misunder- 
stood. The  work  involved  in  preparing  this 
chapter  necessitated  retracing  the  steps  of 
many  who  had  gone  that  way  before.  Mas- 
ter Masons  will  find  the  story  a  brief  and 
clear  exposition  of  what  has  often  been 
befogged. 


Modern  Occult  Societies  are  nominally 
more  numerous  than  their  following  would 
seem  to  warrant,  Nearly  all  have  been 
based  upon  Masonic  degrees  or  legends. 
The  only  noteworthy  survivor  is  the  Theo- 
sophical  Society,  Mrs.  Annie  Besant,  suc- 
cessor to  Madame  Helen  P.  Blavatsky, 
writes  interestingly  regarding  this  Society 
for  the  Cyclopaedia  of  Fraternities, 
making  several  points  which  will  attract  the 
attention  of  Masonic  students. 

As  very  few  among  those  who  have  here- 
tofore treated  of  events  during  the  period 
1827  to  1845  have  appreciated  the  part  the 
anti-Masonic  agitation  pla3'-ed  in  peopling 
what  may  be  called  the  secret  society  world, 
this  interesting  topic  is  quite  fully  discussed 
under  the  heads,  "Anti-Masonry,"  "Col- 
lege Fraternities,"  "  Patriotic  Orders,"  and 
"Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows." 

The  extent  to  which  the  Eoman  Catholic 
Church  has  antagonized  secret  societies  in 
America  is  referred  to,  in  part,  under 
"Anti-Masonry;"  bnt  its  later  attitude, 
looking  without  disfavor  on  the  formation 
of  private  beneficiary  and  charitable  organ- 
izations, does  not  appear  to  have  received 
treatment  elsewhere.  The  movement  is  sig- 
nificant in  that  it  constitutes  the  revival  of 
"a  little  Freemasonry"  wholly  within  the 
Church. 

Among  the  original  charts,  maps,  family 
trees,  and  other  diagrams,  prepared  for 
the  Cyclopaedia  of  Fraternities  are  the 
following : 

1,  Secret  Society  Membership  Map  of  the 

United  States; 

2,  Masonic  Map  of  the  World; 

3,  Spread  of  Freemasonry  from  England 

throughout  the  World ; 

4,  Number     of    Freemasons    in    Various 

Countries; 

5,  Number  of  Master  Masons  in  each  of 

the  Leading  Masonic  Eites; 

6,  Eelationship  of  the  English,  American, 

and  Scottish  Eites  of  Freemasonry; 

7,  Legitimate    and    Illegitimate    Scottish 

Eite  Masonic  Bodies; 


GENEALOGICAL    OR    FAMILY    TREE    OP    SECRET    SOCIETIES. 


FREEMASONRY. 


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PREFACE 


8.  Odd     Fellowship,    its     Branches     and 

Schisms; 

9.  Orders  of  White  and  of  Negro  Odd  Fel- 

lows and  their  Branches; 

10.  Origin  and   Relationship   of  Orders  of 

Foresters ; 

11.  Patriotic  and  Political  Societies,   1TG5 

(Sons  of  Liberty)  to  date  (American 
Protective  Association); 

12.  American  College  Fraternities  and  their 

Extension; 

13.  Relationship  of  Temperance  Secret  So- 

cieties; 

14.  Hebrew    Secret,    Charitable    Organiza- 

tions; 

15.  Railroad  Employes'  Brotherhoods,  and 

16.  Labor  Organizations. 

Stndents  of  the  curious  will  be  interested 
in  the  discussions  of  anti-Roman  Catholic 
secret  societies,  societies  which  favor  a 
silver  monetary  standard,  mystical  organi- 
zations to  teach  economics,  for  the  encour- 
agement of  recreation,  enforcing  law  and 
order,  for  carrying  out  revolutionary  de- 
signs, for  indulging  in  eccentricity,  and  for 
subverting  law  and  order.  The  list  is  not 
a  long  one,  but  is  interesting  as  a  sociologi- 
cal record. 

The  labor  entailed  in  compiling  the 
Cyclopaedia  of  Fkaternities  has  been 
lightened  by  the  cooperation  of  members  of 
the  societies  named ;  and  for  much  that  is 
meritorious  herein,  particular  credit  is  in 
part  due  to  those  whose  names  are  appended, 
to  whom  the  warmest  acknowledgments  are 
extended : 
Adelubehagen,    Paul,    A.    F.    and   A.   M., 

Hamburg,  Netherlands. 
Allan,  F.  W.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Glasgow, 

Scotland. 
Arthur,  P.  M.,  Brotherhood  of  Locomotive 

Engineers,  Cleveland,  0. 
Backus,  Rev.   J.  E.,  Independent  Order  of 

Good  Templars,  Rome,  N.  Y. 
Bangs,  Algernon  S.,  United  Order  of  the 

Golden  Cross,  Augusta,  Me. 
Baskett,  S.  R.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Evershot, 

Dorchester,  England. 


Bates,  John  L.,  United  Order  of  Pilgrim 
Fathers,  Boston,  Mass. 

Bayley,  J.,  Independent  Order  of  Foresters, 
Toronto,  Ont. 

Beck,   Charles  F.,    A.   F.  and  A.  M.,  De- 
troit, Mich. 

Bellamy,  Marsdeu,  Knights  of  Honor,  Wil- 
mington, N.  C. 

Bernstein,  Paul,  American  Star  Order,  New 
York. 

Besant,  Mrs.  Annie,  Theosophical  Society, 
London,  England. 

Bien,  Julius,  B'nai  B'rith,  New  York. 

Bierce,   C.   A.,   Order  of  the  Golden  Rod, 
Detroit,  Mich. 

Bigelow,  Joseph  Hill,  College  Fraternities, 
College  City  New  York. 

Biggs,  D.  S.,  American  Legion  of  Honor, 
Boston,  Mass. 

Bloss,  J.  M.,  Equitable  Aid  LTnion,  Titus- 
ville.  Pa. 

Bolton,    DeWitt   C,   Knights   of   Pythias, 
Paterson,  N.  J. 

Boughton,  J.  S.,  Order  of  Select  Friends, 
Lawrence,  Kan. 

Bowles,  G.  F.,  The  Universal  Brotherhood, 
Natchez,  Miss. 

Boyd,  W.  T.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Cleveland,  0. 

Brown,  F.  L.,  Improved  Order  of  Hepta- 
sophs.  Scran  ton,  Pa. 

Buchanan,  James  Isaac,  A.  F.  and  A.  M., 
Pittsburg,  Pa. 

Bundy,    William    E.,    Sons    of    Veterans, 
U.  S.  A.,  Cincinnati,  0. 

Burmester,  Charles  E.,    Adjutant-General, 
G.  A.  R.,  Omaha,  Neb. 

Burnett,  D.  Z.,  Knights  of  Pythias,  Wash- 
ington, D.  C. 

Burton,   Alonzo  J.,   Order  of  the  Eastern 
Star,  New  York,  N.  Y. 

Burton,  John  R.,  Modern  Order  of  Crafts- 
men, Detroit,  Mich. 

Campfield,  George  A.,  Independent  Order 
of  Foresters,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Carlos,  James  J.,  St.  Patrick's  Alliance  of 
America,  Newark,  N.  J. 

Carnahan,  Major-General  James  R.,  Knights 
of  Pythias,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 


PREFACE 


IX 


Carson,  E.  T,,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Cincin- 
nati, 0. 

Carter,  John  M.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Balti- 
more, Md. 

Chase,  Ira  J.,  Tribe  of  Ben  Ilur,  Crawfords- 
ville,  Ind. 

Churchill,  C.  Kobert,  College  Fraternities, 
New  Orleans,  La. 

Clancy,  J.  J.,  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians, 
Trenton,  N.  J. 

Clare,  Ealph  B.,  Knights  of  the  Mystic 
Chain,  Philadel^ihia,  Pa. 

Clark,  E.  E.,  Order  of  Kailway  Conductors, 
Cedar  Rapids,  la. 

Clark,  Miss  F.  M.,  New  England  Order  of 
Protection,  Boston,  Mass. 

Clarkson,  Thaddeus  S.,  G.  A.  R.,  Omaha, 
Neb. 

Clendenen,  G.  W.,  Mystic  Order  of  the 
World,  Fulton,  111. 

Clift,  J.  Augustus,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  .St. 
Johns,  N.  F. 

Coffin,  Selden  J.,  College  Fraternities,  La- 
fayette College,  Easton,  Pa. 

Colby,  Arthur  W.,  College  Fraternities, 
Cleveland,  0. 

Congdon,  Joseph  W.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M., 
Paterson,  N.  J. 

Cotter,  Frank  G.,  Actors'  Order  of  Friend- 
ship, New  York. 

Cowen,  Thomas  B.,  College  Fraternities, 
Williamstown,  Mass. 

Cruett,  John  AV.,  Improved  Order  of  Hep- 
tasophs,  Baltimore,  ^Id. 

Culbertson,  William,  Knights  of  the  Golden 
Eagle,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Cummings,  Thomas  H.,  Catholic  Knights 
of  Columbus,  Boston,  Mass. 

Daniels,  William  P.,  Order  of  Railway  Con- 
ductors, Cedar  Rapids,  la. 

Dase,  William  H.,  Knights  of  the  Red  Cross, 
Springfield,  0. 

Day,  Fessenden  I.,  United  Order  of  the 
Golden  Cross.  Lewiston,  Me. 

De  Leon,  Daniel D.,  Knights  of  Labor,  New 
York. 

Devo,  John  H.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  (negro), 
"  Albany,  N.  Y. 


Donnelly,  T.  M.,  Woodchoppers'  Associa- 
tion, Jersey  City,  N.  J. 

Dore,  John  P.,  Massachusetts  Catholic  Or- 
der of  Foresters,  Boston,  Mass. 

Dorf,  Samuel,  B'rith  Abraham,  New  York. 

Doris,  T.  C,  Ancient  Order  of  the  Sanhe- 
drim, Richmond,  Va. 

Dorwell,  R.  R.,  Good  Samaritans  and 
Daughters  of  Samaria,  Stamford,  Conn. 

Douglicrty,  John,  Switchmen's  Union,  N. 
A.,  Kansas  City,  Mo. 

Eavenson,  Marvin  M.,  Sons  of  Temperance, 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Edelstein,  John,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Jersey 
City,  N.  J. 

Edmunds,  G.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Carthage, 
111. 

Eidson,  W.  R.,  American  Benevolent  As- 
sociation, St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Ellinger,  M.,  B'nai  B'rith,  New  York. 

Engelhardt,  August,  Benevolent  Order  of 
Buffaloes,  New  York. 

Everett,  D.,  Brotherhood  of  Locomotive 
Engineers,  Cleveland,  0. 

Failey,  James  F.,  Order  of  Iron  Hall,  In- 
dianapolis, Ind. 

Farrell,  J.  H.,  Royal  Arcanum,  Paterson, 
N.  J. 

Fields,  M.  F.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  (negro), 
St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Fowler,  George  W.,  Ancient  Order  of  United 
Workmen,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Frantzen,  C.  J.,  Royal  Benefit  Society,  New 
York. 

Frost,  D.  M.,  Knights  of  Reciprocity,  Gar- 
den City,  Kan. 

Galami,  M.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Athens, 
Greece. 

Gans,  William  A.,  B'nai  B'rith,  New  York, 
N.  Y. 

Garwood,  S.  S.,  Order  of  Home  Builders, 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Gaston,  Frederick,  The  Grand  Fraternity, 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Gerard,  D.  W.,  Tribe  of  Ben  Hur,  Craw- 
fordsville,  Ind. 

Gildersleevc,  Charles  E.,  Order  of  United 
Americans,  New  York. 


PREFACE 


Glenn,  G.  W.,  Independent  Order  of  Reclia- 
bites,  Sykes,  Va. 

Goodule,  H.  G.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Jamaica, 
Queens  Co.,  N.  Y. 

Gorman,  Artliur  P.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Bal- 
timore, Md. 

Graham,  Rev.  George  S.,  Order  of  Iron 
Hall,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Gretzinger,  William  C,  College  Fraternities, 
Lowisburg,  Pa. 

Griest,  W.  C,  The  United  States  Benefit 
Fraternity,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Griffin,  Martin  I.  J.,  Irish  Catholic  Benev- 
olent Union,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Gross,  F.  W.,  United  Brothers  in  Friend- 
ship, Victoria,  Tex. 

Gwinnell,  John  M.,  American  Legion  of 
Honor,  Newark,  N.  J. 

Hahne,  Irvin  A.,  Independent  Order  of 
Mechanics,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Hamilton,  W.  R.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Car- 
thage, 111. 

Hammer,  H.  H.,  Adjutant  General,  Sons 
of  Veterans,  U.  S.  A.,  Reading,  Pa. 

Harburger,  Julius,  Independent  Order, 
Free  Sons  of  Israel,  New  York. 

Harper,  G.  S.,  Order  of  the  World,  Wheel- 
ing, W.  Va. 

Harrison,  H.  Leslie,  Knights  of  St.  John 
and  Malta,  New  York. 

Harte,  H.  M.,  Knights  of  Honor,  New  York. 

Hassewell,  J.  N.,  Patriotic  Order,  Sons  of 
America,  Scranton,  Pa. 

Hayes,  John  W.,  Knights  of  Labor,  Phila- 
delphia, Pa. 

Heller,  S.  M.,  Home  Palladium,  Kansas 
City,  Mo. 

Hennessy,  J.  C,  National  Reserve  Associa- 
tion, Kansas  City,  Mo. 

Henry,  William,  Order  of  Amaranth,  De- 
troit, Mich. 

Herman,  L.,  Ahavas  Israel,  New  York. 

Herriford,  Joseph  E.,  International  Order 
of  Twelve,  Chillicothe,  Mo. 

Hibben,  E.  H.,  Northern  Fraternal  Insur- 
ance Association,  Marshalltown,  la. 

Hinckley,  George  C,  College  Fraternities, 
Providence,  R.  I. 


Hitt,  George  C,  Order  of  Iron  Hall,  In- 
dianapolis, Ind. 

Holden,  S.  F.,  Knights  and  Ladies  of 
America,  New  York. 

Holman,  Oliver  D.,  Order  of  United 
Friends,  New  York. 

Holmes,  M.  B.,  Ancient  Order  of  Hiber- 
nians, New  York. 

Hopkins,  A.  W.,  International  Order  of 
Twelve,  Leavenworth,  Kan. 

Hucless,  Robert,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  (negro), 
New  York, 

Hughes,  James  L.,  The  Loyal  Orange  As- 
sociation, Toronto,  Ont. 

Irving,  E.  B.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  (negro), 
Albany,  N.  Y. 

Jackson,  Thornton  A.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M. 
(negro),  Washington,  D.  C. 

Jones,  C.  C,  Adjutant-General,  G.  A.  R., 
Rockford,  111. 

Jones,  Charles  R.,  Order  of  Equity,  In- 
dianapolis, Ind. 

Johnston,  John  G.,  Order  of  Rente,  Phila- 
delphia, Pa. 

Johnston,  Thomas  E.,  Order  of  Knights  of 
Friendship,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Keliher,  Sylvester,  American  Railway 
Union,  Chicago,  111. 

Kimptou,  Carl  W.,  Order  of  Unity,  Phila- 
delphia, Pa. 

King,  Charles  M.,  Benevolent  and  Protec- 
tive Oi'der  of  Elks,  Paterson,  N.  J. 

Kittrell,  L.  A.,  Knights  of  Pythias  (ne- 
gro), Macon,  Ga. 

Krape,  William  W.,  Knights  of  the  Globe, 
Freeport,  111. 

Kuhn,  John  R.,  Catholic  Benevolent  Le- 
gion, Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Lamb,  E.  F.,  Order  of  United  Friends  of 
Michigan,  Flint,  Mich. 

Lander,  W.  F.,  Knights  and  Ladies  of 
Azar,  Chicago,  111. 

Laurence,  R.  D.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Spring- 
field, 111. 

Lawler,  Thomas  G.,  G.  A.  R.,  Rockford, 
111. 

Lawrence,  G.  ^.,  National  Farmers'  Al- 
liance, Marion,  0. 


PREFACE 


XI 


Leahy,  John  P.,  Union  Fraternal  Alliance,  Mann,  Dr.  D.  IL,  Independent  Order  Good 

Boston,  Mass.  Tcnii)lars,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Leahy,  Thomas,  A.  F.   and  A.  M.,  Roch-  Markey,  D.  P.,  Knights  of  the  Maccabees, 

ester,  N.  Y.  Port  Huron,  Mich. 

Lee,  J.  P.,  St.  Patrick's  Alliance  of  Anier-  Mason,  E.  C,  Royal  Tribe  of  Joseph,  8e- 

ica.  Orange,  N.  J.  dalia,  Mo. 
Leisersohn,  Leonard,  B'rith  Abraham,  New  Mason,  Joseph,  Foresters  of  America,  Pat- 
York,  erson,  N.  J. 
Lenbert,    J.  G.,    Grand  United   Order  of  Mason,  J,  J.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Hamilton, 

Odd  Fellows  (negro),  New  York.  Ont. 

Lerch,    George    L.,    College    Fraternities,  Mason,    J.    W.,    Protected    Home    Circle, 

Clinton,  N.  Y.  Sharon,  Pa. 

Levy,  Ferdinand,  Sons  of  Benjamin,  New  Maulsby,  D.  L.,  College  Fraternities,  Tufts 

York.  College,  Massachusetts. 

Levy,  Magnus,  Independent  Order  of  Amer-  May,  William  H.,  Jr.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M., 

ican  Israelites,  New  York.  Washington,  D.  C. 

Lockard,  L.   B.,    Knights   and    Ladies  of  Mendenhall,  B.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Dallas 

Honor,  Bradford,  Pa.  City,  111. 

Loewenstein,  E.,   A.  F.  and  A.  M.,   New  Mills,  A.  G.,  Military  Order  of  Loyal  Lc- 

York.  gion,  New  York. 

Lunstedt,  Henry,  Native  Sons  of  the  Gold-  Miner,   S.  L.,  National  Fraternal  Union, 

en  West,  San  Francisco,  Cal.  Cincinnati,  0. 

Lnthin,  Otto  L.  F.,  Royal  Society  of  Good  Mitchell,   C.   W.,   Knights  of  the  Golden 

Fellows,  Boston,  Mass.  Eagle,  Mansfield,  0. 

Lyon,  D.  Murray,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Edin-  Monahan,  James,  Irish  National  Order  of 

burgh,  Scotland.  Foresters,  New  York. 

McCarroll,  F.  Liberty,  Shepherds  of  Beth-  Moore,  E.  T.,  College  Fraternities,  Swath- 

lehem,  Newark,  N.  J.  more  College,  Swathmore,  Pa. 

McClenachan,  Charles  T.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Moore,  R.  B.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Elizabeth, 

New  York.  N.  J. 

McClintock,  E.    S.,  Ancient  Order  of  the  Moorman,    Gen.    George,    United   Confed- 

Pyramids,  Topeka,  Kan.  erate  Veterans,  New  Orleans,  La. 

McClurg,   John,  Jr.,  Templars  of  Liberty  Morse,    H.  H.,   Order  of  Chosen  Friends, 

of  America,  New  York.  New  York. 

McLaughlin,     James    J.,      Massachusetts  Mott,  J.  Lawrence,  Workmen's  Benefit  So- 

Catliolic  Order  of  Foresters,  Boston.  ciety,  Boston,  Mass. 

McLean,  Alexander,  Illinois  Order  of  Mu-  Mott,  Dr.  Valentine,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  New 

tual  Aid,  Macomb,  111.  York. 

Mackery,  L.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Edinburgh,  Mulford,    John    M.,   American    Insurance 

Scotland.  L'nion,  Columbus,  0. 

Magill,  Joseph  R.,  Grand  United  Order  of  Mull,    George    F.,    College     Fraternities, 

Odd  Fellows  (negro),  New  York.  Franklin  and  Marshall,  Lancaster,  Pa. 

Mahoney,  John  R.,  Independent  Order  of  Mulligan,  John,  Knights  of  Honor,  Yon- 

Rechabites,  Washington,  D.  C.  kers,  N.  Y. 

Malcolm,    Samuel    L.,    Order    of    United  Mulligan,    Ralph    R.,   Knights  of   Honor, 

Friends,  New  York.  Yonkers,  N.  Y. 

Mallard,  Rev.  Robert  Q.,  College  Fraterni-  Mundie,  P.  J.,  National  Union  of  Iron  and 

ties,  New  Orleans,  La.  Steel  Workers,  Youngstown,  0. 


PREFACE 


Muiiger,  Frank  E.,  Empire  Knights  of  Ee- 
lief,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

Myers,  Allen  0.,  Benevolent  and  Protective 
Order  of  Elks,  Cincinnati,  0. 

Myrick,  Herbert,  Patrons  of  Industry, 
Springfield,  Mass. 

Nason,  Edwin  H.,  Shield  of  Honor,  Phila- 
delphia, Pa. 

Keedham.  James  F.,  Grand  United  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows  (negro),  Philadelphia. 

Nichols,  John,  Templars  of  Liberty,  New 
York. 

Nicholson,  General  John  P.,  Military  Or- 
der of  Loyal  Legion,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Nicholson,  James  B.,  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Nielsen,  Eennus,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Copen- 
hagen, Denmark. 

Nisbet,  Michael,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Phila- 
delphia, Pa. 

Noeckel,  A.  G.,  The  Columbus  Mutual 
Benefit  Association,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Northcott,  William  A.,  Modern  Woodmen 
of  America,  Greenville,  111. 

Oakes,  Henry  W.,  New  England  Order  of 
Protection,  Auburn,  Me. 

O'Connell,  James,  International  Associa- 
tion of  Machinists,  Richmond,  Va. 

O'Connor,  P.  J.,  Ancient  Order  of  Hiber- 
nians, Savannah,  Ga. 

Oddi,  J.  S.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Alexandria, 
Egypt. 

Oliver,  Edward,  Order  of  Sons  of  St.  George, 
San  Francisco,  Cal. 

Oronhyatekha,  Dr.,  Independent  Order  of 
Foresters,  Toronto,  Ont. 

O'Rourke,  William,  Catholic  Knights  of 
America,  Fort  Wayne,  Ind. 

Palmer,  Alanson,  Eclectic  Assembly,  Brad- 
ford, Pa. 

Palmer,  George  W.,  Templars  of  Liberty, 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Pancoast,  E.  H.,  Shield  of  Honor,  Phila- 
delphia, Pa. 

Parker,  B.  F.,  Independent  Order  of  Good 
Templars,  Milwaukee,  Wis. 

Paton,  Andrew  H.,  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men,  Dan  vers,  Mass. 


Pearson,  A.  L.,  Union  Veterans'  Legion, 
Pittsburg,  Pa. 

Peckinpaugh,  Thomas  E.,  Improved  Order 
of  Red  Men,  Cleveland,  0. 

Pellin,  J.  F.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Havana, 
Cuba. 

Perkins,  E.  C,  Iron  Hall,  Baltimore, 
Md. 

Perry,  John  A.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Phila- 
delphia, Pa. 

Peters,  A.  C,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  (negro), 
Newark,  N.  J. 

Petter,  Frank  S.,  Loyal  Additional  Benefit 
Association,  Jersey  City,  N.  J. 

Phillips,  Rev.  E.  S.,  Ancient  Order  of  Hi- 
bernians, Plains,  Pa. 

Popper,  H.,  Independent  Order  Free  Sons 
of  Judah,  New  York. 

Porter,  E.  H.,  College  Fraternities,  Beloit, 
Wis. 

Post,  August,  National  Farmers'  Alliance, 
Moulton,  la. 

Powell,  J.  B.  R.,  Modern  Knights  Fidelity 
League,  Kansas  City,  Kan. 

Powell,  M.  v..  Order  of  Railway  Teleg- 
raphers, Vinton,  la. 

Presson,  G.  S.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Berne, 
Switzerland. 

Ramsey,  Walter  M.,  College  Fraternities, 
Lafayette,  Ind. 

Ray,  Peter  S.,  M.D.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M. 
(negro),  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Reeve,  S.  Lansing,  D.D.,  American  Patriotic 
League,  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Reynolds,  Walter  D.,  Sexennial  League, 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Ridings,  C.  C,  Patriarchal  Circle  of  Amer- 
ica, Morris,  111. 

Riesenberger,  A.,  College  Fraternities,  Ste- 
vens Institute,  Hoboken,  N.  J. 

Robinson,  Charles  H.,  Order  of  ^gis,  Bal- 
timore, Md. 

Robinson,  W.  A.,  College  Fraternities, 
Bethlehem,  Pa. 

Rodrigues,  Francesco  de  P.,  A.  F.  and 
A.  M.,  Havana,  Colon. 

Ronemus,  Frank  L.,  Brotherhood  of  Rail- 
way Carmen,  Cedar  Rapids,  la. 


PREFACE  Xiii 

Roose,  F.  F.,  Fraternal  Union  of  America,  Simons,  W.  N.,  Order  of  United  American 
Denver,  Colo.  Mechanics,  Xorwalk,  Conn. 

Root,  C.  J.,  Woodmen  of  the  World.  Slattery,  M.  J.,  Ancient  Order  of  Iliber- 
Oniaha,  Neb.  nians,  Albany,  N.  Y. 

Rosenthal,  B.,  Independent  Order  Free  Smalley,  Frank,  College  Fraternities,  Syra- 
'    Sons  of  Judah,  New  York.  cuse  University,  Syracuse,  N.  Y. 

Rosenthal,  Henry,  Improved  Order,  Smith,  Adon,  Veiled  Prophets  of  the  En- 
Knights  of  Pythias.  Evansville,  Ind.  chanted  Realm,  New  York. 

Rosenthal,  Morris,  Kesiier  Shel  Barzel,  Smith,  D.  P.,  Order  of  United  Friends  of 
New  York.  Michigan,  Detroit,  Mich. 

Ross,  James  C,  Knights  of  Pythias  (negro).  Smith,  George  K.,  Concatenated  Order  of 
Savannah,  Ga.  Hoo-lloo,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Ross,  Theodore  A.,  Independent  Order  of  Smith,  General  John  C,  A.  F.  and  A.  }>[., 
Odd  Fellows,  Baltimore,  Md.  Chicago,  111. 

Rousell,  Edward,  Fraternal  Aid  Associa-  Smith,  T.  J.,  Knights  of  the  Golden  Rule, 
tion,  Lawrence,  Kan.  Cincinnati,  0. 

Rugh,  W.  J.,  Ancient  and  Illustrious  Order  Smitli,  AV.  J.,  American  Glass  Makers' 
Knights  of  Malta,  Pittsburg,  Pa.  Union,  Pittsburg,  Pa. 

Russell.  William  T.,A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Bal-  Speelman,  H.  V.,  Adjutant-General,  Sons 
timore,  Md.  of  A'eterans,  L^.  S.  A.,  Cincinnati,  0. 

Sanders,  James  P.,  Independent  Order  of  Speth,  G.  W.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Bromley, 
Odd  Fellows,  Yonkers,  N.  Y.  Kent,  England. 

Sanderson,  Percy,  Order  of  Sons  of  St.  Spooner,  W.  R.,  Royal  Society  of  Good  Fel- 
George,  New  York.  lows.  New  York. 

Sargent,  F.  P.,  Brotherhood  of  Locomotive  Stead,  T.  Ballan,  Ancient  Order  of  Fores- 
Firemen,  Peoria,  111.  ters,  England. 

Saunders,  T.  W.,  Independent  Order  of  Stearns,  John  B.,  College  Fraternities,  Bur- 
Foresters  of  Illinois,  Chicago,  111.  lington,  Vt. 

Schaale,  Charles  F.,  Patriotic  Order  of  Stebbins,  John  W.,  Independent  Order  of 
America,  St.  Louis,  Mo.  Odd  Fellows,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 

Schord,  Louis  G.,  United  Ancient  Order  of  Stees,  F.  E.,  Patriotic  Order  Sons  of  Amer- 
Druids,  San  Francisco,  Cal.  ica,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Scott,  George,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  New  Stephenson,  Mary  H.,  G.  A.  R.,  Peters- 
York,  burg.  111. 

Scott,  George  A.,  National  Protective  Le-  Stevens,  D.  E.,  Order  of  the  Fraternal  Mys- 
gion,  Waverly,  N.  Y.  tic  Circle,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Scottron,  S.  R.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  (negro),  Stevenson,  A.  E.,  Independent  Order  of 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  Foresters,  Chicago,  111. 

Sears,  John  M.,  Independent  and  Interna-  Steward,  C.  C,  Grand  United  Order  of 
tional  Order  of  Owls,  Nashville,  Tenn.  Galilean  Fishermen,  Bristol,  Tenn. 

Sendersen,  W.  C.  College  Fraternities,  Stewart,  James  F.,  Indian  Republican 
Gambier,  0.  League,  Paterson,  N.  J. 

Server,  John,  Order  of  United  American  St.  George,  Archibald.  A.  F.  and  A.  ^L, 
Mechanics,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  Dublin,  Ireland. 

Shipp,  J.  F.,  United  Confederate  Veterans,  Stolts,  William  A.,  L^nited  Order  of  For- 
Chattanooga,  Tenn.  esters,  Chicago.  111. 

Shirrefs,  R.  A.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Eliza-  Stowell,  C.  L.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Rochester, 
beth,  N.  J.  N.  Y. 


PREFACE 


Stringhain,  LeRoy  M.,  Templars  of  Honor 
and  Temperance,  Ripley,  N.  Y. 

Stubbs,  T.  J.,  College  Fraternities,  Wil- 
liamsburg, Va. 

Suleb,  M.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Cairo,  Egypt. 

Sullavon,  Emanuel,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  (ne- 
gro), New  Bedford,  Mass. 

Sullivan,  B.  Frank,  Order  of  Heptasoplis, 
or  S.  W.  M.,  Wilmington,  Del. 

Sullivan,  Timothy  F.,  Catholic  Knights  of 
Columbus,  Boston,  Mass. 

Taylor,  Harold,  Order  of  Iron  Hall,  Indian- 
apolis, Ind. 

Taylor,W.  E.,  Molly  Maguires, Pittsburg, Pa. 

Terrell,  George,  College  Fraternities,  Mid- 
dletown,  Conn. 

Thiele,  Theodore  B.,  Catholic  Order  of  For- 
esters, Chicago,  111. 

Thompson,  J.  W.,  Knights  of  Pythias, 
Washington,  D.  C. 

Tipper,  F.  S.,  Jr.,  Order  of  United  Ameri- 
can Mechanics,  Stamford,  Conn. 

Titcomb,  Virginia  C,  Patriotic  League  of 
the  Revolution,  Brooklyn. 

Todd,  Quinton,  Knights  of  Birmingham, 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Tompkins,  Uriah  W.,  Home  Circle,  New 
York. 

Toomey,  D.  P.,  Catholic  Knights  of  Colum- 
bus, Boston,  Mass. 

Trimble,  John,  Patrons  of  Husbandry, 
Washington,  D.  C. 

Troutman,  Charles  E.,  Union  Veterans' 
Legion,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Tyler,  C.  W.,  Jr.,  Order  United  American 
Mechanics,  Richmond,  Va. 

Underbill,  C.  F.,  Royal  Fraternity,  Minne- 
apolis, Minn. 

Unverzagt,  C.  H.,  National  Fraternal  Alli- 
ance, Baltimore,  Md. 

Upson,  Irving  S.,  College  Fraternities, 
New  Brunswick,  N.  J. 

Verticau,  F.  W.,  Patrons  of  Industry,  Port 
Huron,  Mich. 

Waite,  G.  Harry,  Knights  of  the  Mystic 
Chain,  Port  Dickinson,  N.  Y. 

Walkinshaw,  L.  C,  College  Fraternities, 
Lewisburg,  Pa. 


Wallace,  Colonel  E.  Bruce,  Union  Veterans* 
Legion,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Watkins,  James  S.,  Improved  Order  of 
Ileptasophs,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Weatherbee,  J.,  Order  of  Railway  Teleg- 
raphers, Vinton,  la. 

Weeks,  Joseph  D.,  A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  Pitts- 
burg, Pa. 

Weihe,  William,  Amalgamated  Association, 
Iron  and  Steel  Workers,  Pittsburg,  Pa. 

Wende,  Ernest,  M.D.,  Order  of  the  Iro- 
quois, Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

White,  R.  L.  C,  Kniglits  of  Pythias,  Nash- 
ville, Tenn. 

W^ilson,  J.  W^.,  National  Farmers'  Alliance, 
Chicago,  111. 

Wilson,  W.  IL,  Knights  of  Birmingham, 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Wilson,  W.  Warne,  Columbian  League,  De- 
troit, Mich. 

Wood,  C.  B.,  Knights  of  the  Golden  Eagle, 
Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Wood,  E.  0.,  Knights  of  the  Loyal  Guard, 
Flint,  Mich. 

Woodruff,  C.  S.,  Templars  of  Honor  and 
Temperance,  Newark,  N.  J. 

Woodward,  Rev.  C.  S.,  Temple  of  Honor, 
Newark,  N.  J. 

Woolsey,  George  F.,  L^nited  Order  of  For- 
esters, St.  Paul,  Minn. 

Wright,  George  W.,  Order  of  Heptasophs, 
or  S.  W.  M.,  Norfolk,  Va. 

Wright,  William  B.,  Modern  American 
Fraternal  Order,  Effingham,  111. 

Young,  James,  Knights  of  the  Golden 
Eagle,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Where  the  origin  of  so  many  fraternities 
has  been  largely  or  in  part  obscured  through 
the  want  of  voluntary  chroniclers,  and  some- 
times by  reason  of  the  emphasis  placed  on 
the  legendary  accounts  of  their  beginnings, 
it  has  often  been  difficult  to  arrive  at  all  the 
facts.  The  search  for  truth,  however,  has 
been  conducted  without  bias,  in  an  honest 
endeavor  to  collate  as  much  as  possible  of 
that  which  may  be  known  concerning  this 
interesting  phase  of  social  life. 


IlSTTRODUCTIOlSr 


Very  few  among  the  six  million  members 
of  nearly  three  hundred  secret  societies, 
fraternities,  and  sisterhoods  in  the  United 
States  are  familiar  with  the  origin,  history, 
or  function  of  these  organizations.  This 
has  been  noted  by  the  eminent  English  ]Ma- 
sonic  historian,  Eobert  F.  Gould^  who,  on 
page  157,  vol.  ii.,  of  his  "History  of  Free- 
masonry," says:  "The  members  of  a  secret 
society  are  rarely  conversant  with  its  origin 
and  history."  Many  have  a  fair  knowledge 
of  the  extent,  membership,  and  the  more 
immediate  objects  of  the  societies  to  which 
they  belong;  but  the  real  histories  of  the 
origin  and  development  of  many  of  the  older 
organizations  have  so  often  been  enveloped 
in  myster}^  or  founded  on  mythical  inci- 
dents, or  traditions,  that  the  average  mem- 
ber, unless  i)articularly  interested  and  will- 
ing to  devote  time  and  study  to  the  task, 
seldom  becomes  a  trustworthy  source  of  in- 
formation as  to  the  fraternity  of  Avhich  he 
may  be  a  conspicuous  and  honored  repre- 
sentative. 

Lengthy  and  exhaustive  histories  of  some 
of  the  older  and  larger  secret  societies  in 
the  United  States  have  been  published,  but 
most  of  them  are  expensive  and  require 
time  and  study  to  enable  the  reader  to  be- 
come familiar  with  the  details  of  their  con- 
tents. In  the  rush  of  our  latter-day  civili- 
zation, the  busy  citizen  finds  little  time  to 
pore  over  the  wealth  of  incident  with  which 
such  works  properly  abound.  It  has,  there- 
fore, remained  for  the  few  to  know  of  that 
which  the  many  have  been  struggling  to 
accomplish,  to  learn  whence  they  came  and 
whither  travelling. 

Few  who  are  well  informed  on  the  subject 
will  deny  that  the  Masonic  Fraternity  is 
directly  or  indirectly  the  parent  organiza- 
tion of  all  modern  secret  societies,  good, 
bad,  and  indifferent;  but  fewer  still  are  able 
to  explain  why  or  how.     Those  who  have  an 


intelligent  idea  of  the  relationship  of  the 
hundreds  of  secret  societies  which  have  left 
an  impress  upon  American  sociological  de- 
velopment in  the  eighteenth  and  nineteenth 
centuries,  may  be  numbered  on  the  lingers 
of  one  hand,  if  indeed  there  are  as  many  as 
that;  and  it  is  in  order  to  remedy  this,  to 
place  it  within  the  reach  of  practically  every 
member  of  every  secret  society  to  familiar- 
ize himself  with  these  important  particulars, 
that  the  task  of  compiling  the  Cyclopaedia 
OF  Fraternities  was  begun.  The  im))or- 
tance  of  such  a  work  may  hardly  be  over- 
estimated, including,  as  it  does,  prolonged 
original  investigation  of  hundreds  of  tradi- 
tions and  chronicles  of  many  organizations; 
the  examination  of  all  of  the  best  and  many 
other  official  or  authoritative  historical  and 
other  publications;  and  last,  but  not  least, 
the  enlistment  of  the  cooperation  of  hun- 
dreds of  the  best-informed  members  of 
nearly  all  existing  and  some  extinct  secret 
societies,  to  the  end  that  little  if  anything 
may.  remain  undone  to  present,  in  projier 
perspective,  a  panoramic  view  of  the  secret 
society  world  in  America,  which  will  pre- 
serve the  sequence  and  relationship  of  such 
organizations. 

"When  it  is  known  that  more  than  200,000 
candidates  for  membership  are  initiated 
every  year  into  American  secret  fraterni- 
ties and  sisterhoods,  30,000  alone  into  the 
Masonic  Fraternity,  and  as  many  more  into 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  of 
whom,  as  a  rule,  60  per  cent,  become  more 
or  less  active  members,  the  need  for  a  com- 
prehensive work  Avhich  Avill  present  the  im- 
portant facts  concerning  all  secret  societies 
from  a  universal  point  of  view  becomes 
apparent. 

Notwithstanding  the  century's  extraordi- 
nary development  in  agriculture,  commerce, 
manufactures,  in  tlie  arts,  in  the  dissemi- 
nation of  intelligence,  in  the  machinery  of 


INTRODUCTION 


finance,  and  in  good  government,  interest 
in  the  older  and  better  types  of  secret  soci- 
eties has  grown  with  even  greater  rapidity, 
if  one  may  judge  from  the  increase  in  mem- 
be  rsliii)  and  prosperity.  This  may  come  in 
tlie  nature  of  a  surprise  to  many  who  know 
little  of  the  extent  or  importance  of  the 
secret  society  world,  and  it  gathers  inter- 
est for  every  student  of  mankind  in  that  it 
suggests  an  inquiry  into  the  cause  of  this 
attraction,  and  raises  the  question  whether 
the  mystical  side  to  our  natures  has  not  ex- 
panded relatively  more  rapidly  than  that 
which  looks  mainly  to  material  comfort. 

Daring  the  seventeenth  century  the  specu- 
lative successors  to  the  ancient  English 
operative  Freemasons  added  to  their  symbol- 
ism, drawn  from  the  workingmen's  guilds 
of  the  middle  ages,  many  of  the  character- 
istics of  the  older  religious  and  mystical 
societies.  Thus,  there  may  be  found  in 
modern  Freemasonry  traces  of  the  Egyp- 
tian, Eleusinian,  Mithraic,  Adoniac,  Cabi- 
ric,  and  Druidic  Mysteries,  all  of  which, 
when  undefiled,  taught  jnirity,  immortality, 
and  the  existence  of  an  ever-living  and  true 
God.  Their  ceremonials  were  divided  into 
degrees  in  which  were  conferred  secret 
means  of  recognition,  and  each  had  a 
legend  which,  by  dramatic  representation, 
impressed  upon  the  novitiate  the  lesson  that 
the  Avay  to  life  is  by  death.  Masonic  sym- 
bolism and  ceremonials  show  also  the  influ- 
ence of  the  teachings  of  the  Gnostics,  the 
Kabbalists,  Pythagoreans,  Druses,  Mani- 
cheans,  and  the  earlier  Rosicrucians.  It 
was  between  1723  and  1740  that  the  parent 
modern  secret  society  spread  from  England 
throughout  Europe  and  into  the  British 
colonies.  After  the  American  AVar  of  the 
Revolution  it  became,  with  one  or  two 
political  secret  societies  founded  by  Free- 
masons, the  direct  or  indirect  source  of  all 
secret  societies  formed  in  America  since 
that  time.  With  a  few  excej^tions,  the  like 
is  true  concerning  secret  societies  in  Europe 
formed  since  1740. 

One  hundred  years  ago  there  were  about 


twenty-five  hundred  Freemasons  in  the 
United  States,  perhaps  five  liundred  mem- 
bers of  the  St.  Tammany  (patriotic)  secret 
societies,  and  the  few  scattered  members 
of  Phi  Beta  Kapjia  at  Yale,  Harvard,  and 
Dartmouth  Colleges.  The  Cyclop.-edia  of 
Fraternities  traces  more  than  six  hun- 
dred secret  societies  in  the  United  States 
since  1797,  of  which  more  than  three  hun- 
dred and  fifty  survive,  with  a  membership 
amounting  to  40  per  cent,  of  the  present 
male  population  of  the  country  who  are 
twenty-one  years  of  age,  in  contrast  with 
less  than  one-quarter  of  1  per  cent,  of  the 
adult  male  2)opulation  who  were  members 
of  secret  fraternities  one  himdred  years  ago. 

MASONIC   BODIES. 

American  Rite:  Lodges,  ChaiJters,  Councils,  and 
Conimanderies. 

Scottish  Rite  :  Grand  Lodges  of  Perfection,  Coun- 
cils, Chapters,  Consistories,  and  Supreme  Coun- 
cils. 

Concordant  Orders :  Koyal  Order  of  Scotland ; 
Knights  of  the  Red  Cross  of  Constantine. 

Non-3Iasonic  Bodies  to  which  only  Freemasons  are 
Eligible  :  Modern  Society  of  Rosicrucians  ;  Sov- 
ereign College  of  Allied  Masonic  Degrees  ;  An- 
cient Arabic  Order  of  Nobles  of  the  Mystic 
Slirine  ;  Mystic  Order,  Veiled  Prophets  of  the 
Enchanted  Realm  ;  Independent,  International 
Order  of  Owls,  and  the  "side  degree,"'  Tall 
Cedars  of  Lebanon. 

Dead  or  Dormant :  Rite  of  Memphis  ;  Oriental  Rite 
of  Memphis  and  Misraim  ;  Rite  of  Swedenborg  ; 
Order  of  Martinists. 

Irregular  or  Spurious  Masonic  Bodies  :  1.  Amer- 
ican and  "Scottish  Rite"  bodies  among  ne- 
groes ;  2.  Cerneau  and  Seymour-Cerneau 
"  Scottish  Rite"  bodies. 

Also,  Clandestine  Masonic  Lodges  ;  Society  of  the 
Illuminati  and  the  Covenant  ;  Freemasonry 
among  the  Early  Mormons  ;  Chinese  Freema- 
sonry in  America  :  Freemasonry  among  Amer- 
ican Negroes  ;  Anti-Masonry  at  Home  and 
Abroad;  Statistics  of  Freemasonry,  and  a  list 
of  Distinguished  Americans  who  are  or  were 
Freemasons. 

Various  American  Military  Orders  and 
secret  societies,  followed  by  Colonial  and 
Ancestral  Orders,  take  their  inspiration 
from  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati,  founded 


FREEMASONS. 


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GRAND  UNITED  ORDER 


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CHART   SHOWING   RELATIVE  SIZE  OF  VARIOUS   INTERNATIONAL  SECRET   SOCIETIES. 


xvm 


INTRODUCTION 


in  1783  by  prominent  American  oflBcers  of 
the  War  of  the  Revolution,  nearly  if  not 
all  of  whom  were  Freemasons. 

MILITARY  ORDERS  AND  SOCIETIES. 

Society  of  the  Cincinnati  (War  of  Revolution). 

Military  Order  of  the  Loyal  Legion. 

Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 

Sons  of  Veterans. 

Union  Veteran  Legion. 

Women's  Relief  Corps. 

Ladies  of  tlie  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 

Aid  Society  of  the  Sons  of  Veterans. 

Auxiliary  to  the  Union  Veteran  Legion. 

Loyal  Ladies'  League. 

Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  League. 

Advance  Guard   of  America,  or  Grand  Army  of 

Progress,  and 
United  Confederate  Veterans. 

The  Sons  of  Liberty,  composed  largely 
of  and  generally  officered  by  Freemasons, 
appeared  before  the  War  of  the  Revolution, 
and  was  succeeded  by  the  Sons  of  St. 
Tamina  and  St.  Tammany  Societies,  and 
the  latter  in  1813  by  the  Society  of  Red 
Men.  The  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men 
(1834)  was  a  further  outgrowth,  but  with 
charitable  and  benevolent  rather  than  po- 
litical features. 

PATRIOTIC  AND  POLITICAL  ORDERS. 

Sons  of  Liberty. 
Sons  of  St.  Tamina. 

*  Tammany  Society,  or  Columbian  Order. 
Society  of  Red  Men. 

*  Order  United  American  Mechanics. 

*  Junior  Order  United  American  Mechanics. 
Sons  of  '76  ;  Order  Star  Spangled  Banner  (Know- 

Nothing  Party). 

*  Patriotic  Order  Sons  of  America. 

*  Patriotic  Daughters  of  America. 
Order  of  True  Americans. 

*  Daughters  of  Liberty. 

*  Daughters  of  America. 
United  Sons  of  America. 

*  Junior  Sons  of  America. 

*  Brotherhood  of  the  Union. 
Patriotic  Order  of  True  Americans. 
American  Knights. 
Order  United  Americans. 
Templars. 

Order  of  American  Star. 
Free  and  Accepted  Americans. 
Order  Native  Americans. 


The  Crescent. 

National  Order  of  Videttes. 
Order  of  Red,  White,  and  Blue. 
Loyal  Men  of  American  Liberty. 
Sons  of  the  Soil. 

*  American  Protestant  Association. 

*  Junior  American  Protestant  Association. 
Loyal  Knights  of  America. 

Order  of  American  Freemen. 
Benevolent  Order  of  Bereans. 
Guards  of  Liberty. 

*  American  Protective  Association  (A.  P.  A.). 

*  Women's  Historical  Society. 

*  Junior  American  Protective  Association. 

*  Constitutional  Reform  Club. 

*  National  Assembly,  Patriotic  League. 

*  Order  Little  Red  School  House. 

*  American  Patriotic  League. 

*  Daughters  of  Columbia. 

*  Order  of  American  Union. 
Order  of  American  Shield. 

*  United  Order  of  Deputies. 
Minute  Men  of  1890. 

*  Knights  of  Reciprocity. 

*  American  Knights  of  Protection. 

*  Templars  of  Liberty. 

*  Patriots  of  America. 

*  Daughters  of  the  Republic. 

*  Silver  Knights  of  America,  and 

*  Silver  Ladies  of  America. 

*  Patriotic  League  of  the  Revolution. 
Indian  Republican  League. 

Sons  of  Liberty  (3d). 

*  Loyal  Women  of  American  Liberty. 
Freemen's  Protective  Silver  Federation. 
Minute  Men  of  '96. 

Ladies  of  Abraham  Lincoln. 
*Lady  True  Blues  of  the  World  (Orange). 

*  Protestant  Knights  of  America. 

*  Loyal  Orange  Institution. 

*  Women's  Loyal  Orange  Association. 

*  Royal  Black  Knights  of  the  Camp  of  Israel. 

*  National  Farmers'  Alliance. 

*  Order  of  the  Mystic  Brotherhood. 

*  American  Order  United  Catholics  (anti-A.  P.  A.). 

The  germ  of  American  patriotic  and  po- 
litical secret  societies  may  be  traced  to 
the  Loyal  Orange  Institution,  founded  in 
Ireland  in  1795.  The  latter  had  Masonic 
antecedents,  and  for  a  few  years  had 
the  cooperation  of  individual  Freemasons. 
Its  cardinal  principle  was,  and  is,  loyalty 

*  Societies  marked  with  an  asterisk  are  still  in 
existence. 


INTRODUCTION 


XIX 


to  the  occupants  of  the  British  throne  and 
opposition  to  the  Roman  Catholic  Church. 
It  did  not  appear  in  the  United  States  as  an 
organization  until  1870,  but  Orangeism  did, 
and  the  members  of  earlier  American  patri- 
otic secret  societies  (1840-1855)  were  pro- 
nounced **' Native  Americans^'  and  anti- 
Roman  Catholic.  The  Orders  of  United 
American  Mechanics  (Senior  and  Junior), 
Sons  of  America,  Brotherhood  of  the  Union, 
American  Protestant  Association,  the  Know- 
Nothing  party  (Order  of  the  Star  Spangled 
Banner),  and  others,  were  conspicuous  dur- 
ing the  period  referred  to,  and  all,  except 
the  Know-Nothing  party,  exist  to-day,  with 
others  spreading  into  the  American  Pro- 
tective Association  movement,  which  has 
been  conspicuous  in  American  politics. 

American  college  secret  societies,  better 
known  as  Greek  letter  fraternities,  have  an 
indirect  connection  with  the  high  grades  of- 
Freemasonry  which  were  elaborated  in  the 
eighteenth  century,  and  in  some  instances  a 
more  direct  inspiration  from  the  parent 
secret  society.  They  constitute  a  social  and 
literary  aristocracy.  There  are  nearly  thirty " 
important  ones,  and  twice  as  many  more  of 
consequence.  Nearly  all  have  Greek  letter 
titles,  usually  the  initials  of  a  motto.  Phi 
Beta  Kappa,  the  oldest,  was  founded  at  the 
College  of  William  and  Mary,  Virginia,  in 
1776,  whence  it  was  taken  to  Yale  and 
Harvard,  and  thence  to  other  colleges.  Rival 
Greek  letter  fraternities  did  not  begin  to 
appear  until  1825,  since  which  time  they 
have  multiplied  rapidly.  Rivahy  between 
them  is  keen,  and  college  social  life  is  char- 
acterized according  as  a  student  is  a  mem- 
ber of  one  or  another,  or  of  none  of  them. 
Many  of  the  best-known  names  in  the  ])ro- 
fessions,  in  literature  and  in  political  life, 
may  be  found  in  the  lists  of  college  alumni, 
members  of  these  fraternities. 

COLLEGE  GREEK  LETTER  AND  OTHER 

FRATERNITIES. 
Phi  Beta  Kappa  (founded  at  William  and  Mary)— . 
Chi  Delta  Theta  (Yale). 
Chi  Phi  (Princeton).  — 


^-\Kappa  Alpha  (Union).  — 
-VSignia  Phi  (Union).     — ■ 

Delta  Phi  (Union). 

I.  K;  A.  (Trinity). 
-\-A-lpha  Delta  Phi  (Hamilton).     — 
.   Skull  and  Bones  (local,  Yale). 
'"\i*si  Upsilon  (Union).  ——' 

^*  "  Mystical  7  "  (Wcsleyan). 
H^eta  Theta  Pi  (Miami).  ' 

yC^'hi  Psi  (Union).  — 

Scroll  and  Key  (local,  Yale). 
*"The  Rainbow"  (Univ.  Mississippi), 
.^^^elta  Kappa  Epsilon  (Yale).        -      "^ 
■^^ta  Psi  (Univ.  New  York).      - 

Delta  Psi  (Columbia). 
\;>^eta  Delta  Chi  (Union).           — 
'><I|*hi  Gamma  Delta  (Wash,  and  Jefferson).  

Phi  Delta  Theta  (Miami).  

>Plii  Kappa  Sigma  (Univ.  Pennsylvania).  — 

Phi  Kappa  Psi  (JelT.,  Pennsylvania). 
)^i  Phi  (Princeton).  ~ 

>-Sigma  Chi  (Miami).       — 
5-^igma  Alpha  Epsilon  (Univ.  Alabama).  — 
^..Chi  Phi  (Univ.  Nortli  Carolina).  — 
"^hi  Phi  (Hobart). 
^"^Delta  Tail  Delta  (Bethany).    '^ 
'  Alpha  Tau  Omega  (Virginia  Mil.  Inst.). — 

Kappa  Alpha,  Southern  (Washington-Lee). 

Kappa  Sigma  (Univ.  Virginia).  — 

Pi  Kappa  Alpha  (Univ.  Virginia).    — 
->Si_gma  Nu  (Virginia  Mil.  Inst.).'      — 
'  Wolf's  Head  (Yale). 

Local  Greek  Letter,  and  other  College  Societies: 
Phi  Nu  Theta  (Wesleyan)  ;  Kappa  Kappa 
Kajipa  (Dartmouth) :  Delta  Psi  (2d)  (Univ. 
Vt.)  ;  Alpha  Sigma  Pi  (Univ.  Vt.);  Alpha 
Sigma  Phi  (Marietta) ;  He  Boule  (Soph.  Soc. 
Yale) ;  Eta  Phi  (Soph.  Soc.  Yale)  ;  Lambda 
Iota  (Univ.  Vt.). 

Professional:  Alpha  Chi  Omega  (music);  Phi 
Alpha  Sigma  (medicine)  ;  Phi  Delta  Phi  (law)  ; 
Phi  Sigma  Kappa  (medicine)  ;  Nu  Sigma  Nu 
(medicine)  ;  Q.  T.  V.  (agriculture). 

Scientific:  Berzelius  ( Yale)  ;  Phi  Zeta  Mu  (Dart- 
mouth); Theta  XI  ;  Sigma  Delta  Chi  (Yale). 

^Yomen's  Societies :  Alpha  Beta  Tau  ;  Alpha  Phi  ; 
"Xappa  Alpha  Theta  ;  Beta  Sigma  Oraicron  ; 
"Gamnnj^  Phi  Beta  ;  Delta  Gamma;  Delta  Delta 

Delta :    Kappa   Kappa    (Jamma  ;    P.    E.    0.  ; 

Sigma  Kappa  ;  ^i  Beta  Phi. 

\  Jlotiorary  :  Sigma  Chi  (local,  Cornell) 

*  Extinct. 

t  Also  Chi  Delta  Theta  (local,  Yale),  previously 
named. 


INTRODUCTION 


Extinct :  Alpha  Sigma  Theta  ;    Delta   Beta  Xi  ; 

Delta  Kappa  (freshman) ;  Kappa  Sigma  Epsilon 

(freshman)  ;  Kappa   Sigma   Phi  (sophomore) ; 

Phi  Theta  Psi,  all  local  Yale  societies. 
Non-Secret :  Delta  Upsilon  (Williams)  ;  Gamma  Nu 

(local,  Yale,  extinct). 

The  earlier  offspring  of  the  Masonic  Fra- 
ternity included  the  Odd  Fellows  (England), 
1739  ;  Druids,  1761;  and  the  Foresters, 
1780,  "friendly"  societies,  with  Masonic 
thumbmarks  on  their  rituals  and  in  their 
ceremonials,  but  differing  in  that  their 
primary  purposes  were  to  pay  to  members 
specified  sick,  disability,  funeral,  and  other 
benefits.  They  are  conspicuous  among  hun- 
dreds of  other  English  friendly  societies, 
and  are  the  forerunners  of  the  American  in- 
surance or  secret  beneficiary  societies,  of 
which  there  are  more  than  one  hundred  and 
fifty.  The  Odd  Fellows  were  introduced 
into  the  United  States  in  1819,  the  Forest- 
ers in  1834  (later  in  1864),  and  the  Druids 
about  1839.  The  Improved  Order  of  Eed 
Men,  already  referred  to,  is  the  oldest 
friendly  society  of  American  origin.  The 
B'nai  B'rith,  a  Hebrew  friendly  or  relief  so- 
ciety, was  formed  at  New  York  city  in  1843, 
and  has  several  followers. 

BENEVOLENT  OR  "FRIENDLY" 
SOCIETIES. 

Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 

Improved  Order  of  Red  Men.  . 

Ancient  Order  of  Foresters. 

Foresters  of  America. 

Knights  of  Pythias. 

Grand  United  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  (negro). 

United  Ancient  Order  of  Druids. 

Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians. 

Irish  National  Order  of  Foresters. 

Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks. 

Sons  of  Herman. 

German  Order  of  Harugari. 

Ancient  and  Illustrious  Order,  Knights  of  Malta. 

Actors  Order  of  Friendship. 

Concatenated  Order  of  Hoo  Hoo. 

Artisans'  Mutual  Order  of  Protection. 

Order  of  St.  George. 

Order  of  Scottish  Clans. 

Order  of  the  World. 

Order  of  Sanhedrim. 

Ancient  Essenic  Order. 


Knights  of  Pythias  of  North  and  South  America, 
Europe,  Asia,  and  Africa  (negro). 

*  Total  Abstinence  Friendly  Societies :  Independent 
Order  of  Rechabites ;  Sons  of  Temperance  ; 
Independent  Order  of  Good  Templars  ;  Royal 
Templars  of  Temperance  ;  Independent  Order 
of  Good  Samaritans  (negro),  and  others. 

The  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen, 
founded  in  Pennsylvania  by  a  Freemason 
just  after  the  Civil  War,  is  the  original 
mutual  assessment  beneficiary  (protection  in 
the  nature  of  insurance)  secret  society,  and 
has  had  many  successful  imitators.  The 
total  membership  of  these  organizations  is 
about  2,000,000,  the  aggregate  protection 
is  fully  $4,000,000,000,  and  the  approximate 
annual  sum  paid  relatives  of  deceased  mem- 
bers is  about  $30,000,000.  The  Knights 
of  Pythias,  formed  after  the  Civil  War, 
combines  the  features  of  both  friendly  and 
the  assessment  beneficiary  societies.  Nearly 
all  the  twenty-five  secret  labor  organiza- 
tions, all  of  which  have  some  of  the  features 
of  friendly  society  and  other  assessment 
beneficiary  plans,  were  formed  within  a  few 
years  after  the  organization  of  the  Knights 
of  Labor,  in  1868,  but  the  older  Total 
Abstinence  secret  societies,  out  of  a  dozen 
in  that  group,  appeared  about  sixty  years 
ago. 

MUTUAL  ASSESSMENT  FRATERNITIES. 

Ancient  Order  United  Workmen. 
Knights  of  the  Mystic  Chain. 
Knights  of  Honor. 
Knights  of  the  Golden  Eagle. 
Legion  of  the  Red  Cross. 
Knights  of  Birmingham. 
Order  of  the  Golden  Cross. 
Knights  and  Ladies  of  Honor. 
Royal  Arcanum. 
Shield  of  Honor. 
American  Legion  of  Honor. 
Order  of  Chosen  Friends. 
Order  of  Sparta. 
Order  of  the  Red  Cross. 
United  Order  Pilgrim  Fathers. 
Iowa  Legion  of  Honor. 
Home  Circle. 

*In  some  instances  with  assessment  beneficiary 
features. 


INTRODUCTION 


ZZl 


Modern  Woodmen  of  America. 

Modern  Woodmen  of  the  World. 

Home  Forum  Benevolent  Order. 

Loyal  Knights  and  Ladies. 

Order  of  United  Friends. 

National  Union. 

United  States  Benefit  Fraternity. 

Protected  Home  Circle. 

Royal  Society  of  Good  Fellows. 

Knights  of  the  Maccabees. 

Knights  of  the  Golden  Chain. 

Independent  Order  of  Chosen  Friends. 

Knights  of  the  Golden  Rule. 

Royal  League. 

Northwestern  Legion  of  Honor. 

Grand  Fraternity. 

New  England  Order  of  Protection. 

United  Fraternal  League. 

Order  of  Unity. 

Empire  Knights  of  Relief. 

United  Friends  of  Michigan. 

Fraternal  Aid  Association. 

National  Protective  League. 

Modern  Knights  Fidelity  League. 

Mystic  Workers  of  the  World. 

Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security. 

Canadian  Order  of  Chosen  Friends. 

National  Fraternity. 

Tribe  of  Ben  Hur. 

Columbus  League. 

Order  of  Iroquois. 

Prudent  Patricians  of  Pompeii. 

Home  Palladium. 

Golden  Star  Fraternity. 

Independent  Order  of  Foresters. 

Independent  Order  of  Foresters  of  Illinois. 

Canadian  Order  of  Foresters. 

United  Order  of  Foresters  of  Minnesota. 

Pennsylvania  Order  of  Foresters. 

Order  of  Heptasophs,  or  S.  W.  M. 

Improved  Order  of  Heptasophs. 

Order  of  Continental  Union. 

American  Insurance  Union. 

Independent  Order  Chosen  Friends  of  Illinois. 

Chosen  Friends  of  Canada. 

League  of  American  German  Friends. 

Order  of  Select  Friends. 

Knights  and  Ladies  of  the  Golden  Star. 

Loyal  Additional  Benefit  Association. 

Knights  and  Ladies  of  the  Fireside. 

Knights  of  the  Globe. 

Knights  of  Sobriety,  Fidelity,  and  Integrity. 

Independent  Order  of  Mechanics. 

National  Reserve  Association. 

Royal  Tribe  of  Joseph. 

Order  of  Mutual  Protection. 


National  Fraternal  Union. 

Fraternal  Mystic  Circle. 

American  Benefit  Society. 

Order  of  Star  of  Bethlehem. 

Knights  and  Ladies  of  the  Golden  Precept. 

Western  Knights  Protective  Association. 

Light  of  the  Ages. 

Order  United  Commercial  Travelers. 

Fraternal  Union  of  America. 

Ancient  Order  of  Freesmiths. 

Improved  Order  Knights  of  Pythias. 

Patriarchal  Circle  of  America. 

Knights  of  the  Loyal  Guard. 

Native  Sons  of  the  Golden  West. 

Royal  Standard  of  America. 

Ancient  Order  of  Pyramids. 

Hebrew :  Independent  Order  B'nai  B'rith  ;  Inde- 
pendent Order  Free  Sons  of  Israel  ;  Order  of 
B'rith  Abraham  ;  Independent  Order  Sons 
of  Benjamin  ;  Kesher  Shel  Barzel ;  Improved 
Order  B'nai  B'rith  ;  Independent  Order  Sons 
of  Abraham  ;  Free  Sons  of  Judah  ;  Ahavas 
Israel  ;  Independent  Order  of  American  Israel- 
ites, and  American  Star  Order. 

Roman  Catholic  :  Catholic  Benevolent  Legion  ; 
Knights  of  Columbus  ;  Catholic  Knights  of  Illi- 
nois ;  Catholic  Order  of  Foresters  ;  Knights  of 
Father  Mathew  ;  Irish  Catholic  Benevolent 
Union  ;  Catholic  Mutual  Benevolent  Union  ; 
Catholic  Women's  Benevolent  Legion  ;  St.  Pat- 
rick's Alliance  of  America,  and  others. 

Negro  :  United  Brethren  of  Friendship  and  Sisters 
of  the  Mysterious  Ten ;  International  Order 
of  Twelve,  Knights  and  Daughters  of  Tabor  ; 
Grand  United  Order  Galilean  Fishermen. 

SHORT  TERM  ASSESSMENT  SOCIETIES. 

Progressive  Endowment  Guild. 

Sexennial  League. 

Eclectic  Assembly. 

Royal  Benefit  Society. 

Order  of  Pente. 

Order  of  Algi^. 

Order  of  Iron  Hall,  Baltimore  City. 

Modern  Order  of  Craftsmen. 

International  Fraternal  Alliance. 

Order  of  Home  Builders. 

Columbus  Mutual  Benefit  Association. 

Order  of  Equity. 

National  Dotare. 

The  assessment  beneficiary  fraternities 
and  sisterhoods  have  a  sentimental  as  well 
as  a  practical  basis.     In  smaller  cities  they 


INTRODUCTION 


usurp  the  club,  and,  where  men  and  women 
are  admitted,  form  centres  from  which 
emanates  a  vital  social  influence.  Begin- 
ning about  1840,  after  the  subsidence  of  the 
anti-Masouic  agitation.  Freemasonry  in  the 
United  States,  as  in  England  and  many 
other  countries,  has  grown  and  prospered 
beyond  precedent,  leaving  in  its  wake  more 
than  thirty  occult,  hermetic,  theosophic,  or 
religious  brotherhoods  or  societies.  The 
transplanted  English  friendly  society  finds 
congenial  soil  here,  but  is  outnumbered  by 
the  assessment  beneficiary  fraternities,  many 
of  which  admit  both  men  and  women.  The 
latter  variety  of  the  modern  secret  society 
has  commercialized  the  mechanism  of  older 
fraternities  by  carrying  on  a  system  of 
cooperative  insurance  in  brotherhoods  de- 
signed, in  some  instances,  to  advance  social 
or  political  objects,  total  abstinence,  cooper- 
ative buying  and  selling,  the  cultivation 
of  patriotism,  the  protection  of  the  interests 
of  labor,  and  the  propagation  of  partisan 
political  views.  On  the  whole,  it  has  en- 
couraged the  development  of  j^ractical 
cooperation  more,  j)erhaps,  than  any  other 
one  influence. 

MYSTICAL  AND   THEOSOPHIC AL. 
Order  of  the  Omah  Language. 
Temple  of  Isis. 
Society  of  Eleusis. 
Brotherhood  of  the  West  Gate. 
Order  of  the  Magi. 
Hei'inetic  Brothers  of  Luxor. 
Order   of  the  S.   S.   S.  and  Brotherhood  of   Z.  Z. 

R.  R.  Z.  Z. 
Order  of  the  Suii. 
Brotherhood  of  the  New  Life. 
Ancient  Order  of  Osiris. 
Esoterists  of  the  West. 
Rochester  Brotherhood. 
Order  of  S.  E.  K. 

Fifth  Order  of  Melchizedek  and  Egyptian  Sphinx. 
Order  of  the  Wliite  Shrine  of  Jerusalem. 
Genii  of  Nations,  Knowledge,  and  Religions. 
Altruistic  Order  of  Mysteries. 

LABOR  ORGANIZATIONS. 

"  The  International." 
Knights  of  Labor. 
"Triangle  Club." 


"  The  Brotherhood." 

Amalgamated     Association     of     Iron    and    Steel 

Workers. 
American  Flint  Glass  Workers'  Union. 
International  Association  of  Machinists. 
National  Union  of  Iron  and  Steel  Workers. 
Knights  of  St.  Crispin. 
Order  of  Commercial  Telegraphers. 

Railtvay  Brotherhoods :  Locomotive  Engineers  ; 
Conductors  ;  Firemen  ;  Telegraphers  ;  Train- 
men ;  Switchmen  ;  Carmen  ;  American  Rail- 
way Union. 

COOPERATIVE  AND  EDUCATIONAL. 

The  Wheel. 

Patrons  of  Husbandry. 

Patrons  of  Industry. 

Sovereigns  of  Husbandry. 

Sovereigns  of  Industry. 

Brotherhood  of  the  Cooperative  Commonwealth. 

SOCIALISTIC. 
Universal  Republic  of  the  Earth. 
New  Order  of  Builders. 
Crowned  ReiDublic. 
Commonwealth  of  Jesus. 
Order  of  the  Grand  Orient. 

SOCIAL    AND    RECREATIVE. 

Sons  of  Malta  (extinct). 
Oriental  Order  of  Humility. 
Sons  of  Adam  (extinct). 
Loyal  Order  of  Moose. 
Independent  Order  of  Old  Men. 
Sons  of  Idle  Rest. 
The  Orientals. 
Order  of  Woodchoppers. 
Independent  Order  of  Gophers. 

The  several  laAv  and  order,  Irish  and 
other  revolutionary  societies,  and  various 
lawless  secret  associations  which  have  been 
prominent  for  brief  periods  within  the  cen- 
tury, do  not  require  extended  discussion. 

REVOLUTIONARY    SOCIETIES. 
Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle. 
Ku  Klux  Klan. 
Union  League  of  America. 
Fenian  Brotherhood. 
Clau-na-Gael. 

Knights  of  the  Inner  Circle. 
Brotherhood  of  United  Irishmen. 
United  Brotherhood. 
Irish  Republican  Brotherhood. 
Industrial  Army. 


INTRODUCTION 


Iron  Brotherhood. 

Order  of  Reubens  (Patriot  War). 

League  of  National  Armenian  Race. 

OTHERS. 
Order  of  Mules.  The  Mafia. 

Tramp  "Fraternities."    White  Caps, 
The  Camorra.  Molly  Maguires. 

Here,  in  democratic  America,  we  can 
boast  no  Order  of  the  Bath  or  Garter,  no 
ribbon  of  the  Legion  of  Honor  or  Iron 
Cross  ;  but  there  may  well  bo  reason  for 
asking  whether  decorations  of  merit  created 
by  100,000  or  500,000  or  1,000,000   mem- 


bers of  an  organization  founded  to  alleviate 
suffering,  to  inculcate  good  morals,  loyalty 
to  country,  and  to  do  good  unto  others — 
whether  such  an  order  of  merit  is  not  as 
honorable  as  one  created  by  prince  or  poten- 
tate who  links  Iiis  name  with  ribbon,  cross, 
or  wreath  ?  The  former  are  the  outgiv- 
ings of  armies  which  meet  in  private,  but 
whose  purposes  of  benevolence  and  peace 
are  known  of  all,  mighty  influences  for  the 
spread  of  true  fraternity.  They  are  often 
hardly  less  resplendent  than  decorations 
conferred  by  royalty,  but  are  often  more 
worthily  bestowed. 


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ANCIENT   ARABIC   ORDER   OF   NOBLES   OF   THE   MYSTIC   SHRINE 


MASOlSriC, 
MYSTICAL,  OCCULT,  AND  THEOSOPHICAL  SOCIETIES. 


Altrurian  Order   of    Mysteries. — Ke- 

oently  organized  at  the  Soutli.  Untraced. 
Ancient  Arabic  Order  of  Nobles  of 
the  ]>Iystic  Shrine. — A  social  and  benevo- 
lent society  with  a  ritual  and  history  linked 
to  Arabic  traditions,  in  which  Oriental  mys- 
ticism, names,  legends,  and  titles  are  freely 
employed.  It  also  has  a  secret  purpose,  made 
known  only  to  those  who  encircle  the  ]\Iystic 
Shrine.  None  except  Masonic  Knights 
Templars  or  those  Avho  have  attained  the 
thirty-second  degree.  Ancient  and  Accepted 
Scottish  Rite  of  Freemasonry,  are  eligible 
to  membership.  It  is  not  a  Masonic  Order 
and  forms  no  part  of  Freemasonry,  is  in- 
dependent in  origin  and  government,  and 
is  associated  with  the  Craft  only  because 
it  was  established  by  eminent  Freemasons 
and  because  none  but  Freemasons  of  high 
degree  may  become  acquainted  with  its 
mysteries.  Dr.  Walter  M.  Fleming,  33°, 
and  William  J.  Florence,  32°,  both  of  Xew 
York,  are  responsible  for  the  existence  of 
*'  The  Shrine,"  as  the  organization  is  fa- 
miliarly called.  In  a  letter  Avritten  by 
Mr.  Florence  in  1882,  he  explains  that 
he  was  introduced  into  a  meeting  of  the 
Order  at  Marseilles,  France,  in  1S70,  b}-- 
a  banker's  clerk  who  "  knew  him  to  be  a 
Mason  "  and  could  vouch  for  him  as  such, 
where  he  found  many  distinguished  visi- 
tors and  members  who  seemed  absorbed  in 
learning  ''how  the  French  of  Marseilles 
had  succeeded  in  getting  possession  of  such 
interesting  secrets."  Then  follows  a  refer- 
ence to  the  ceremonies  of  the  evening,  the 
costumes,  paraphernalia,  and  scenic  effects, 
and  the  explanation  that  Yusef  Bey,  tlie 
Illustrious  Potentate  of  Bokhara  Shrine,  at 
Marseilles,  on  being  begged  for  a  coj^y  of 


the  laws  and  ritual  of  the  Order,  gave  them 
to  liim  a  day  or  two  later,  when  he  (Flor- 
ence) sailed  for  Algiers.  The  inference  is 
that  the  Ancient  Arabic  Order  abroad  must 
have  been  lax  in  its  regulations  twenty-five 
or  thirty  years  ago,  if  it  permitted  distin- 
guished gentlemen  who  were  not  members 
of  the  Order  to  visit  its  Shrines,  and  pre- 
sented them  with  copies  of  its  ritual  and 
laws  when  they  went  away.  Be  that  as  it 
may,  Mr.  Florence  went  on  to  Algiers, 
where,  he  says,  he  visited  the  Shrine  of  the 
Mogribins  and  found  another  company  of 
Ara]}s,  bankers,  merchants,  learned  Mo- 
hammedans, and  others  "who  are  passion- 
ately fond  of  perpetuating  ancient  customs 
which  increase  their  social  pleasures."  As 
he  gives  no  account  of  being  initiated  into 
the  Ancient  Arabic  Order,  and  intimates 
that  his  being  a  Freemason  was  sufficient 
to  gain  admission  to  Bokhara  Shrine  at 
Marseilles,  the  letter  leaves  much  to  be  de- 
sired. Other  accounts  of  the  Order  add 
that  Florence  returned  to  the  United  States 
in  1871,  and  suggested  to  Dr.  Walter  M. 
Fleming  that  they  establish  ''the  Shrine" 
at  New  York.  The  latter  had  already 
"  received  detached  and  mutilated  sections 
of  a  translation  of  the  ritual,"  whicli  had 
been  "  brought  to  America  by  a  member,"  * 
together  with  some  vague  history  and  ritu- 

*  The  ritual  now  in  use  is  stated  to  be  "a  trans- 
lation from  the  original  Arabic"  found  "in  the 
aifhivos  of  the  Order,  at  Aleppo,"  whence  it  was 
brought  in  1860  to  London  by  Rizk  Allah  Ilassoon 
EfFcndee,  and  later  placed  in  the  possession  of  Dr. 
Fleming,  to  whom  jurisdiction  over  the  Order  for 
America  was  given  by  the  Arabic  scholar  named. 
In  Arabia  this  ritual  is  known  as  the  "Pillar  of 
Society,"  and  called  the  "  Unwritten  Law,"  in  dis- 
tinction from  the  Koran,  or  "Written  Law." 


ANCIENT   ARABIC   ORDER   OF   NOBLES   OF   THE   MYSTIC    SHRINE 


alistic  sections  bronglit  from  Cairo  by  Sher- 
wood C.  Campbell  of  Xew  York.  But  as 
the  Florence  ritual  "'  came  from  Oriental 
Europe"  and  "was  marked  with  certain 
sections  of  the  Koran  for  notes  and  allu- 
sions "'  Avhich  facilitated  revision  for  use  in 
America,  Dr.  Fleming.  Avith  the  assistance 
of  Professor  A.  L.  Rawson,  comj)iled  the 
work  which  became  the  foundation  of  the 
Order  in  America.  Dr.  Fleming  recounts 
the  incidents  connected  with  organizing  the 
Shrine  in  the  United  States,  as  follows  : 

31  r.  Florence  was  entertained  as  a  Mason  at 
Marseilles,  in  Bokhara  Temple  of  the  Arabic  Bek- 
tash.  lie  at  this  time  simply  witnessed  the  open- 
ing session  of  the  exoteric  ceremonials  which  char- 
acterize the  politico-religious  order  of  Bektash  of 
Oriental  Euroj\e.  A  monitorial,  historic,  and  ex- 
planatory manuscript  "lie  i»,l'^T  received  there.  It  did 
not  embrace  the  esoteric  Inner  Twnple  exemplifica- 
tion or  obligation,  nor  the  "  Unwritten  Law,"which 
is  never  imparted  to  anyone  except  from  mouth  to 
ear.  Shortly  afterward  ]Mr.  Florence  was  similarly 
favored  in  Algiers  and  Aleppo.  Through  letters  and 
conunendations  he  finally  secured  the  manuscript 
monitor,  history  and  descriptive  matter  from  Avhich 
sprang  the  Order  in  this  country.  It  was  in  Algiers 
and  Aleppo  that  he  was  received  into  the  Inner  Tem- 
ple luider  the  domain  of  the  Crescent  and  first  be- 
came possessor  of  the  esoteric  work,  the  "  Unwritten 
Law  "  and  the  Shayk's  obligation.  Subsequently  he 
visited  Cairo,  Egypt,  and  was  admitted,  and  col- 
lected more  of  Oriental  history  and  the  manuscript 
of  "  Memorial  Ceremonials."  But  ]\Ir.  Florence  was 
never  fully  recognized  or  possessed  of  authority  until 
long  after  his  return  to  America.  All  he  possessed 
was  a  disconnected  series  of  sheets  in  Arabic  and 
French,  with  some  marginal  memoranda  made  by 
himself  from  verbal  elucidation  in  Aleppo.  Through 
Professor  Albert  L.  Rawson  these,  with  others  re- 
ceived afterward  through  correspondence  abroad, 
comprised  the  translations  from  which  the  Order 
started  here.  Mr.  Florence  and  myself  receiA'ed 
authority  to  introduce  the  Order  here. 

On  June  IG,  1871,  at  Masonic  Hall,  Xo. 
114  East  Thirteenth  Street,  Xew  York  City, 
Messrs.  Fleming  and  Florence  conferred 
the  "new  Order"  upon  the  following  Scot- 
tish Rite  Freemasons  :  Edward  Eddy,  33°; 
Oswald  Merle  d'Aubigne,  32°;  James  S. 
Chappell,  32°;  John  A."  Moore,  32°;  Charles 
T.  McClenachan,  33°;  William  S.  Paterson, 


33°;  George  W.  Millar,  33°;  Albert  P.  Mo- 
riarty,.33°;  Daniel  Sickels,  33°;  John  W. 
Simons,  33°;  Sherwood  C.  Cami^bell,  32°; 
who,  together  with  Albert  L.  Rawson,  32°, 
"Arabic  translator,"  September  26,  ]  872, 
instituted  ^lecca  Temple,  A.  A.  0.  X.  M.  S., 
the  first  or  parent  Temple  in  the  United 
States.  As  "'the  next  session''  was  held 
January  12,  1874,  it  may  be  seen  that  the 
Order  did, not  grow  rapidly  in  the  first  few 
years.  On  January  4,  1875,  Damascus 
Temj)le,  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  was  organized, 
which  gave  soiue  impetus  to  the  Order,  and 
Dr.  Fleming,  Potentate  of  Mecca  from  1871 
until  1886,  invested  the  following  thirty- 
third  degree  Freemasons  with  the  preroga- 
tives of  Past  Potentates,  to  enable  them  to 
cooperate  actively  in  establishing  subordi- 
nate Temples:  OrrinWelch,  Syracuse,  X.Y. ; 
John  D.  Williams,  Elmira,  X.  Y. ;  Charles 
H.  Thomson,  Corning,  X.  Y. ;  Townsend 
Fondey,  John  S.  Dickerman,  and  Robert 
H.  Waterman,  Albany,  X.  Y. ;  John  F. 
Collins,  Xew  York,  X.  Y. ;  John  L.  Stet- 
tinius,  Cincinnati,  0.;  Vincent  L.  Hurl- 
burt,  Chicago,  111. ;  Samuel  H.  Harper, 
Pittsburg,  Pa.;  and  George  Scott,  Pater- 
son, X.  J.  In  June,  1876,  an  Imj^erial 
(governing)  Council  was  organized  at  Xew 
York  City,  with  the  following  list  of  offi- 
cials :  Walter  M.  Fleming,  Xew  York,  Im- 
perial Potentate;  George  F.  Loder,  Roches- 
ter, Deputy  Potentate  ;  Philip  F.  Lenhart,. 
Brooklyn,  Chief  Rabban  ;  EdAvard  M.  L. 
Elder s,  Xew  York,  Assistant  Rabban ; 
AVilliam  H.  Whiting,  Rochester,  High 
Priest ;  Samuel  R.  Carter,  Rochester,  Orien- 
tal Guide  ;  Aaron  L.  Xorthrop,  Xew  York, 
Treasurer  ;  William  S.  Paterson,  Xew  York, 
Recorder  ;  Albert  P.  Moriarty,  Xew  York, 
Financial  Secretary ;  John  L.  Stettinius, 
Cincinnati,  First  Ceremonial  Master  ;  Ben- 
son Sherwood,  Xew  York,  Second  Cere- 
monial Master  ;  Samuel  Harper,  Pittsburg, 
Marshal  ;  Frank  H.  Bascom,  Montpelier, 
Captain  of  the  Guard  ;  and  George  Scott, 
Paterson,  Outer  Guard.  Meetings  of  the 
Imperial  Council  have  been  held  annually. 


ANCIENT   ARABIC   ORDER   OF   NOBLES   OF   THE   MYSTIC   SHRINE 


and  officers  elected  triennially.  At  the 
fifth  session  of  Mecca  Temple,  January  16, 
1877,  there  was  a  large  increase  in  mem- 
bership, and  it  was  announced  that  the 
Imperial  Council  had  perfected  its  ''ritual, 
statutes,  history,  diplomas,  dispensations, 
and  charters ;''  that  "members,  Temples, 
deputies,  and  representatives  now  extend 
from  the  extreme  east  to  the  west,  and 
from  the  north  to  the  south  of  our  juris- 
diction,^' and  tliat  the  Order  was  destined 
to  become,  what  has  proved  to  be  the  case, 
"a  most  popular  and  powerful  one  in 
America."  In  that  year  there  were  four 
Temples  represented  at  the  Imperial  Coun- 
cil, and  dispensations  were  granted  to  form 
others.  In  1879  Mecca  Temple  took  on 
new  life,  largely  through  the  efforts  of 
Augustus  W.  Peters,  Charles  H.  Ileyzer, 
and  Joseph  B.  Eakins,  who  laid  the  founda- 
tions for  the  elaborate  ceremonial,  gorgeous 
scenic  effects,  and  realistic  dramatic  rendi- 
-tions  of  the  ritual  of  the  Order,  Avhich  have 
since  distinguished  it.  By  the  end  of  1879 
there  were  reported  thirteen  Temjjles,  with 
a  total  membership  of  4:38  Nobles,  since 
which  time  the  progress  of  the  Order  has 
been  one  of  uninterrupted  prosperity.  At  a 
public  installation  ceremony  at  Mecca  Tem- 
ple in  1884,  many  ladies  were  present,  and 
so  great  was  the  interest  that  ladies'  receji- 
tions  have  since  been  a  feature  among 
entertainments  for  which  the  Shrine  is 
noted.  To  give  them  permanence  they 
have  been  invested  with  a  ceremonial,  and 
gatherings  of  this  character  are  now  known 
as  Courts  of  the  Daughters  of  Isis.  This 
organization  was  formed  October  30,  1888, 
to  cultivate  social  relations  between  ladies 
of  the  Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  Its 
government  is  independent,  under  the 
jurisdiction  of  Mecca  Court,  from  which 
other  Temples  may  receive  charters  en- 
abling them  to  establish  Courts. 

The  extension  of  the  Mystic  Shrine  dur- 
ing the  past  ten  years  has  exceeded  all 
precedent  among  like  societies.  Temples 
have  been  established  at  leadinsr  centres  ui 


all  States,  each  with  a  distinctive  Arabic  or 
other  Oriental  name  and  form,  rallying 
points  not  only  for  prominent  Freemasons 
who  reside  at  those  cities,  but  veritable 
Meccas  of  hospitality,  good  fellowshii),  and 
true  brotherhood  for  all  visiting  Nobles. 
Not  the  least  characteristic  among  agree- 
able features  of  the  Order  are  the  pilgrim- 
ages by  members  of  one  or  more  Temples 
to  sister  Temples,  or  to  distant  points  of 
general  interest,  which,  with  sight-seeing, 
and  the  extension  and  reception  of  Shrine 
hospitality,  usually  provide  enjoyable  ex- 
cursions of  a  week  or  a  fortnight's  dura- 
tion. Pilgrimages  from  all  over  the  country 
to  sessions  of  the  Imperial  Council,  by  spe- 
cial trains  bearing  Nobles  decorated  with 
fezzes  and  crescent  tiger-claws,  constitute 
invasions  of  objective  points  which  the  in- 
habitants thereof  seldom,  if  ever,  forget. 
It  is  likewise  an  amiable  custom  to  organize 
family  theatre  parties  at  least  once  eacli 
year.  In  some  instances  the  Nobles,  who 
are  decorated  with  fezzes  and  claws,  and  are 
accompanied  by  wives  and  families,  require 
the  entire  seating  capacity  of  theatres,  and 
it  is  not  infrequent  that  one  or  more  of 
those  behind  the  footlights  on  such  occa- 
sions are  entitled  to,  and  do  wear,  the  mystic 
symbols  of  the  Order.  These  entertain- 
ments are  supplemented  annually  by  carni- 
vals, at  which  only  children  of  the  Masonic 
"nobility"  are  admitted,  to  be  entertained 
by  members  of  the  Order.  With  the  annual 
public  receptions  and  carnivals,  where  the 
decorations  include  scenes  from  Arab  life 
and  a  wealth  of  Oriental  ornamentation,  the 
general  public  at  larger  cities  is  familiar. 

It  is  difficult  to  analyze  and  reconcile  the 
somewhat  fragmentary  accounts  of  the 
origin  and  development  of  the  Arabic  Order 
of  wiiich  the  Shrine  is  said  to  be  a  de- 
scendant, and  it  may  well  be  doubted 
whether  such  a  task  can  be  successfully 
performed.  The  "Origin  and  History  of 
the  Ancient  Arabic  Order  of  the  Nobles  of 
the  Mystic  Shrine,"  compiled  and  collated 
bv  Dr.  Walter  M.  Fleming  and  William  S. 


ANCIENT   ARABIC   ORDER   OF   NOBLES    OF   THE   MYSTIC  SHRINE 


Paterson,  copyright,  1894,  by  Andrew  H. 
Kellogg,  New  York  City,  states  that  it  was 
instituted  by  Kalif  Alee,  "^cousin-german 
and  son-in-law  "  of  Mohammed,  in  the  year 
644  A.D.,  at  Mecca,  Arabia,  ''as  an  Inqui- 
sition or  Vigilance  Committee  to  dispense 
justice  upon  criminals  who  escajied  their 
just  deserts  through  the  tardiness  of  the 
courts,  and  also  to  promote  religious  tolera- 
tion among  cultured  men  of  all  nations  ; " 
evidently- a  sort  of  Arabic  Vehmgerichte,  or 
twenty-first  degree.  The  ceremonial  in 
this  organization  was  crude,  membership 
being  acquired  on  taking  the  "Arab  oath/' 
It  is  declared  to  have  had  a  continuous 
existence  in  Oriental  countries,  and  "  now 
gathers  arouiid  its  Shrines  the  best  educated 
and  most  cultivated  classes  among  Moham- 
medans, Hebrews,  and  Christians."  Dr. 
Fleming  writes  that  ''it  is  derived  from  a 
politico-religious  order  of  the  Arabic  Mo- 
hammedans which  extends  all  over  Europe, 
termed  the  Bektash  ;"  but  in  the  "  Origin 
and  History  "  it  is  stated  that  the  Bektash 
are  merely  among  the  "  most  honored  pa- 
trons of  the  Nobles,"  whom  it  protected 
''in  a  time  of  great  peril."  The  Bektash 
are  said  to  number  several  hundred  thou- 
sand, and  to  have  headquarters  at  Cairo, 
Damascus,  Jerusalem,  Smyrna,  Constanti- 
nople, Adrianople,  Teheran,  Benares,  Tan- 
gier, Oran,  Mecca,  and  at  other  cities  in  the 
far  East.  The  chief  of  these  dervishes  at 
Mecca  is  declared  to  be  the  principal  officer 
of  the  Arabic  Mystic  Shrine.  It  will  justly 
surprise  many  students  of  "  Secret  Societies 
of  All  Ages"  to  learn  that  Adam  Weis- 
haupt,  the  founder  of  the  Illuminati  in 
Bavaria,  in  1776,  is  claimed  "  among  the 
modern  promoters  of  the  principles  of  the 
Order"  of  the  Mystic  Shrine  in  Europe,  as 
well  as  Frederick  the  G-reat,  Mirabeau, 
Groethe,  Spinoza,  Kant,  Lord  Bacon,  Ca- 
vour,  Mazzini,  Garibaldi,  Victor  Emanuel, 
and  others,  most  of  whom  are  known  to  have 
been  Freemasons.  It  would  seem  as  if  this 
discovery  would  have  been  sufficient  to  en- 
able the  founders  of  the  American  Order  to 


have  explained  why  the  Society  abroad  had 
long  been  carried  within  the  Masonic  bod}^, 
and  to  have  given  it,  had  they  so  desired,  a 
distinctly  Masonic  alliance.  Some  of  the 
recognized  Orders  appendent  to  Free- 
masonry have  had  less  right  to  claim  that 
honor.  But  as  membership  in  the  Order  of 
Nobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine  in  America  is 
confined  to  Freemasons,  its  founders  here 
may  be  regarded  as  having  builded  with  dis- 
cretion, ingenuity,  and  Avisdom. 

The  jewel  of  the  Order  is  a  crescent,  gen- 
erally made  of  the  claws  of  the  Bengal  tiger, 
united  at  the  bases  with  a  gold  setting. 
The  sphinx  is  engraved  on  one  side,  and  a 
pyramid,  urn  and  star  on  the  other.  The 
emblem  may  also  bear  the  date  of  the 
owner's  initiation  into  the  Order  and  an 
Arabic  motto,  "  Kuwat  wa  Ghadab  ;  "  or  in 
Latin,  "Eobur  et  Furor  ;"  and  in  English, 
"  Strength  and  Fury."  The  crescent  is 
usually  suspended  from  a  scimitar,  and 
holds  a  star  pendent  between  its  drooping 
horns.  The  crescent  has  been  a  religious 
emblem  in  all  ages  in  the  East,  and  in  some 
countries  is  a  political  ensign.  The  ancient 
Greeks  used  the  crescent  as  "an  emblem 
of  the  universal  Mother  of  all  living  things." 
The  Shrine  for  esoteric  reasons  employs 
the  crescent  with  its  horns  pointing  down- 
ward: "  The  setting  moon  of  the  old  faith  at 
the  moment  of  the  rising  sun  of  the  new 
faith  in  the  brotherhood  of  all  mankind." 
The  origin  of  the  universal  use  of  the  fez 
among  Moslems,  whence,  of  course,  Shrine 
members  get  it,  is  told  as  follows  : 

When  pilgrimages  to  Mecca  were  interrupted  by 
the  Crusades,  about  a.d.  980,  the  Mohammedans 
west  of  the  Nile  journeyed  to  Fez  (or  Fas),  in  Mo- 
rocco, as  to  a  holy  city.  Among  the  flourishing 
manufactures  of  the  city  was  a  head-covering  called 
tarboosh,  now  known  as  a  fez,  which  was  dyed  scar- 
let, for  the  students  in  a  great  school  at  that  city. 
In  that  way  it  became  a  mark  of  learning,  and 
gradually  displaced  other  forms  and  colors  of  hats. 
It  was  carried  in  all  directions  by  caravans,  and 
thus  became  the  distinguishing  head-dress  of  Mos- 
lems in  every  part  of  the  empire. 

During  the  past  eight  years  the  Order 


ANCIENT   ARABIC   ORDER   OF   NOBLES   OF   THE   MYSTIC   SHRINE 


in  the  United  States  lias  grown  at  the  rate 
of  fully  4,000  members  annually.  On 
January  1,  1899,  its  total  membership  was 
about  50,000,  distributed  among  seventy- 
nine  Temples  at  as  many  cities.*  Its  Christ- 
mas donations  to  the  poor  and  to  benevolent 
institutions     recently    amounted    to    over 

*  Temples  of  the  Mystic  Shrine. — Alabama  :  Bir- 
mingham, Zaraora  Temple,  First  Wednesday, 
March,  June,  September.  Arizona  :  Phoenix,  El 
Zaribah  Temple,  First  Monday,  November,  Decem- 
ber, January,  February,  March,  April.  Arkansas  : 
Pine  Bluff,  Saliara  Temple,  First  Wednesday.  Cal- 
ifornia :  Los  Angeles,  Al  jMaluikah  Temple,  Third 
Friday  ;  San  Francisco,  Islam  Temple,  Second 
Wednesday.  Colorado  :  Denver,  El  Jebel  Temple, 
March,  June,  September,  December.  Connecticut  : 
Bridgeport,  Pyramid  Temple,  Second  Wednesday, 
except  July  and  August  ;  Hartford.  Sphinx  Tem- 
ple, Second  Thursday.  District  of  Columbia  : 
Washington,  Almas  Temple,  Call  of  Potentate. 
Florida  :  Jacksonville,  Morocco  Temple,  First  Fri- 
day after  Third  Tuesday.  Georgia  :  Atlanta,  Yaa- 
rab  Temple,  Third  Wednesday  ;  Savannah,  Alee 
Temple.  Call  of  Potentate.  Idaho  :  Boise  City,  El 
Korah  Temple,  Second  Thursday.  Illinois:  Chi- 
cago, Medinali  Temple,  Monthly  ;  Peoria,  Mo- 
hammed Temple,  Second  Tuesday  :  Rockford,  Te- 
bala  Temple,  Fourth  Wednesday.  Indiana  :  Indi- 
anapolis, Murat  Temjjle,  Fourth  Friday.  Iowa  : 
Cedar  Rapids,  El  Kahir  Temple,  on  call  ;  Daven- 
port, Kaaba  Temple,  First  Tuesday.  Kansas  : 
Leavenworth,  Abdallah  Temple,  First  and  Third 
Friday  ;  Salina,  Isis  Temple,  Third  Tuesday.  Ken- 
tucky :  Louisville,  Kosair  Temple,  Second  Monday. 
Louisiana  :  New  Orleans,  Jerusalem  Temple,  Quar- 
terly. Maine  :  Lewiston,  Kora  Temple,  Fourth 
Thursday,  January,  i\Iay,  September,  Novembei', 
December.  Maryland  :  Baltimore,  Boumi  Temple, 
29th,  30th,  or  31st.  Massachusetts  :  Boston,  Aleppo 
Temple,  Call  of  Potentate ;  Springfield,  Melha 
Temple,  Fourth  Thursday,  except  July  and  Aug- 
ust. Michigan  :  Grand  Rapids,  Saladin  Temple, 
Call  of  Potentate ;  Detroit,  Moslem  Temple,  First 
Tuesday  ;  Marquette,  Alimed  Temple,  First 
Wednesday.  Minnesota  :  ^Minneapolis,  Zuhrah 
Temple,  Fourth  Friday  ;  St.  Paul,  Osman  Temple, 
May  2ith,  October  20th,  January  19th.  Missis- 
sippi :  Meridian,  Ilamasa  Temple,  Fourth  Thurs- 
day. Missouri  :  Kansas  City,  Ararat  Temple,  First 
Wednesday  ;  St.  Joseph,  Moila  Temple,  Fourth 
Wednesday ;  St.  Louis,  Moolah  Temple,  Third 
Wednesday.  Montana  :  Helena,  Algeria  Temple, 
Second  Tliursdav.     Nebraska  :   Lincoln,    Sesostris 


$26,000,  in  which  none  of  the  secret  relief 
extended  to  sick  or  distressed  Nobles  is  in- 
cluded. One  of  the  most  important  and 
characteristic  features  of  the  Order  is  found 
in  its  generous  donations  to  Freemasons  in 
need  of  assistance,  which  is  done  so  secretly 
that  the  world  never  hears  of  it,  and  few 

Temple,  Second  Saturday  ;  Omaha,  Tangier  Tem- 
ple, Fourth  Friday.  New  Mexico  :  Albuquerque, 
Ballut  Abyad  Temple,  Second  Monday.  New 
York  :  Albany,  Cyprus  Temple,  subject  to  call  ; 
Brooklyn,  Kismet  Temple,  on  call  ;  Buffalo,  Is- 
mailia  Temple,  29th  ;  New  York,  Mecca  Temple, 
Call  of  Potentate  ;  Rochester,  Damascus  Temple, 
four  times  a  year  ;  Troy,  Oriental  Temple,  Third 
Friday  ;  Utica,  Ziyara  Temple,  First  Wednesday  ; 
Watertown,  Media  Temple,  Second  Monday.  North 
Carolina  :  Charlotte,  Oasis  Temple,  no  stated  time. 
North  Dakota  :  Fargo,  El  Zagal  Temple,  every 
Thursday.  Ohio  :  Cincinnati,  Syrian  Temple,  Call 
of  Potentate  ;  Cleveland,  Al  Koran  Temple,  Pleas- 
ure of  Potentate  ;  Columbus,  Aladdin  Temple, 
Second  Thursday  ;  Dayton,  Antioch  Temple,  un- 
certain. Oklahoma  :  Oklahoma,  India  Temjile, 
Third  Thursday.  Oregon  :  Portland,  Al  Kader 
Temple,  Fourth  Wednesday.  Ontario,  Canada : 
Toronto,  Rameses  Temple,  August,  November, 
April.  Pennsylvania  :  Erie,  Zem  Zeni  Temple,  Call 
of  Potentate  ;  Philadelphia,  Lu  Lu  Temple,  First 
Wednesday ;  Pittsburg,  Syria  Temple,  Call  of  Po- 
tentate ;  Reading,  Rajah  Temple,  Fourth  Wednes- 
day, except  July  and  August  ;  Wilkesbarre,  Irem 
Temple,  Third  Wednesday.  Rhode  Island  :  Prov- 
idence, Palestine  Temple,  Fourth  jMonday,  Decem- 
ber, March,  June,  October.  South  Dakota  :  Dead- 
wood,  Nuja  Temple,  First  Saturday,  March,  June, 
Septendier  ;  Sioux  Falls,  El  Riad  Temple.  Third 
Wednesday.  Tennessee  :  Chattanooga,  Alliambra 
Temple,  Third  Friday  ;  Mempliis,  AlChymia  Tem- 
ple, December  and  March.  Texas  :  Austin,  Ben 
Ilur  Temple,  Friday  after  appearance  of  Crescent 
in  the  West  ;  Dallas,  Ilella  Temple,  Third  Thurs- 
day. Utah  :  Salt  Lake  City,  El  Kalah  Temple, 
Third  Wednesday.  Vermont  :  Montpelier,  Mount 
Sinai  Temple,  Second  Friday,  March,  June,  Sep- 
tember, December.  Virginia  :  Richmond,  Acca 
Temple,  Fourth  Thursday,  except  June,  July,  Au- 
gust. Washington  :  Spokane,  El  Katif  Temple, 
First  Wednesday  ;  Tacoma,  Afifi  Temple,  Third 
Wednesday.  West  Virginia  :  Charleston,  Bcni 
Kedem  Temple,  Second  Thursday  ;  Wheeling.  Osi- 
ris Temple,  Second  and  Fourth  Friday.  Wiscon- 
sin :  Milwaukee,Tripoli  Temple,  Second  Wednesday. 
Wyoming  :  Rawlins,  Korein  Temple,  Last  Friday. 


6 


ANCIENT   ARABIC    ORDER,    ETC.,    OF   NORTH   AND   SOUTH   AMERICA 


beyond  those  iu  immediate  interest  ever 
know  of  it.  Mohammedanism  is  not  advo- 
cated by  the  ritual  of  tlie  American  Order, 
but  the  same  respect  is  inculcated  for  Deity 
as  in  Arabia  and  elsewhere. 

Ancient  Arabic  Order  of  Nobles  of 
the  Mystic  Slirine  of  North  and  South 
America. — This  is  a  social  and  fraternal 
organization  of  negroes,  which  seeks  to 
jiarallel  the  Ancient  Arabic  Order  of  Nobles 
of  the  Mystic  Shrine.  (See  the  latter.)  As 
the  A.  A.  0.  N.  M.  S.  admits  only  Freemasons 
who  are  Knights  Templars  or  have  received 
the  thirty-second  degree.  Ancient  and  Ac- 
cepted Scottish  Kite,  so  the  A.  A.  0.  N.  M.' 
S.  of  North  and  South  America  receives 
only  those  who  have  taken  the  higher  de- 
grees conferred  in  negro  Masonic  bodies. 
(See  Freemasonry  among  Negroes.)  The 
Grand  Council  of  the  A.  A.  0.  N.  M.  S. 
of  North  and  South  America  was  insti- 
tuted at  Chicago,  June  10,  1893,  by  John 
G.  Jones  and  others.  It  is  declared  that  Mr. 
Jones  is  the  first  negro  in  the  United  States 
to  receive  the  Shrine  degree,  and  that  it  was 
conferred  upon  him  by  '^^  several  members 
of  the  Grand  Council  of  Arabia"  who  were 
in  Chicago  ''in  attendance  at  the  World's 
Fair."  It  is  likely  that  Jones  and  associate 
negro  Nobles  received  their  Shrine  ritual 
in  the  same  manner  as  the  negro  Knights 
Templars  obtained  theirs.  In  1895  a  meet- 
ing of  the  Grand  Council  of  the  A.  A.  0.  N. 
M.  S.  of  North  and  South  America  Avas 
held  at  Chicago.  Its  officials  were  some 
of  the  more  active  negro  Freemasons  in 
the  United  States.  The  list  is  as  follows  : 
John  G.  Jones,  Chicago,  Avho  presided  ; 
Joseph  H.  Sbreve,  Chicago  ;  D.  W.  Demp- 
sey,  Chicago ;  Robert  II.  Ilucless,  New 
York  ;  J.  W.  Dunmore,  Chicago  ;  W.  W. 
Madden,  Baltimore  ;  W.  P.  Floyd,  Indian- 
apolis ;  D.  F.  Seville,  Washington,  D,  C. ; 
Thomas  W.  Logan,  Kansas  City,  Mo.  ;  B. 
M.  Shook,  Cleveland ;  Eev.  Dr.  J.  B.  Stans- 
berry.  New  York  ;  James  H.  Lewis,  New 
York ;  M.  L.  Hunter,  New  York  ;  J.  F. 
Scott,    Chatham,    Ont.  ;    E.   A.   Williams, 


New  Orleans  ;  S.  S.  Scott,  Pueblo,  Col.  ; 
Thomas  P.  Mahomet,  Omaha;  Joseph  S. 
Custis,  New  York;  J.  D.  Scott,  Fort  Worth, 
Tex.,  and  John  Coleman,  Water  Valley, 
Miss.  At  the  same  meeting  it  was  planned 
to  organize  a  women's  auxiliary,  to  be  known 
as  the  Daughters  of  the  Pyramid.  There 
were  twenty-three  Temples  represented  and 
more  were  to  be  instituted. 

Ancient  Order  of  Freesmiths  (Der 
Alte  Orden  der  Freischmiede). — According 
to  old  charters  which  are  alleged  to  be 
still  in  existence  in  the  Supreme  body 
in  Germany,  this  German  secret  so- 
ciety carries  its  organization  back  more 
years  than  almost  any  other  similar  body. 
The  extreme  secrecy  with  which  its  pro- 
ceedings and  traditions  are  surrounded 
renders  it  somewhat  difficult  to  obtain  de- 
tailed information  concerning  it.  Various 
23ublislied  accounts  profess  to  trace  its  ori- 
gin as  far  back  as  the  eighth  century,  to 
Westphalia,  which,  at  that  time,  included 
the  region  between  the  Elbe  and  the  Rhine, 
and  the  present  Republic  of  Switzerland. 
It  will  interest  Scottish  Rite  Freemasons, 
as  well  as  other  students  of  the  subject  of 
secret  societies  in  the  Middle  Ages,  to 
learn  that  this  brotherhood  is  said  to  have 
originated  in  the  Vehmic  Courts,  and  that 
the  claim  is  made  that  this  secret  organiza- 
tion, the  Freesmiths  of  to-day,  has  had  a 
continuous  existence  ever  since.  Whether 
it  lias  or  not,  it  presumes,  like  some 
other  and  better  known  secret  societies, 
to  supply  the  links  between  the  time  of 
the  Vehmgerichte  and  to-day.  The  Amer- 
ican branch  of  the  society  declares  that  the 
Vehmgerichte  flourished  from  the  reign  of 
Charlemagne,  mostly  iu  Germany,  where  it 
exercised  a  considerable  influence  between 
the  twelfth  and  sixteenth  centuries,  in  put- 
ting down  the  lawlessness  and  disregard 
for  authority  which  prevailed  there.  It 
constituted  courts  for  the  protection  of  the 
innocent  and  oppressed,  which  were  as 
easily  approached  by  the  humblest  as  high- 
est.   The  Vehmgerichte  became  an  immense 


ANCIENT  ORDER  OF  FREESMITHS 


power,  not  only  tlirougliout  Westphalia,  but 
elsewliere  in  Germany;  and  while,  from  the 
point  of  view  of  the  present  time,  it  was  a 
lawless  organization,  it  was,  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  a  society,  of  the  most  law-abiding  of 
that  time,  designed  to  bring  to  justice  the 
evil-doer  of  whatever  rank  in  society,  and 
to  see  that  punishment  was  meted  out. 
The  Freesmiths,  while  claiming  direct  de- 
scent from  these  Vehmic  courts,  carry  their 
existence  far  enough  back  to  date  froin  the 
period  when  the  courts  were  used  for  the 
execution  of  justice,  ignoring  the  period 
when  they  became,  as  they  afterwards  did, 
in  the  hands  of  the  nobility,  instruments  for 
unworthy  purposes.  One  of  the  latest  of 
the  Vehmic  courts  was  that  held  at  Celle, 
in  Hanover,  in  1568,  although  it  has  been 
heard  of  at  later  dates.  It  is  related  that 
Jerome  Bonaparte  in  1811  abolished  one  of 
the  later  forms  of  the  Vehmgerichte  in  Aus- 
tria, at  which  time  it  was  known  as  Der 
Alte  Orden  der  Freischmiede.  But  the 
Order  was  in  existence  in  other  portions  of 
Germany  at  the  time,  where  it  is  still  con- 
tinued, and  had  a  large  membershiji.  A 
candidate  for  initiation  into  the  Order  was 
required  to  be  a  Christian,  never  to  have 
been  excommunicated  or  outlawed,  and  not 
a  party  to  any  trial  before  the  Vehme.  He 
was  required  to  take  a  solemn  oath  to  sup- 
port the  Holy  Vehm,  to  conceal  its  pro- 
ceedings ''from  wife  and  child,  father  and 
mother,  sister  and  brother,  fire  and  wind, 
from  all  that  the  sun  shines  on  and  the 
rain  wets,  and  from  every  being  between 
heaven  and  earth,  and  to  bring  before  the 
tribunal  everything  within  his  knowledge 
that  fell  under  its  jurisdiction."  He  was 
then  invested  with  the  signs  by  which  the 
members  recognized  each  other,  and  pre- 
sented Avith  a  rope  and  a  knife,  upon  the 
latter  of  which  were  the  letters  S.  S.  G.  G., 
supposed  to  mean  Strick,  Stein,  Gras,  Grein, 
or  Rope,  Stone,  Grass,  Grain.  One  variety 
of  Vehmic  court  held  its  meetings  openly, 
while  the  proceedings  of  the  other  were 
secret.     The    former   took   jurisdiction   in 


civil  suits  and  otiiers  of  trivial  cliaracter, 
while  the  latter  took  charge  of  crimes  of 
more  serious  nature.  The  accused  in  the 
procedure  of  these  courts  was  cited  by  hav- 
ing the  summons  nailed  over  his  door  at 
night,  or,  if  it  was  not  known  where  he 
lived,  by  fastening  four  copies  at  a  cross- 
road near  his  sujjposed  residence.  Xone 
but  the  initiated  was  admitted  during  the 
sessions  of  the  secret  court,  and  any  one 
found  present  who  was  not  a  mem])er  was 
init  to  instant  death.  The  only  punish- 
ment inflicted  by  the  secret  court  was 
death  ;  and  in  case  the  convicted  accused 
was  not  present,  the  first  of  tlie  initiated  to 
meet  him  was  bound  to  put  him  to  death 
and  leave  the  knife  with  the  cabalistic  let- 
ters beside  the  body,  to  show  the  deed  was 
not  a  murder.  With  the  revival  of  law 
and  order  and  legal  procedure,  Der  Alte 
Orden  der  Freischmiede  is  declared  to  have 
taken  the  place  of  the  Vehmgerichte,  with 
some  of  the  more  deadly  characteristics  of 
the  latter  left  out,  and  some  of  the  benevo- 
lent features  of  more  modern  secret  socie- 
ties incorporated. 

The  first  Lodge  of  the  Freischmiede  in 
the  United  States  was  organized  in  Bal- 
timore in  1865,  and  a  second  one  was 
formed  in  Washington  iu  1866.  After 
the  organization  of  the  third  Lodge  in 
this  country,  which  was  in  Philadelphia  in 
1867,  the  Order  took  on  a  rapid  growth. 
There  are  thousands  of  members  of  the  so- 
ciety in  this  "country  to-day,  but  compara- 
tively little  is  kno\Vn  about  the  institution, 
and  members  thereof  appear  chary  about 
giving  information.  It  apparently  avoids 
publicity,  not  only  regarding  its  affairs,  but 
regarding  its  membership  and  location. 
Lodges  are  believed  to  be  established  in  al- 
most every  State  in  the  Union,  which  are 
governed  by  State  or  Grand  Lodges,  and  the 
latter  are  controlled  by  the  Supi'eme  Lodge 
of  the  United  States,  which  is  said  to  meet 
regularly  "on  the  first  hour  of  every  leap 
year."  The  Lodge  rooms  are  called  Smith- 
ies,    and    represent     the     firmament,    the 


8 


ANCIENT   ORDER    OF   OSIRIS 


presiding  officer  being  the  Sun,  the  second  in 
command  tlie  Moon,  and  the  third,  etc.,  re^)- 
resenting  other  phmets  or  lieavenly  bodies. 
The  ritual  of  the  Order  has  no  religions 
characteristics,  a  recognition  of  a  higher 
power  being  the  only  requisite  from  those 
seeking  admission.  The  objects  of  the 
society  are  intellectual  development,  the 
extension  of  wisdom  and  toleration,  sick 
benefits  and  life  insurance.  The  lower  body 
in  the  organization  is  entitled  the  Free  Mas- 
ters and  contains  six  degrees.  The  regalia 
is  composed  of  a  red  sash  with  three  stars. 
After  an  honorable  career  in  the  Order  for 
a  year,  the  degree  of  Grand  Marshal  is 
conferred,  with  a  black  sash  and  seven 
stars.  After  that  comes  the  Grand  Master 
degree,  with  the  blue  sash  and  seven  stars, 
when  the  member  is  entitled  to  wear  his 
sword.  The  highest  degree  bestowed  is  en- 
titled Cavalier,  and  is  conferred  after  three 
years  and  an  examination  in  astronomy  and 
the  sciences.  Only  a  Cavalier  may  become 
President  of  a  Supreme  Lodge,  the  emblem 
of  which  degree  is  the  Cross  of  the  Knights, 
a  sasii  of  red,  black,  and  blue  with  all  the 
stars,  and  a  sword  and  a  dagger.  These 
officials  exercise  somewhat  the  same  pre- 
rogatives as  Sovereign  Grand  luspectors 
General  of  the  thirty-third  and  last  degree 
of  the  Ancient  and  Accepted  Scottish  Rite  of 
Freemasonry,  having  access  to  all  the  bodies 
and  their  archives,  and  being  entitled  to 
special  honors  at  all  visits.  Like  so  many 
younger  secret  societies,  this  one  possesses 
a  motto  in  three  words — Truth,  Fidelity, 
and  Secrecy  (Wahrheit,  Treue,  unde 
Schwiegen).  The  obligations  of  the  Order 
recpiire  every  member  to  assist  unfortunate 
or  distressed  brethren.  Lodges  pay  five 
dollars  weekly  in  case  of  sickness  of  mem- 
bers, 1125  in  case  of  the  death  of  a  member's 
wife,  and  1500  to  the  heirs  of  a  member  in 
case  of  his  death,  A  recently  published  list 
of  officials  of  the  Supreme  Lodge  of  the 
United  States  included  the  followins: : 
Grand  Honorary  President,  William 
Schlumpf  of  New  York  ;  Grand  Marshal, 


William  Drexler  of  Paterson,  N.  J. ;  Grand 
Counsellor,  Jacob  Himmelsbach  of  New 
York  ;  Grand  Secretary,  William  Mertz  of 
Paterson,  N.  J. ;  and  Grand  Treasurer, 
Emil  Baumgarten  of  Paterson,  N.  J. 

It  is  only  fair  to  state  that  there  are  no 
reasons  for  believing  that  the  Ancient  Order 
of  Freesmiths  have  had  any  more  direct 
connection  with  the  Yehmgerichte  of  the 
Middle  Ages  than  have  any  of  the  haute 
grades  of  the  Ancient  and  Accepted  Scot- 
tish Rite  of  Freemasonry,  and  there  are 
several  external  evidences  that  the  found- 
ers of  the  Freesmiths  have  patterned  after 
some  of  the  emblems  and  ceremonials  of  the 
Bite  Ecossais.  There  are,  however,  rea- 
sons for  crediting  the  inspiration  of  the  Free- 
smiths  to  some  of  the  earlier  workingmen's 
guilds  in  Germany. 

Ancient  Order  of  Osiris. — In  the  his- 
tory, objects,  and  aims  of  this  modern 
American  Order,  published  in  1887,  no 
mention  is  made  of  its  headquarters.  It  is 
governed  by  a  Supreme  Tribunal,  and  deals 
in  Lesser  and  Greater  Mysteries,  all  of 
which  are  declared  to  have  been  instituted 
in  virtue,  with  the  noblest  objects  in  view. 
Its  watchwords  are  Truth,  Justice,  and 
Equity,  and  it  seeks  to  clothe  the  naked, 
feed  the  hungry,  educate  the  orphan,  and 
'*to  know  each  other  and  ourselves." 

Anti-Masonry. —  Organized  opposition 
to  Freemasonry  has  shown  itself  in  three 
forms  since  the  revival  in  1717,  when  the 
four  London  Lodges  united  to  form  a  Grand 
Lodge.  The  first  came  and  still  emanates 
from  the  Roman  Catholic  Church ;  the 
second,  from  one  or  more  offshoots  of  the 
Scotch  Presbyterian  Church ;  and  the  third 
was  conspicuous  in  the  United  States  for 
a  decade  after  the  disappearance  of  William 
Morgan  of  Batavia,  N,  Y.,  who,  it  was  said, 
was  about  to  disclose  the  secrets  of  the  Fra- 
ternity. Almost  all  political  antagonism  to 
Freemasonry  in  Europe  may  be  traced  to  the 
influence  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church. 
During  the  seven  years  from  1717  to  1724 
the    Fraternity  attracted   the  attention  of 


ANTI-MASONRY 


many  Englislimen  of  learning  cand  title, 
when,  on  September  3,  1724,  the  London 
''  Daily  Post"  announced  tiie  appearance  in 
that  city  of  a  secret  society  described  as  tlie 
Ancient  and  Noble,  or,  the  August  and 
Noble  Order  of  Gonnogons.  It  was  declared 
to  be  of  Chinese  origin,  founded  "  thousands 
of  years"  prior  to  Adam,  and  the  printed 
account  set  forth  that  a  Chapter  would  be 
held  at  Castle  Tavern,  Fleet  Street,  where 
"  no  Mason  "  would  be  received  as  a  member 
"■  till  he  had  renounced  "  his  "  novel  Order  " 
and  been  '^  properly  degraded."  Six  weeks 
later  the  same  paper  stated  that  ''many 
eminent  Freemasons"  had  "degraded" 
themselves  (renounced  their  Fraternity  and 
burned  their  gloves  and  aprons)  and  joined 
the  Gormogons. 

Several  theories  have  been  advanced  to 
account  for  the  existence  of  the  Gormogons, 
The  first,  that  it  was  a  creation  of  the  Cheva- 
lier Ramsey,  an  ardent  Freemason  and  a 
Roman  Catholic,  and  another,  that  it  was 
the  beginning  of  what  took  shape  as  the 
schismatic  branch  of  English  Freemasonry 
about  the  middle  of  the  last  century,  are 
both  regarded  as  unworthy  of  consideration. 
The  third  theory,  that  it  was  a  "  Jesuitic," 
that  is,  Roman  Catholic,  invention,  designed 
to  offset  the  growing  j^opularity  of  Freema- 
sonry,was,  and  still  is,  believed  to  be  the  true 
explanation,  particularly  as  the  Society  of 
Gormogons  disappeared  in  1738,  the  year  in 
which  Pope  Clement  XII.  issued  his  famous 
bull  against  Freemasonry.  It  was  on  April 
28, 1738,  that  Pope  Clement  XIT.  published 
his  bull,  entitled  In  Eminent i  Apostolatus 
Specula,  containing  the  following  words  : 

For  which  reason  the  temporal  and  spiritual 
coininnnities  are  enjoined,  in  the  name  of  holy 
obedience,  neither  to  enter  the  society  of  Free- 
masons, to  disseminate  its  principles,  to  defend  it, 
nor  to  admit  nor  conceal  it  within  their  houses  or 
palaces  or  elsewhere,  under  pain  of  excommunica- 
tion ipso  facto  for  all  acting  in  contradiction  of  this, 
and  from  which  only  the  Pope  can  absolve  the  dying. 

On  January  14, 1739,  a  still  more  stringent 
edict  was  issued  for  the  Papal  States,  death 


and  confiscation  of  property,  without  hope 
of  mercy,  being  the  penalty.  De  Cormenin, 
in  his  "  History  of  the  Popes,"  refers  to  the 
''l^leiad  of  philosophers"  which  had  ranged 
itself  around  Voltaire,  ''battling  in  the 
breach  against  the  civil  and  religious  au- 
thority of  popes,  bishops  and  priests,"  Mon- 
tesquieu, Rousseau,  Diderot,  d'Alembert, 
and  others  compelling  "  tlie  third  estate, 
the  nobility,  and  even  a  great  part  of  the 
French  clergy  to  march  in  their  progressive 
route  to  the  conquest  of  a  new  order  of 
things."  The  political  movement,  he  de- 
clared, "though  less  apparent  than  the  re- 
ligious, was  not  the  less  real.  Secret  associ- 
ations were  everywhere  organized  to  labor 
for  the  overthrow  of  kings  and  priests,"  and 
"  Rome  was  so  moved  "  by  this  revolution- 
ary tendency  that  "  Clement  XII.  declared 
war  on  secret  societies  and  fulminated  a 
terrible  bull  against  the  Freemasons  who 
had  established  Lodges  in  England,  Scot- 
land, France,  Germany,  and  Italy." 
These  statements  indicate  that  Clement 
was  unable  to  distinguisli  between  a  secret, 
pacific,  non-political,  benevolent  brother- 
hood and  secret  political  associations.  De 
Cormenin  relates  that  Pope  Clement's  bull 
against  Freemasonry  prohibited  "his  sub- 
jects" from  affiliating  with  or  being  present 
at  Masonic  assemblies,  from  inducing  any- 
one to  join  the  Fraternity,  and  from  "ren- 
dering aid,  succor,  counsel,  or  a  retreat"  to 
a  Freemason  "under  penalty  of  death;" 
which,  in  part,  refers,  probably,  to  the  sup- 
plementary bull  of  1739,  applying  to  the 
Papal  States.  "  These  proscriptions,"  De 
Cormenin  says,  gave  Freemasonry  an  "ex- 
traordinary lustre,  and  Europe  was  soon 
covered  by  a  prodigious  Jiumber  of  Lodges." 
The  reasons  for  issuing  this,  the  first  of 
a  long  list  of  bulls  against  Freemasonry, 
are  thus  set  forth  in  the  document  itself  : 

We  have  learned,  and  public  rumor  docs  not  per- 
mit us  to  doubt  the  truth  of  the  report,  that  a  cer- 
tain society  has  been  formed  under  the  name  of 
Freemasons  into  whicli  persons  of  all  religions  and 
all  sects  are  indiscriminately  admitted,   and  whose 


10 


ANTI-MASONRY 


members  have  established  certain  laws  which  bind 
themselves  to  each  other,  and  which,  in  particu- 
lar, compel  their  members,  under  the  severest 
penalties,  by  virtue  of  an  oath  taken  on  the  Holy 
Scriptures,  to  preserve  an  inviolable  secrecy  in  re- 
lation to  everything  tliat  passes  in  their  meetings. 

The  bull  further  declares  tliat  these  soci- 
eties had  become  siispected  of  being  hurtful 
to  the  tranquility  of  the  state  and  to  the 
safety  of  the  soul ;  that  if  the  actions  of 
Freemasons  were  irreproachable  they  would 
not  so  carefully  conceal  them  from  the 
light;  and  all  bishops,  superiors,  and  ordina- 
ries were  enjoined  to  punish  the  Freemasons 
"  with  the  penalties  which  they  deserve,  as 
people  greatly  suspected  of  heresy,  having 
recourse,  if  necessar}^,  to  the  secular  arm." 
Three  years  before  this,  in  Amsterdam 
(1735),  a  Masonic  Lodge  room  was  forcibly 
entered  and  its  furniture  destroyed  by  "a 
crowd  of  fanatics'''  whose  zeal  had  been 
kindled  by  "  some  of  the  clergy."  Although 
Clement's  bull  did  not  meet  Avith  a  favor- 
able reception  in  France,  in  Italy  many  sus- 
pected of  being  Freemasons  were  arrested 
and  i^laced  in  dungeons,  as  well  as  some  ac- 
cused of  having  furnished  an  asylum  to 
Masonic  Lodges.  Like  measures  to  crush 
the  Fraternity  were  resorted  to  in  Spain  and 
in  Portugal,  and  in  1745  Masonic  assemblies 
were  prohibited  throughout  Switzerland 
under  the  severest  penalties.  In  1748  a 
Masonic  Lodge  at  Constantinople  was  de- 
molished and  its  members  were  arrested, 
but  ultimately  discharged  through  the  in- 
terposition of  the  British  Minister.  In 
Scotland,  in  1757,  the  Synod  of  Stirling  de- 
barred all  adhering  Freemasons  from  the 
ordinances  of  religion,  whence,  possibly,  may 
be  found  the  origin  of  some  of  the  opposition 
to  the  Fraternity  in  one  or  more  branches 
of  the  Scotch  Church.  The  Papal  bull  of 
1738  was  confirmed  and  renewed  by  Bene- 
dict XIV.  in  1751,  and  by  Pius  VII.  in  1821. 
Leo  XII.,  in  his  Apostolic  Edict,  Quo  Gra- 
viora,  1826,  included  the  acts  and  decrees 
of  the  earlier  popes  on  this  subject,  and 
ordered    them  to  be    ratified  forever.      As 


noted  by  Gould,  in  his  ''History  of  Free- 
masonry," Pius  VII.  spoke  to  the  same  effect 
in  1829,  Gregory  XVI.  in  1832,  and  Pius  IX. 
in  1846, 1864,  and  at  other  dates.  Leo  XIII. 
again  confirmed  these  decrees  of  his  prede- 
cessors in  1884,  and  extended  the  o^iposition 
of  the  Eoman  Church  to  the  Odd  Fellows, 
the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  the  Sons  of 
Temperance.  About  ten  years  ago  the 
Cardinal  at  Quebec  took  steps  to  prevent 
Eoman  Catholics  in  his  jurisdiction  from 
joining  the  Knights  of  Labor,  a  secret  labor 
and  socialist  society,  founded  by  a  Free- 
mason, which  has  some  of  the  outward  forms 
and  c^iaracteristics  of  Freemasonry.  But  so 
much  opposition  was  excited  that,  on  an  ap- 
peal to  Eorae,  the  action  was  not  sustained. 
A  reply  to  an  inquiry  directed  to  Cardinal 
Gibbons  states  that  the  Fenian  Brotherhood 
and  its  successor,  the  Clan-na-gael,  are  not 
approved  by  the  Church,  in  reference  to 
which  no  explanation  is  necessary.  On 
January  6,  1895,  the  Eoman  Catholic  Arch- 
bishop of  Cincinnati,  on  the  authority  of  the 
Holy  See,  announced  the  position  of  that 
Church  with  respect  to  the  Odd  Fellows, 
the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Sons  of  Tem- 
perance, and,  incidentally,  Freemasonry,  in 
part  as  follows  : 

All  the  ordinaries  of  the  various  dioceses  of  the 
United  States  must  use  their  exertions  to  keep  the 
faithful  away  from  all  and  each  of  the  three  socie- 
ties called  the  Odd  Fellows,  the  Knights  of  Pythias, 
and  the  Sons  of  Temperance.  And  the  faithful 
themselves  must  be  admonished  of  this  ;  and  if, 
after  the  admonition,  they  still  adhere  to  these  so- 
cieties, and  will  not  leave  them  effectually,  they 
must  not  be  admitted  to  the  Sacraments.  .  .  . 
First,  these  societies  seem  to  have  a  decided  in- 
fluence to  lead  Catholics  toward  Freemasonry,  and 
Freemasonry  is  under  the  absolute  condemnation 
and  excommunication  of  the  Church.  I  will  not 
stop  to  consider  the  reasons  for  this,  except  to  draw 
your  attention  to  the  declared  and  implacable  hatred 
of  Masons  against  the  Church  and  against  all  reli- 
gious interests.  This  is  openly  and  angrily  avowed 
by  the  leading  Masons  of  Eui'ope,  and  manifested 
by  their  satanic  warfare  against  everything  Chris- 
tian, particularly  in  Italy  and  France.  In  our 
country  this  spirit  does  not  seem  to  prevail  ;  yet 
there   has  been   no  action  by  the  Masons  of  this 


ANTI-MASONRY 


11 


country  sufficient  to  satisfy  the  Church  that  they 
are  secured  agjiinst  the  infusion  of  the  spirit  of  their 
brethren.  .  .  .  Now,  it  is  often  seen  that  the 
active  promoters  of  these  societies,  now  condemned, 
are  also  zealous  Masons;  and  if  a  Calliolic  is 
drawn  into  one  of  them,  he  is  in  continual  and 
familiar  association  with  the  admirers  of  Masonry, 
and  imuiediatcly  exposed  to  imbibe  their  senti- 
ments, consciously  or  unconsciously.  Again,  more 
positively  and  more  strongly  do  these  societies  tend 
to  weaken  a  Catholic's  regard  for  the  doctrines  of 
the  Church  and  for  her  Sacraments  and  other 
administrations.  .  .  .  They  do  not,  I  believe, 
expressly  antagonize  the  Church's  teachings  and 
practices  ;  and  Catholics  who  are  in  them  may 
probably  say  very  honestly  that  they  have  not  seen 
or  heard  anything  opposed  to  the  Church.  But 
these  societies  do  profess  to  inculcate  morality  with- 
out the  help  of  the  Church.  They  intentionally  or 
unintentionally  dispose  a  man  to  believe  that  if  he 
practises  the  natural  virtues — of  honesty,  truthful- 
ness, sobriety,  philanthropy,  etc. — then  he  is  all 
that  a  man  ought  to  be  ;  and  also  to  believe  that 
he  can  practise  these  virtues  quite  sufficiently  by 
the  force  of  his  own  will  ;  that  he  does  not  need 
the  special  helps  which  our  Lord  furnishes  through 
His  Church.  This  is  called  natin-al  religion  ;  that 
is,  such  knowledge  of  God  and  such  practice  of  a 
good  life  as  a  man  can  reach  by  his  own  natural 
reason  and  strength.  It  leaves  out  revealed  re- 
ligion ;  that  is,  the  other  truths  which  God  has 
revealed  to  man  through  the  sacred  Scriptures, 
through  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  and  Ilis  Apostles. 
It  leaves  out  the  necessity  of  grace,  our  redemp- 
tion from  sin  through  the  life  and  death  of  the 
Son  of  God  nuide  man.  It  leaves  out  the  means 
of  grace  given  us  by  God  in  His  Sacraments,  the 
Holy  Sacrifice  of  tlie  Mass,  and  the  other  ministra- 
tions of  the  Church.  In  a  word,  it  leaves  out  the 
supernatural  end  of  man  and  the  supernatural 
means  given  him  to  reach  that  end.  Of  course, 
the  natural  tendency  of  such  an  association  is  to 
dispose  men  to  think  less  earnestly  about  Christian- 
ity. And  it  has,  too,  been  observed,  that  Catholics 
frequenting  these  societies  gradually  cool  in  their 
love  for  the  Church,  becoming  indifferent  to  her 
doctrines  and  careless  of  observing  her  precepts. 
Some  may  resist  this  tendency,  but  too  many  yield 
to  it.  And  the  very  fact  of  tlieir  seeing  nothing  in 
the  Lodge  to  disturb  their  religion  makes  them  all 
the  more  liable  to  drift  down  unconsciously.    .    .    . 

Keferring  to  tlie  nature  of  the  alleged 
obligation  of  one  of  the  condemned  socie- 
ties, the  Archbishop  continued  : 

This    oath    and    these    penalties    apply    to    all 


"mysteries  which  he  may  hereafter  be  instructed 
in."  lie  has  no  guarantee  as  to  the  character  of 
these  mysteries.  Tiiey  may  Ix;  blusphemies  against 
God,  or  treason  against  his  country,  or  injustice 
against  his  neighbor.  Of  course,  he  hopes  it  will 
not  be  so,  and  the  members  nuiy  say  it  will  not  be. 
But  how  can  a  man  conscientiously  put  himself 
under  such  an  oath  and  such  penalties,  with  no 
other  protection  but  their  saying  ?  His  oath  is  on 
record.  Their  saying  is  a  passing  word.  .  .  . 
Such  obligations  of  bliiul  obedience  are  contrary  to 
the  natural  conscience  of  man. 

The  formation  of  a  Post  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Kepublic  at  Xotre  Dame,  In- 
diana, in  July,  189T,  tlie  membership  of 
which  "was  composed  wholly  of  Iloman 
Catholic  priests,"  shows  striking  contrasts 
in  the  views  of  that  Church  concerning 
various  secret  societies.  Archbishop  Ryan, 
in  replying  to  a  vote  of  thanks  from  a 
Philadelphia  Post,  Grand  Army  of  the  Re- 
l^ublic,  in  1896,  was  quoted  in  the  daily 
papers  in  jiart  as  follows  : 

I  do  not  believe  there  was  ever  any  general  con- 
demnation of  your  Order  by  the  Church,  although 
individual  bishops  may  have  misinterpreted  your 
constitution.  It  has  no  objectionable  features  that 
I  can  see,  and  is  universally  acknowledged  by  the 
Churcli  at  large  in  the  country  to-day.  Your  Order 
is  founded  on  charitable  and  fraternal  fellowship 
and  patriotism.  Patriotism  is  from  God,  and  the 
Catholic  Church  should,  therefore,  be  the  first  to 
nurture  it. 

One  significance  of  this  lies  in  the  fact 
that  the  Grand  Army  was  organized  b}'  Odd 
Fellows  and  Freemasons  and  is  largely  made 
up  of  them  ;  like  them,  it  is  '*  founded  on 
charitable  and  fraternal  fellowship  and  pa- 
triotism,''and  is  secret,  has  grips,  passwords, 
obligations,  and  an  initiatory  ceremony. 
The  refusal  of  the  Church  of  Rome  to  con- 
demn the  Knights  of  Labor  and  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic  is,  therefore,  an  ap- 
parent triumph  of  diplomacy.  A  Roman 
Catholic  Anti-Masonic  International  Con- 
gress was  held  at  Trient,  Austria,  in 
September,  1896,  ''to  make  known  to 
everybody  the  immense  moral  and  material 
evil  done  by  Freemasonry  to  the  Church 
and  to  society,  and  to  seek  remedy  by  way 


12 


ANTI-MASONRY 


of  a  permanent,  international  organiza- 
tion against  the  Craft."  In  a  published 
letter  to  the  clergy  approving  tliat  meeting, 
the  coadjutor  to  Cardinal  Taschereau  at 
Quebec  denounced  Freemasonry  as  an  ''in- 
fernal sect "  and  a  "  diabolical  organiza- 
tion." The  London  "Times"  said  of  the 
Congress  that  about  eight  hundred  persons 
attended  it,  of  whom  six  hundred  were 
clergymen  ;  and  that,  Avhile  the  speeches 
were  moderate,  Freemasonry  was  "attacked 
as  being  opposed  to  the  divine  law  and  the 
Cliurcli."  Whatever  objection  the  Churcli 
of  Rome  may  have  to  Freemasonry  in 
France  or  elsewhere  on  the  Continent,  where 
the  Bible  has  been  removed  from  Masonic 
altars,  or  where  Freemasons  have  been  ac- 
cused of  conspiring  against  the  Pope,  it  is 
evident  that  Pope  Clement's  bull  against 
Freemasonry  in  1738  (renewed  and  con- 
firmed by  all  his  successors)  is  feebly  en- 
forced to-day,  Tlie  consequences  of  an  at- 
tempt in  tlie  United  States  and  the  United 
Kingdom  to  have  it  carried  out  literally 
would  suggest  a  problem  in  which  a  resist- 
ible body  meets  an  immovable  body. 

The  Pennsylvania  Christian  Reform  Con- 
vention, o])posed  to  secret  societies,  held  at 
the  First  United  Presbyterian  Cliurch, 
Philadelphia,  February,  1894,  declared  Free- 
masonry, so-called,  the  Society  6i  Jesuits, 
and  all  societies  which  impose  an  oath  on 
members  to  obey  unknown  laws,  unscrip- 
tural,  un-Christian  and  un-American,  and 
membership  in  them  degrading,  and  im- 
plored the  State  and  Nation  to  declare 
members  of  all  such  societies  outlaws. 

At  a  session  of  the  Synod  of  the  Re- 
formed Presbyterian  Church,  in  Phila- 
delphia, in  June,  1894,  a  report  was  adopted 
condemning  secret  societies  as  being  "or- 
ganized on  the  principle  of  secrecy  and  for 
the  purpose  of  concealment  without  previ- 
ous knowledge  of  the  things  to  be  con- 
cealed.    .     .     ." 

Such  a  society  is  contrai'y  to  the  spirit  and  letter  of 
the  religion  of  Jesus  Christ.  The  grip,  the  pass- 
word, the  darkened  window,  the  guarded  door  are  not 


Christlike  ;  and  the  Christian,  especially  the  minister 
of  Christ,  is  out  of  place  in  such  surroundings.* 
Organized  secrecy  invites  suspicion.  Organized  se- 
crecy is  a  menace  to  society.  It  naturally  leads  to 
ends  and  means  and  invites  persons  that  need  con- 
cealment. Whoever  calls  any  man  "  Grand  Master  " 
makes  himself  a  grand  slave.  Secret  orders  not 
only  lord  it  over  their  own  members,  but  undertake 
to  dictate  on  terms  of  death  the  conduct  of  those 
outside  their  organization.  Let  everyone  who  enters 
a  secret  society  know  that  he  parts  with  his  liberty, 
puts  his  neck  under  a  yoke,  and  fetters  his  feet.  He 
virtually  says  :  "  I  am  your  beast,  drive  me  ;  I  am 
your  slave,  command  me  ;  I  yield  my  own  will  and 
judgment  to  others." 

Organized  opposition  to  Freemasonry 
among  Protestant  religious  bodies  has  not 
been  of  sufficient  importance  to  attract 
public  attention  during  the  past  fifty  years, 
being  largely  confined  to  a  few  of  the  minor, 
schismatic  sects.  When  delegates  from 
several  of  these  bodies  meet  to  fulminate 
against  the  Craft,  they  sometimes  call  them- 
selves a  "Christian  Association,  Interde- 
nominational, Anti-Secret  Convention." 
Such  a  gathering  was  held  at  Minneaj)olis, 
November,  1895,  and  resolved  : 

That,  in  our  opinion,  secret  societies  are  con- 
demned by  the  example  and  the  word  of  Jesus  Christ ; 
that  such  societies  must  injure  men  who  compose 
them,  uniting  in  fraternal  fellowship  believers  and 
non-believers,  and  thus  tending  to  separate  them 
from  the  Saviour  of  men  ;  that  such  orders  are  hos- 
tile to  the  home  life,  depriving  wife  and  children  of 
the  companionship  and  help  of  husband  and  father, 
and  tending  to  destroy  the  confidence  and  sympathy 
which  should  be  the  foundation  of  home  life  ;  that 
the  churches  of  Jesus  Christ  are  the  God-aiDjJointed 
agency  for  the  redemption  of  the  world,  and  that 
secret  societies  tend  to  destroy  them  by  rivalry  and 
substitution  ;  and  that  the  Lodge  oaths  are  incon- 
sistent with  good  citizenship,  and  that  good  citizens 
should  withstand  and  oppose  them. 

Though  political  persecution  of  Free- 
masons and  opposition  to  Freemasonry  in 

*  In  1891  the  total  number  of  ordained  ministers 
in  the  State  of  New  York  who  were  affiliated  Free- 
masons was  as  follows  :  Methodist,  288  ;  Episcopal, 
146  ;  Baptist,  112  ;  Presbyterian,  59  ;  LTniversalist, 
31  ;  Congregational,  21  ;  Dutch  Reformed,  13  ; 
Christian,  13  ;  Lutheran,  11  ;  Jew,  7;  Unitarian, 
1  ;  Reformed  Jew,  1  ;  total,  703. 


ANTI-MASONRY 


13 


Europe,  South  America,  and  elsewhere 
abroad  have  generally  been  due  to  Roman 
Catholic  influence,  there  is  an  exception  in 
the  prohibition  of  meetings  of  the  society 
in  Russia. 

In  the  United  States  an  Anti-Masonic 
political  party  made  its  appearance  in 
1827,  and  was  active  in  some  or  all  of 
the  Middle  and  New  England  States 
for  the  next  ten  years.  It  was  the  out- 
growth of  what  was  known  as  the  "  Morgan 
iiffair."  William  ]\[orgau  of  Batavia, 
Oenesee  County,  N.  Y.,  who  claimed  to  be 
but  is  not  known  to  have  been,  a  Free- 
mason, had  a  book  in  press  which  was  said 
to  reveal  the  secrets  of  the  Masonic  Fra- 
ternity. He  was  arrested  on  September 
11,  182G,  on  a  charge  of  petit  larceny,  and 
put  in  Jail  at  Canandaigua,  N.  Y.  The 
story  goes  that  he  was  released  on  the 
night  of  September  r2tli  on  the  jaayment  of 
the  amount  of  the  execution  to  the  jailer's 
wife, the  jailer  being  absent,  and,  guarded  by 
several  men,  was  taken  in  a  closed  carriage 
to  Fort  Niagara,  on  Niagara  River,  where  all 
trace  of  him  was  lost,  so  far  as  liis  relatives 
and  the  public  were  concerned.  More  than 
a  year  afterwards,  in  October,  1827,  a  much 
decomposed  body  of  anuxn  was  found  on  the 
sliore  of  Lake  Ontario,  not  far  from  the 
mouth  of  Niagara  River.  Morgan's  wife, 
Thurlow  AVeed,  and  others  wlio  knew  Mor- 
gan, declared  that  the  body  was  Morgan's, 
notwithstanding  the  family  of  Timothy 
Munroe,  a  Canadian  fisherman  who  was 
drowned  a  few  months  before,  were  posi- 
tive that  the  body  was  Munroe's.  Thurlow 
Weed,  it  will  be  recalled,  first  rose  into 
political  prominence  through  his  connec- 
tion with  the  Morgan  affair.  Both  he 
and  William  H.  Seward,  members  of  the 
National  Republican  party,  were  keenly 
alive  to  the  opportunity  to  ride  into  power 
through  a  political  party  to  be  created  out 
of  the  storm  to  which  Morgan's  disajipear- 
ance  gave  rise.  The  Masonic  Fraternity 
suffered  severely  from  the  outcry  against  it, 
and  so  fierce  was  the  sentiment  on   both 


sides  that  in  New  York,  New  England, 
Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  and  Miciiigan  political 
parties,  church  congregations,  families, 
and  friends  were  divided  on  the  issue.  The 
Masonic  Fraternity  repudiated  the  acts  of 
individual  Freemasons  accused  of  Mor- 
gan's abduction,  and  cooperated  with  the 
authorities  in  an  effort  to  bring  the  guilty 
ones  to  justice  ;  but  a  whirlwind  of  public 
condemnation  was  aimed  at  the  Craft  in 
general,  and  would  not  be  stayed.  Tiie  re- 
sult was,  that  during  the  next  few  years 
hundreds  of  Masonic  Lodge  warrants  were 
surrendered.  The  insistence  by  Weed  and 
others  that  the  body  found  in  October, 
1827,  was  that  of  Morgan  (supposed  to 
have  been  drowned  in  September,  1826), 
helped  to  fan  the  political  flame  which  re- 
sulted in  the  formation  of  the  Anti-Masonic 
party,  in  which  Weed,  Seward,  and  their 
friends  were  leaders.  When  Weed  was 
confronted  with  the  inconsistency  of  his 
claim  that  the  body  was  Morgan's,  he  is 
credibly  reported  to  have  replied  :  "  It's  a 
good  enough  Morgan  until  after  election," 
which  has  become  a  stock  political  phrase 
to  tills  day.  Morgan  was  never  seen,  dead 
or  alive,  after  his  abductors  left  him.  In 
Weed's  autobiography  he  says  that  John 
Whitney,  one  of  Morgan's  abductors,  con- 
fessed to  him  at  Albany,  in  1831,  that 
Morgan  was  carried  to  Fort  Niagara  with  the 
understanding  that  Canadian  Freemasons 
would  furnish  him  a  retreat  in  the  Do- 
minion, but  that  they  refused  to  do  so, 
whereupon  Morgan  was  thrown  overboard 
from  a  rowboat  in  Niagara  River.  Weed 
says  he  promised  the  secret  would  not  be 
divulged  while  any  of  the  abductors  lived. 
In  1809  Weed  says  he  wrote  Whitney,  ask- 
ing for  a  written  account  of  the  affair  for 
pu1)lication  after  Whitney's  death,  when 
he  learned  that  Whitney  had  just  died. 
Weed's  account  of  this  did  not  appear  until 
1883.  Several  persons  were  apprehended 
for  the  abduction  of  Morgan,  but  none 
were  convicted.  The  Anti-Masonic  party 
appeared   in   western   New  York   early  in 


14 


ANTI-MASONRY 


1827;  and  in  1828,  aided  in  part  by  the 
"good  enough  Morgan  until  after  elec- 
tion," polled  33,305  votes  for  Governor 
of  New  York  State,  out  of  a  total  of 
276,583  ;  and,  as  Charles  M.  Harvey,  St. 
Louis,  states,  ''two  years  later  it  made 
such  inroads  on  the  New  York  State  Na- 
tional Eepublican  organization  that  the 
latter  virtually  vanished,"  and  the  Anti- 
Masonic  party  became,  for  the  time  being, 
the  only  oj^ponent  of  the  Democracy  in 
that  State.  In  Vermont  and  Pennsylvania 
it  also  displaced  the  National  Republican 
organization,  and  it  secured  a  strong  foot- 
hold in  Ohio,  Massachusetts,  and  a  few 
other  States.  The  Anti-Masons  entered 
the  national  field  for  the  Presidential  can- 
vass of  1832,  by  nominating  William  AVirt 
of  Maryland  for  President,  and  Amos 
Ellmaker  of  Pennsylvania  for  Vice-Presi- 
dent, by  national  convention,  as  early  as 
September,  1831,  the  first  national  Presi- 
dential convention  in  our  history.  Thir- 
teen States,  all  northern,  except  Delaware 
and  Maryland,  were  represented.  They 
met  early,  to  compel  the  National  Repub- 
licans to  withhold  the  candidacy  from 
Henry  Clay,  who  was  a  Freemason.  The 
National  Republicans  nominated  Clay, 
however,  who  was  badly  beaten  by  Andrew 
Jackson,  who  was  also  a  Freemason.  Only 
one  State,  Vermont,  was  carried  by  the 
Anti-Masons.  As  a  distinct  party  the 
Anti-Masons  never  took  part  in  another 
Presidential  campaign,  being  absorbed  by 
the  AVhigs,  which  succeeded  the  National 
Repnblican  party  in  1834.  In  State  can- 
vasses in  Vermont  and  Pennsylvania  the 
Anti-Masons  remained  a  factor  for  several 
years,  electing  Joseph  Ritner  Governor  of 
Pennsylvania  in  1835.  Some  of  the  or- 
ganizations known  as  '^' American  parties" 
in  the  past  twenty  years  have  had  anti- 
Masonic  planks  in  their  platforms,  but 
their  votes  have  been  too  few  to  be 
counted. 

Individual  prejudice  against  or  objection 
to  Freemasonry,  merely  because  of  the  secret 


character  of  the  society,  does  not  call  for 
extended  reference,  except  with  respect  to 
such  publications  as  have  had  sufficient 
weight  to  attract  general  attention.  Per- 
haps the  earliest  of  these  was  "  The  Natural 
History  of  Staffordshire,"  by  Robert  Plot, 
published  at  Oxford,  England,  in  1686, 
which  admitted  that  ''persons  of  the  most 
eminent  quality  did  not  disdain  to  be  of 
the  fellowship."  "  Masonry  Dissected,"  by 
Samuel  Prichard,  was  irablished  at  London 
in  1730,  and  replied  to  in  "A  Defence  of 
Masonry,"  by  James  Anderson,  London,  in 
1738.  Between  1762  and  1768  there  was  a 
flood  of  books  attacking  the  Fraternity,  nota- 
bly "Jachin  and  Boaz  "  (1762),  "Hiram, 
or  the  Grand  Master  Key"  (1766),  "The 
Three  Distinct  Knocks"  (1768),  and  in  the 
year  last  named  a  sermon,  also  published  at 
London,  entitled  "  Masonry  the  Way  to 
Hell,  .  .  .  Wherein  is  Clearly  Proved 
both  from  Reason  and  Scripture  that  all 
who  Profess  the  Mysteries  are  in  a  State  of 
Damnation."  The  final  English  work  of 
this  character  apjieared  a  century  ago,  in 
1797,  written  by  John  Robison,  Professor 
of  Natural  Philosophy,  and  Secretary  of  the 
Royal  Society  of  Edinburgh.  It  was  en- 
titled "Proofs  of  a  Conspiracy  against  all 
the  Religions  and  Governments  of  Europe 
carried  on  in  the  Secret  Meetings  of  Free- 
masons, Illuminati,  and  Reading  Societies," 
and  owes  preservation  solely  to  the  perma- 
nency of  the  institution  it  sought  to  destroy. 
The  earliest  antagonistic  publication  in 
France  was  "La  Grande  Lumiere,"  the 
author  of  which  had  several  imitators,  the 
best  known  of  whom  was  the  Abbe  Barruel, 
who  wrote  "  Memoires  pour  servir  a  I'his- 
toire  du  Jacobinism."  Barruel  was  a  priest 
and  a  royalist,  and  was  so  affected  by  the  re- 
sults of  the  French  Revolution  that  he  in- 
sisted the  consequences  of  that  movement 
were  the  outcome  of  the  machinations  of  the 
Freemasons  or  Jacobin  clubs.  But  where 
Robison  was  calm  and  dispassionate,  Bar- 
ruel became  abusive.  Anti-Masonic  publica- 
tions in  Spain  and  Italy  have  been  confined 


ANTI-MASONRY 


15 


principally  to  the    bulls  of  the  popes  and 
edicts  of  the  Iiuiiiisitiou.     In  defence  of  the 
edict  of  the  Council  of  Dautzic  against  the 
Fraternity,  a  book  appeared  in  1764  with  the 
name,    "Proofs  that  the  Society  of  Free- 
masons in  every  Country  is  not  only  Use- 
less, but,  if  )iot  Restricted,  Dangerous,  and 
ought    to    be    Interdicted."       Subsequent 
anti-Musonic     German     publications     Merc 
mostly  pamphlets.     In  the   United    States 
like  literature  began  with  Morgan's  book  in 
1828,  a  paraphrase  of  similar  early  English 
books,    and  was  followed  by   many   others 
with  no  special  claim  to  attention.     An  ex- 
ception is  found  in  **  Letters  on  Masonry 
and  Anti-Masonry  addressed  to  lion.  John 
Quincy  Adams,"  by  AVilliani  L.  Stone,  Xew 
York,  1832,  a  Freemason,  during  a  period 
of  intense  political  excitement,  uiul  desigiied 
solely  to  advance  the  interests  of  the  Anti- 
Masonic   party.     The   Anti-Masonic    party 
had  declared  that  the  jMasonic  Institution 
was  subversive  of  good  government,  and  in- 
tended for  the  political  aggrandizement  of 
its  leaders  ;  yet  Stone  had  the  fairness  to 
admit  that  "  the  fact  is  not  to  be  disguised 
— contradicted   it   cannot   be'' — that   anti- 
Masonry  had  become  so  thoroughly  political 
that  "its  spirit  Avas  vindictive  toward  the 
Freemasons  withoiit  distinction  as  to  guilt 
or   innocence."     Mackey   has   pointed  out 
that  Stone  condemned  Freemasonry  because 
of  the  acts   of   the  abductors   of   Morgan, 
whereas,    "as  well  might  the  vices  of  the 
Christians  of  Corinth  have  suggested  to  a 
contemporary  of  St.  Paul  the  propriety  of 
suppressing    Christianity."      "Letters    on 
the  Masonic  Institution,"  by  John  Quincy 
Adams,    ex-President,    which    appeared   in 
the  public  journals  between  1831  and  1833, 
Avere  collected  and  published  in  book  form 
in  1847.      The  severest  competent  Masonic 
criticism  of  Adams  may  be  found  in  ]\Iac- 
key's  "Encyclopaedia  of  Freemasonry" :  that 
he  Avas  "a  man  of  strong  points  a7id  weak 
ones,  of  vast  reading  and  wonderful  mem- 
ory,   of    great    credulity   and    strong    pre- 
judice " — dAvelling  continually,  ia  his  anti- 


Masonic  Avri tings,  on  "  the  oath  "  and  "  the 
murder  of  ^Morgan  " — a  victim  of  the  mis- 
representations of  the  Masonic  Fraternity. 
It  is  hardly  necessary  to  more  than  refer  to 
the  compilations  of  anti-Masonic  documents 
published  by  James  C.  Odiorne  and  by 
Henry  Gassett  at  Boston,  in  1830  and  1831, 
respectively. 

The  recovery  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity 
from  the  shock  of  the  inquisition  instituted 
by  the  Anti-Masonic  party  Avas  sIoav.     So 
violent  was  the  persecution  of  adhering  Free- 
masons that  many  Avere  driven  to  renounce 
the  society  in  order  to  live  in  peace.     Itin- 
erant lecturers  found  a  neAv  source  of  rev- 
enue l)y  pretending   to  give  j-jublic  repre- 
sentations of  Masonic  ceremonies;  almanac 
makers  filled  their  publications  with   cor- 
roborative details  as  to  the  essential  Avick- 
edness  of  Freemasonry  ;  and  jiretended  rev- 
elations of  the  secrets  of  Lodge,  Chapter, 
Conimandery,  and  of  some  of  the  Scottish 
Kite  bodies  Avere  ])eddled  about  the  country 
by  thrifty  Anti-Masons.    This  was  from  1830 
to  1835,  Avhen  to  confess  sympathy  or  con- 
nection Avith  Freemasonry  meant  social,  ])o- 
litical,  and  often  religious  ostracism.     It  is 
of  exceptional  interest  to  note  (as  may  be 
seen   by  reference   to   articles  under  those 
titles)  that  during  this  period  the  Indepen- 
dent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  Avas  practically 
reorganized  and  began  a  more  active  career; 
that  the  Ancient  Order  of  Druids  and  the 
Ancient  Order   of   Hibernians  Avere  intro- 
duced into  the    United   States  from  Eng- 
land and  Ireland,  res])ectively ;  that  the  Im- 
l^roved   Order  of   Red   ^len  Avas  organized 
and  reestablished  as  at  present  constituted; 
that  the  college  fraternities  Kapjm  Alpha. 
Sigma    Phi,    and    Delta    Phi,    founded    at 
Union  College,  Schenectady,  X.  Y.,  a  few 
years  before,  took  on  rather  more  conven- 
tional secret  society  forms;  that  Alpha  Delta 
Phi  was  founded  at  Hamilton  College,  Clin- 
ton, X.   Y.,  in   1832,  and  Psi  Upsilon  at 
Union  College,   in  1833,  all  leading  Ameri- 
can college  secret  societies.    In  1831,  the  year 
that  Thurlow   Weed,  "William    II.   Seward, 


16 


BROTHERHOOD   OF   THE    XEW    LIFE 


and  Thaddeus  Stevens  went  as  delegates  to 
the  Anti-Masonic,  the  first  national  Presi- 
dential convention,  John  Quincy  Adams, 
Edward  Everett,  Joseph  Story,  and  other 
leading  Harvard  representatives  were  so 
overcome  with  the  anti-secret  society  feeling, 
that  they  indnced  members  of  the  Harvard 
Chapter  of  Phi  Beta  Kappa  to  violate  their 
pledges  of  secrecy  as  to  the  ''  mysteries  "  of 
the  mother  of  American  college  fraternities, 
and  make  that  organization  non-secret. 
There  is  food  for  thought  in  the  fact  that 
none  of  the  members  of  the  two  dozen  imi- 
tators or  offspring  of  the  secret  society  Phi 
Beta  Kappa  ever  imitated  it  by  formally  re- 
vealing their  secrets  on  the  college  campus, 
and  in  the  further  fact  that  the  two  college 
fraternities,  founded  respectively  in  1832 
and  1833,  one  year  and  two  years  after  the 
Harvard  Phi  Beta  Kappa  affair,  were  estab- 
lished as  secret  societies,  and  remain  among 
the  strongest  and  best  of  like  organizations 
to  this  day.  From  1832  to  1845,  or  during 
the  period  of  greatest  excitement  due  to  the 
anti-Masonic  agitation,  and  for  half  a  dozen 
years  thereafter,  the  college  secret  societies 
continued  to  multiply  and  to  establish  new 
Chapters,  from  which  an  inference  is  fair 
as  to  the  probable  origin  of  the  Masonic  cast 
given  the  earlier  rituals  of  some  of  them — 
all  of  those  named,  and  afterward  the  "  Mys- 
tical Seven."  Late  in  the  thirties  and 
early  in  the  following  decade  Freemasons 
began  to  gather  and  Lodges  to  open  and  do 
work.  The  recovery  was  not  rapid,  but  was 
steady,  and  during  the  ten  years  prior  to  the 
outbreak  of  the  Civil  War  the  Craft  regained 
what  it  had  lost  between  1828  and  1840. 
Since  the  Civil  War  the  progress  of  the  Fra- 
ternity has  been  so  great  that  all  opportunity 
for  successful  opposition  based  on  bigotry, 
ignorance,  or  prejudice  has  been  removed. 
One-half  the  Freemasons  in  the  world  are 
Americans;  one  man  in  every  thirteen  in  the 
country  is  a  member  of  the  Fraternity,  and 
its  membership,  as  a  whole,  includes  rejDre- 
sentatives  of  all  ranks  of  society.  They  are 
found  in  general  business  and  in  political, 


professional,  and  military  life;  as  President 
or  the  humblest  office-holder;  the  executive 
head  of  a  continental  system  of  railways,  or 
signalman ;  in  the  bishop,  priest,  clergyman, 
lawyer,  editor,  and  physician  or  the  ordinary 
wayfaring  man  of  commerce,  whether  propri- 
etor or  clerk;  as  admiral  or  marine,  as  gen- 
eral or  private.  Freemasons  constitute  a 
dominant  seventh  as  well  as  an  influence 
in  all  other  reputable  secret  societies  in  the 
United  States.  The  total  membership  of  all 
of  them,  allowing  for  a  proportion  belonging 
to  several  organizations,  cannot  be  fewer 
than  six  million,  one-third  the  total  adult 
population  of  the  country.  To  such  pro- 
portions have  Freemasonry  and  like  soci- 
eties grown,  that  were  a  tithe  of  the  allega- 
tions true  which  are  made  against  the  parent 
organization  by  its  detractors,  society  at 
large  would  be  reaping  a  whirlwind. 

Brotherhood  of  the  New  Life. — 
A  mystical,  religious,  communal  society 
founded  by  Thomas  Lake  Harris,  at  Moun- 
tain Cove,  N,  C,  in  1851.  It  disbanded  in 
1853,  owing  to  internal  dissensions.  He 
formed  a  second  community,  in  1858,  at 
Amenia,  Dutchess  County,  N.  Y.,  which 
shortly  after  removed  to  Brockton,  Chautau- 
qua County,  in  the  same  State.  Croups  of 
three  or  four  persons  were  formed  in  the 
Brotherhood,  but  if  affection  resulted,  the 
group  was  broken  up.  Parents  were  separated 
from  children,  and  husbands  from  wives. 
Harris  was  born  in  England  in  1824,  but 
most  of  his  early  life  was  passed  at  or  near 
L'"tica,  N.  Y.  He  was  evidently  impressed 
by  the  Mormon  movement,  which  began  at 
Palmyra,  and  by  the  Fox  Sisters'  phenomena 
at  Kochester,  N.  Y.  He  became  a  Swe- 
denborgian  and  a  spiritualist.  He  declared 
that  his  journey  to  North  Carolina  and  the 
founding  of  the  Brotherhood  were  direct  re- 
sults of  communications  from  the  Lord,  and 
that  it  was  as  the  direct  representative  of 
the  latter  that  he  remained  at  the  head  of 
the  movement,  and  held  titles  to  property 
in  trust  for  the  discif)les  and  the  commu- 
nity.    His  followers  lived  in  separate  houses 


FREEMASONRY 


17 


and  dressed  as  did  people  generally,  but 
they  Avore  their  hair  long,  observed  the  fifth 
day  of  the  week  as  a  day  of  rest,  opposed 
marriage,  and  advocated  Platonic  love. 
None  of  the  critics  of  the  Brotherhood  has 
charged  them  with  immorality.  Harris's 
most  distinguished  disciple  was  Lawrence 
Oliphant,  over  whom,  from  1867  to  nearly 
the  time  of  the  latter's  death  in  1881,  he 
exercised  a  remarkable  influence.  In  1875 
Harris  and  many  of  his  followers  reestab- 
lished the  Brotherhood  at  Santa  Kosa,  Cali- 
fornia. There  he  is  said  to  have  overcome 
his  asceticism,  and  in  1891  was  declared  to 
have  announced  that  he  had  discovered  the 
secret  of  perpetual  youth.  In  1892  he  left 
his  luxurious  home  in  California,  came  to 
New  York  City,  married,  and  settled  down. 
Some  members  of  the  Brotherhood  are  re- 
ported to  still  live  in  California  and  some  in 
Nebraska. 

Brotherhood  of  the  West  Gate. — A 
brotherhood  seeking  to  solve  '"the  esoteric 
mysteries  of  the  microcosm,"  the  restora- 
tion of  ''inner  harmony,"  in  the  face  of 
which  "  wealth,  fame,  and  power  .  .  .  sink 
into  nothingness."  It  publishes  ''  The  Ora- 
cle "  at  Bridgeton,  Maine. 

E-soter-ists  of  the  West. — Little  is 
learned  of  this  brotherhood  beyond  its  name, 
its  excessively  secret  character,  and  the  ex- 
planation that  the  word  "  west  "  refers  to  the 
Americas.  The  division  of  the  word  "  Esoter- 
ists  "  in  the  title  evidently  has  some  partic- 
ular significance. 

Freemasonry. — The  Ancient  and  Hon- 
orable Society  of  Free  and  Accepted  Masons, 
usually  referred  to  as  Ancient,  Free,  and 
Accepted  Masons,  sometimes  as  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons  (A,  F.  &  A.  !M.  or  F.  & 
A.  M.),  is  a  secret  fraternity,  founded  upon 
man's  religious  aspirations,  which,  by  forms, 
ceremonies,  and  elaborate  symbolism,  seeks 
to  create  a  universal  brotherhood,  to  relieve 
suffering,  cultivate  the  virtues,  and  join  in 
the  endless  search  for  truth.  It  is  the  oldest 
and  most  widely  distributed  secret  society, 
having  an  active  membership  of  1,400,000 
2 


in  the  more  than  25,000  Lodges  which,  ex- 
cept in  Austria  and  Russia,  mark  the  paths 
of  commerce  and  civilization  throughout  the 
Avorld. 

The  student  of  the  history  of  the  Craft 
may  be  glad  to  know  that  Benjamin  Frank- 
lin, who  was  a  Freemason,  wrote  of  the 
Fraternity  as  follows  : 

It  lias  secrets  peculiar  to  itself;  but  of  what  do 
those  principally  consist?  They  consist  of  signs  and 
toiccns,  wiiich  serve  as  testimonials  of  character  and 
qualifications,  which  are  only  conferred  after  a  due 
course  of  instruction  and  examination.  These  are 
of  no  small  value;  they  speak  a  universal  language, 
and  act  as  a  passport  to  the  attention  and  su[)port 
of  the  initiated  in  all  parts  of  the,  world.  They  can- 
not be  lost  so  long  as  memory  retains  its  power.  Let 
the  possessor  of  them  be  expatriated,  shipwrecked, 
or  imprisoned;  let  him  be  stripped  of  everything  he 
has  got  in  the  world;  still  these  credentials  remain 
and  are  available  for  use  as  circumstances  require. 
The  great  effects  which  they  have  produced  are 
established  by  the  most  incontestable  facts  of  his- 
tory. They  have  stayed  the  uplifted  hand  of  the 
destroyer;  they  have  softened  the  asperities  of  the 
tyrant;  they  have  mitigated  the  horrors  of  cap- 
tivity; they  have  subdued  the  rancor  of  malevo- 
lence, and  broken  down  the  barriers  of  political 
animosity  and  sectarian  alienation.  On  the  field  of 
battle,  in  the  solitude  of  the  uncultivated  forests,  or 
in  the  busy  haunts  of  the  crowded  city,  they  have 
made  men  of  the  most  hostile  feelings,  and  most 
distant  religions,  and  the  most  diversified  condi- 
tions, rush  to  the  aid  of  each  other,  and  feel  social 
joy  and  satisfaction  that  they  have  been  able  to 
afford  relief  to  a  Ijrother  Mason. 

"^rhe  Fraternity  as  now  organized  dates 
from  1717,  wljen  the  four  old  Lodges  in  Lon- 
don met  and  formed  a  Grand  Lodge.  The 
most  ancient  Freemasons  referred  to  in  trust- 
worthy historical  records  were  the  opera- 
tive stone  masons  or  builders  of  the  ^Middle 
Ages,  referred  to  in  England  as  far  back  as 
the  eighth  century.  About  three  hundred 
years  ago  the  operative  Craft  in  England, 
France,  and  Germany  began  to  disintegrate. 
This  Avas  the  natural  consequence  of  not 
only  the  Reformation  and  the  Thirty  Years' 
AVar,  but  of  the  completion  of  the  churches 
and  cathedrals  upon  which  the  stone  ma- 
sons' guilds  had  been  engaged  for  several 


18 


FREEMASONRY 


centuries,  originally  with  the  assistance  of 
the  Church.  These  bands  of  traveling 
builders  held  a  general  assembly  at  Stras- 
burg  in  1275,  and  another  nearly  one  hun- 
dred years  later,  at  whicli  laws  were  framed 
and  a  fraternity  formed.  Guilds  were  com- 
posed of  apprentices,  craftsmen,  and  masters, 
had  an  initiatory  ceremony  and  a  sign. 
Traveling  from  city  to  city  throughout  Cen- 
tral and  Western  Europe,  they  constituted 
the  first,  or  operative  Free  Masons,  so-called 
because  they  enjoyed  privileges  granted  by 
the  Church  and  civil  authorities,  OAving  to 
their  skill  in  architecture  and  the  charac- 
ter of  the  edifices  they  built.  When  the 
churches  and  cathedrals  were  completed,  the 
guilds  began  to  disappear.  In  France  the 
guilds,  which  were  more  directly  the  out- 
come of  the  Eoman  occupation  of  the  coun- 
trv,  and  of  the  colleges  of  artificers  which 
accompanied  the  Eoman  legions,  were  abol- 
ished about  153G-39.  Upon  their  ruins 
there  arose  a  new  type  of  workingmen's 
guilds  known  as  the  Companionage.  By 
1655  this  had  spread  throughout  France, 
'divided  into  three  separate  fraternities  com- 
posed of  various  trades,  or,  as  we  would  say, 
unions,  the  oldest  being  known  as  the  Sons 
of  Solomon.  The  other  two  sprang  from 
the  Sons  of  Solomon,  and  were  bitter  rivals. 
One  was  known  as  the  Sous  of  Maitre 
Jacques.  Its  traditions  carried  the  society 
back  to  King  Solomon's  Temple,  and  in  the 
untimely  death  of  Maitre  Jacques  is  found 
a  striking  parallel  to  the  story  of  Hiram. 
The  Sons  of  Soubise,  an  offshoot  of  the  Sons 
of  Maitre  Jacques,  possessed  many  of  the 
characteristics  of  the  latter.  No  description 
of  the  Companionage  was  made  public  until 
1841,  nearly  one  hundred  and  twelve  years 
after  the  introduction  of  Freemasonry  into 
France  from  England,  notwithstanding  the 
story  of  the  building  of  King  Solomon's 
Temple  and  the  death  of  Iliram  formed  a 
part  of  the  legends  of  the  Companionage. 
The  foregoing,  as  pointed  out  in  Gould's 
"History  of  Freemasonry,"  appears  to  be 
the  earliest  account  of  the  death  of  the  mas- 


ter builder,  for  there  is  no  reference  to  the 
Hiramic  legend  in  Freemasonry  until  after 
the  formation  of  the  Grand  Lodge  at  Lon- 
don in  1717,  more  than  sixty  years  after  the 
French  Companionage  had  reached  the 
height  of  its  career. 

Among  various  theories  as  to  the  origin 
of  modern  Freemasonry,  the  following  have 
had  many  advocates:  (1)  That  which  car- 
ries it  back  through  the  mediaeval  stone  ma- 
sons to  the  Ancient  Mysteries,  or  to  King 
Solomon's  Temple;  (2)  not  satisfied  with 
the  foregoing,  that  which  traces  it  to  Noah, 
to  Enoch,  and  to  Adam;  (3)  the  theory  that 
the  cradle  of  Freemasonry  is  to  be  found  in 
the  Eoman  Colleges  of  Artificers  of  the  ear- 
lier centuries  of  the  Christian  era;  (4)  that 
it  was  brought  into  Europe  ,by  the  return- 
ing Crusaders;  (5)  that  it  was  an  emanation 
from  the  Templars  after  the  sujipression  of 
the  Order  in  1312;  (G)  that  it  formed  a  vir- 
tual continuation  of  the  Eosicrucians;  (7) 
that  it  grew  out  of  the  secret  society  crea- 
tions of  the  partisans  of  the  Stuarts  in  their 
efforts  to  regain  the  throne  of  England;  (8) 
that  it  was  derived  from  the  Essenes,  and 
(9)  from  the  Culdees. 

Whatever  may  have  been  believed  as  to 
Freemasonry  being  traceable  to  any  of  the 
foregoing,  the  results  of  the  investigations 
of  E.  F.  Gould,  W.  J.  Ilughan,  and  Eev. 
A.  F.  A.  Woodford  of  England,  D.  Mur- 
ray Lyon  of  Scotland,  Albert  Pike,  G.  F. 
Fort,  Albert  G.  Mackey,  Charles  T.  McClen- 
achan,  E.  T.  Carson,  T.  S.  Parvin,  Josiah 
H.  Drummond,  and  others  in  the  United 
States,  ''  Masonic  authors  of  repute  and  dili- 
gent students  of  Masonic  records,''  make  it 
j)lain  that  while  the  rites  and  symbols  of 
Freemasonry  have  great  antiquity,  specu- 
lative Freemasonry,  as  an  organization,  is 
modern,  probably  not  over  three  hundred 
years  old. 

The  Essenes,  the  only  one  of  the  three 
ancient  Jewish  sects  mentioned  in  the  Bible 
which  was  not  referred  to  unfavorably,  has 
been  regarded  by  some  as  the  cradle  of  an- 
cient Freemasonry.     It  had  existed  "from 


FREEMASONRY 


19 


time  immemorial,"  but  disappeared  about 
400  A.D.  The  Essenes  are  said  to  have  per- 
fected the  Jewish  Kabbala,  to  have  believed 
in  miraculous  cures,  to  have  regarded  them- 
selves as  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  to 
have  been  '"forerunners  of  the  ^reesiah." 
They  had  secret  means  of  recognition,  and 
taught  that  all  things  were  not  for  all  men, 
but  there  has  been  no  more  connection  sliown 
between  the  ancient  Essenes  and  modern 
Freemasonry  than  that  Masonic  scholars  and 
ritualists  may  have  found  something  in  al- 
leged Essenic  rites  worthy  of  assimilation 
in  latter-day  mysteries.  The  Culdees  were 
Apostolic  Christians,  monks  of  Eastern  ori- 
gin. They  were  encountered  in  Ireland 
about  the  fifth  century,  and  later  in  Scot- 
land. They  were  opposed  by  8t.  Augus- 
tine, and  virtually  disappeared  in  the  four- 
teenth century.  They  were  teachers  of  civ- 
ilization, church  architects  and  builders, 
and  it  has  been  claimed  they  were  connected 
with  early  Scotch  and  Irish  operative  Free- 
masons. The  partisans  of  tlie  Stuarts  were 
active,  and  some  were  prominent  Freema- 
sons ;  but  while  they  contributed  something 
to  the  rituals  of  so-called  higher  degrees, 
they  had  no  permanent  influence  upon  the 
institution.  The  real  Rosicrucians  were 
mystics  who  flourished  in  Germany,  France, 
and  England  in  the  latter  portion  of  the 
seventeenth  century.  Contrary  to  views 
Avhich  have  been  held,  it  Avas  not  a  society, 
and  was  not  concerned  merely  in  an  efi^ort 
to  transform  baser  metals  into  gold  and  to 
discover  the  secret  of  perpetual  youth,  which 
synibolized  a  search  for  divine  truth  and 
immortal  life.  The  IJosicrucians  were  un- 
doubtedly in  advance  of  their  time,  but  not 
too  much  so  to  borrow  freely  from  the  sym- 
bolism of  the  ancient  mysteries  and  of  the 
Gnostics.  A  number  of  eminent  Rosicru- 
cijins  were  Freemasons,  notably  Elias  Ash- 
mole,  the  antiquary.  What  Freemasonry 
owes  to  the  Rosicrucians  may  never  be 
known,  although  something  may  be  inferred 
by  students  who  are  familiar  with  both 
societies.     (See  Freemasonry,  Rosicrucians, 


etc.)  Gould  (R.  F. )  thinks  Freemasonry 
may  have  been  tinged  with  Rosicrucianism 
through  the  influence  of  Ashmole  and 
others,  but  points  to  there  being  no  real 
evidence  of  it  aside  from  the  fact  that  Free- 
masonry presents  the  double  and  single  tri- 
angles, the  hexagon,  the  point  within  a  cir- 
cle, a  magical  aljjhabet,  and  a  searcli  for 
light.  The  ignorance  and  superstition  of 
the  mass  of  the  people  in  the  seventeenth 
century  led  them  to  regard  the  brethren  of 
the  Rosy  Cross,  who  were  theosophists  first, 
and  Kabbalistsand  alchemists  afterwards,  as 
dealers  in  magic  and  in  league  with  the 
devil.  Those  who  have  favored  the  theory 
that  modern  Freemasonry  was  the  outgrowth 
of  Rosicrucianism  have  added  that  so  much 
were  the  i)ublic  inflamed  against  the  Rosi- 
crucians that  the  latter  were  obliged  to  shel- 
ter themselves  under  the  cloak  of  Fi-ee- 
masonry,  when  they  gave  to  the  latter  a 
Christian  interpretation.  By  the  end  of 
the  seventeenth  century  Europe  Avas  covered 
with  pretended  Rosicrucians  offering  to  com- 
municate the  occult  for  money.  The  theory 
that  Freemasonry  appeared  in  Europe  upon 
the  return  of  the  Crusaders  has  long  been 
abandoned,  but  its  successor  was  a  French 
Templar  theory  of  the  origin  of  the  institu- 
tion, and  in  some  portions  of  Europe  it  still 
finds  advocates.  It  I'ests  on  a  legend  that 
the  Knights  Templars,  at  the  destruction  of 
the  Order  and  the  burning  of  Jacques  de 
Molay,  fled  to  Scotland,  Avhere  they  became 
Freemasons  and  propagated  the  rite.  The 
French  Ordre  du  Temple  is  based  upon  a 
modification  of  this  theory,  as  were  the 
Strict  Observance  in  Germany,  and  other 
rites.  There  is,  however,  nothing  in  this 
except  the  legend,  for  Freemasonry  a.s  it 
existed  in  England  in  1717  has  been  shown 
to  be  the  result  of  the  evolution  of  guilds  of 
operative  stone  masons,  who,  it  is  needless 
to  add,  could  never  have  derived  their  rites 
and  formuhe  from  the  original  Knights 
Templars,  who  were  men  of  rank.  The 
story  that  the  Fraternity  was  founded  at  the 
building  of  King  Solomon's  Temple,  and 


20 


FREEMASONRY 


has  enjoyed  an  uninterrupted  existence  ever 
since,  is  one  of  the  myths  of  the  organiza- 
tion which  has  been  innocently  believed  by 
many,  but  which  does  not  merit  serious  at- 
ten  tion .  The  mystical  meanings  of  Masonic 
references  to  King  Solomon's  Temple,  not 
only  in  the  symbolic  degrees,  but  also  in  the 
haute  grades,  have  not  always  been  under- 
stood, even  by  members  of  the  Craft.  The 
carrying  back  of  the  Fraternity  to  the  ante- 
diluvian age  has  been  due  to  an  inability  to 
distinguish  between  an  idea  and  a  fact.  So- 
cieties have  existed  in  all  ages  of  the  world 
for  the  propagation  of  truth,  morality,  and 
the  practice  of  that  which  is  involved  in  a 
universal  brotherhood;  have  risen,  flour- 
ished, and  died.  Others  have  been  born, 
have  borrowed  from  those  which  went  be- 
fore, and  they  in  turn  have  died.  But  he 
is  bold,  indeed,  who  professes  to  trace  an 
uninterrupted  succession  or  an  identity  of 
organization  for  them  all.  The  earlier  Eng- 
lish associations  of  operative  builders,  who 
were  first  called  Free  Masons  in  the  four- 
teenth and  fifteenth  centuries,  because  of 
the  freedom  granted  them  to  work  and  to 
sell  the  products  of  their  labor,  may  or  may 
not  have  been  the  offspring  of  German  stone 
masons'  guilds  who  built  the  churches  and 
cathedrals  erected  in  the  Middle  Ages.  The 
Roman  Colleges  of  Artificers  who  accompa- 
nied the  imperial  armies  on  their  excursions 
throughout  Europe  naturally  had  an  influ- 
ence on  not  only  the  English  guilds  at  the 
time  of  the  Roman  occupation  of  Britain, 
but  upon  the  French  and  German  guilds  as 
well.  But  the  Freemason  knows  of  that 
which  could  not  well  have  been  derived  from 
the  medigeval  guilds,  or  from  the  Roman 
Colleges,  and  naturally  inquires  as  to  its 
source.  During  the  sixteenth  century  the 
German  and  French  fraternities  of  travel- 
ing builders  virtually  disappeared.  The 
French  Compaiiionage  (trades  unions)  was 
founded  upon  the  ruins  of  the  latter,  but 
had  no  known  connection  with  the  forma- 
tion of  speculative  Freemasonry,  so  that  in 
the  seventeenth  and  early  in  the  eighteenth 


century  speculative  Freemasonry  as  distinct 
from  the  operative  Craft,  that  which  in- 
dulged only  in  the  symbolism  of  the  work 
jierformed  by  the  earlier  Free  Masons,  was 
confined  to  Great  Britain  alone.  Nowhere 
else  iu  the  world  was  it  to  be  found,  and 
whether  the  association  of  learned  men  with 
the  earlier  English  operative  Free  Masons 
was  due  to  an  effort  on  the  part  of  the  lat- 
ter to  interest  others  than  those  of  the  Craft 
to  secure  immunity  at  the  hands  of  the  no- 
bility or  not,  it  remains  true  that  profes- 
sional and  literary  Englishmen,  some  learned 
in  astrology,  alchemy,  and  Kabbalistic  lore, 
theoretic  geometricians,  and  architect  ma- 
sons, identified  themselves  from  time  to 
time  with  the  declining  operative  frater- 
nity. A  notable  instance  was  the  initiation 
of  Elias  Ashmole,  the  antiquary,  in  1746, 
and  it  is  not  a  mere  inference  that  his  join- 
ing the  society  was  not  the  only  instance  of 
the  kind.  This  class  of  membership  was 
honorary  at  first,  whence  the  term  Free  and 
"Accepted"  Masons.  In  1703  a  formal 
effort  was  made  to  change  the  organization 
from  an  operative  to  a  speculative  fraternity, 
as  the  old  English  lodges  were  dying  out, 
only  seven  surviving  the  eighteenth  century 
in  the  city  of  London.  The  professed  de- 
sire was  to  found  a  brotherhood  which  would 
build  spiritual  instead  of  material  temples, 
to  become  Freemasons  as  distinct  from  Free 
Masons  who  were  workmen  or  ordinary  la- 
borers. When  a  Grand  Lodge  was  formed 
at  London  in  1717,  there  was,  so  far  as 
known,  only  a  single  ceremonial  or  degree  ; 
but  within  six  or  seven  years,  or  by  1724, 
the  three  symbolic  degrees,  Entered  Appren- 
tice, Fellowcraft,  and  Master  Mason,  had 
made  their  appearance.  The  craft  guilds 
had  contributed  the  square  and  compasses  ; 
their  patron  saint,  St.  John  the  Baptist ;  a 
reference  to  King  Solomon's  Temple  ;  the 
two  famous  pillars  ;  the  mystical  numbers 
five,  seven,  and  nine  ;  words  and  grips  and 
a  long  and  honorable  record  as  builders  of 
English  churches  and  cathedrals  under  codes 
of  laws  for  their  government,  which  oral  and 


FREEMASONRY 


21 


manuscript  tradition  carried  back  prior  to 
the  teuth  century,  when,  in  93G,  it  was  said 
that  ii  generul  assembly  of  Masons  was  held 
at  York  under  the  patronage  of  Edwin, 
brother  of  Athelstan,  where  a  code  of  laws 
was  adopted  which  became  the  basis  of  sub- 
sequent English  craft  constitutions.  Not- 
withstanding allegations  that  general  Ma- 
sonic assemblies  Avere  periodically  held  at 
York  thereafter,  Gould  says  there  is  no  sub- 
stantial reason  for  believing  that  more  than 
one  general  assembly  (the  prototype  of  the 
Grand  Lodge)  was  held  at  York  prior  to 
1717.  The  English  operative  Free  Masons 
may  be  admitted  to  have  preserved  traces  of 
the  influence  of  the  teachings  of  the  Druids 
(which  see)  ;  the  Culdees,  who  also  claimed 
to  have  been  granted  a  charter  by  Edwin; 
of  the  Roman  Colleges,  and  of  the  English 
Church, with  the  Holy  Bible  and  altar  lights; 
but  details  of  the  introdiTction  of  the  Hi- 
ramic  legend  will  probably  forever  remain  a 
mystery.  Y"et,  Avith  the  foregoing  in  mind, 
it  is  evident  that  Freemasonry  includes 
much  that  Avas  not  in  possession  of  the  four 
old  London  Lodges  in  1717. 

The  oldest  of  the  ancient  mysteries,  those 
practised  at  Memphis  in  Egypt,  centred 
about  Isis,  Serapis,  and  Osiris,  and  the 
lesson  taught  Avas  that  of  regeneration 
through  death.  Like  those  Avhich  followed, 
they  presented  a  dialogue,  ritual,  and  con- 
trasts betAA^een  liglit  and  darkness,  death 
and  regeneration.  The  candidates  had 
to  undergo  purification,  trial,  failure,  and 
even  death  before  being  regenerated  amid 
rejoicings.  The  Grecian  or  Eleusinian 
mysteries  (1800  B.C.)  represented  Demeter 
(Ceres)  and  Persephone,  and  depicted  the 
death  of  Dionysus  Avith  an  elaborate  ce- 
remonial Avhicli  led  the  neophyte  from 
death  into  life  and  immortality.  Initiates 
were  taught  the  existence  of  a  Supreme 
Being  and  invested  Avith  the  signs  of  and 
membership  in  a  fraternity.  The  Mithraic 
or  Persian  mysteries  celebrated  the  eclipse 
of  the  sun  god,  introduced  the  signs  of  the 
zodiac,  the  procession   of  the  seasons,   the 


death  of  nature  in  winter,  and  its  birth  in 
spring.  They  Avere  popular  in  Home  in  the 
earlier  centuries  of  the  Christian  era,  and 
are  said  to  have  had  an  influence  on  the 
Roman  Colleges  of  Artificers,  by  Avhom  they 
may  have  been  disseminated.  The  Adoniac 
or  Syrian  mysteries  Avere  similar,  those  in 
Avhicli  Venus,  Adonis,  and  Proserpine  fig- 
ured, in  Avhich  Adonis  Avas  killed,  but  revived 
to  point  to  life  through  death.  The  Cabiric 
mysteries  (1000  li.c),  Avhich  disappeared 
shortly  after  the  Christian  era,  Avere  prac- 
tised on  the  island  of  Samothrace.  'J' he 
Cabiri  Avere  gods,  and,  in  the  ceremonial, 
Atys  the  Sun  Avas  killed  by  his  brothers  the 
Seasons,  and  at  the  vernal  equinox  was  re- 
stored to  life.  So,  also,  the  Druids  taught 
of  one  God  and  the  lesson  of  the  procession 
of  the  seasons,  and  conducted  the  initiate 
through  the  valley  of  death  to  everlasting 
life.  The  Gnostics  are  supposed  to  have  in- 
cluded some  of  the  earlier  Christians,  for 
their  doctrines  contain  a  mixture  of  Chris- 
tianity and  the  Persian  religion.  They 
taught  by  means  of  symbols,  many  of  wliich, 
including  a  secret  reference  to  Deity,  the 
double  triangle,  the  lion,  serpent,  etc.,  are 
familiar  to  Freemasons.  It  Avill  be  seen 
that  the  Rosier ucians  Avere  indebted  to  the 
Gnostics  even  as  they  were  to  the  Kabbal- 
ists.  The  latter  taught  a  mystical  inter- 
pretation of  the  Scriptures,  a  secret  method 
of  treating  sacred  subjects  by  means  of  sym- 
bols, and  a  peciiliar  use  of  letters  of  Avords 
based  upon  their  A'alues.  The  student  of  the 
ancient  mysteries,  all  or  nearly  all  of  which 
prior  to  their  perversion  taught  purity, 
morality,  immortality,  and  the  existence  of 
a  Supreme  Being,  cannot  fail  to  perceive, 
if  in  a  position  to  judge,  that  Freemasonry 
stands  as  the  successor  or  repository  of 
much  of  that  Avhich  Avas  noblest  and  best  in 
them,  liut  he  also  knows  of  much  Avhich 
this  theory  does  not  account  for,  to  explain 
which  one  must  go  to  Pythagoras  and  his 
celebrated  school  at  Crotona,  in  Greece, 
founded  a.d.  58G.  Pythagoras,  after  being 
initiated  into  the  Egyptian  and  Eleusinian 


22 


FREEMASONRY 


mysteries,  formed  a  secret  society  of  his 
own,  with  three  degrees,  in  wliich,  among 
other  things,  he  taught  geometry,  me- 
tempsychosis, and  the  mystical  power  of 
numbers.  From  these  the  Rosicrucians  bor- 
rowed, and  from  the  forms  and  symbolism 
of  the  Kabbalists,  Gnostics,  and  Pythago- 
reans as  perfected  by  the  Rosicrucians,  from 
the  Greek,  Egyptian,  and  Oriental  philoso- 
phy of  the  Alexandrian  school  of  Neoplato- 
nism,  and  from  the  ancient  mysteries.  Free- 
masonry has  taken  enough  to  mark  it  with 
the  leading  characteristics  of  all  ancient  and 
mystical  schools  of  religion  and  philosophy 
— circumambulation,  the  use  of  aprons,  the 
forty-seventh  problem  of  Euclid,  a  cipher, 
and  the  lesson  taught  by  the  story  of  the 
illustrious  Tyrian  substituted  for  legends  of 
Osiris,  Adonis,  Atys,  and  Dionysus.  That 
Masonic  enthusiasts,  antiquarians,  and  rit- 
ualists superimposed  these  relics  npon  Free- 
masonry as  it  had  existed  for  about  one  hun- 
dred years  prior  to  1717,  there  can  be  little 
doubt.  The  Fraternity,  therefore,  presents 
three  classes  of  symbols :  Pagan,  derived  from 
the  same  source  as  Christianity  obtained 
them;  those  contributed  by  the  operative 
Masons,  and  the  exclusively  Christian  sym- 
bols. It  also  shows  traces  of  the  Vehmge- 
richte,  or  secret  society  of  Free  Judges,  which 
was  prominent  in  Germany  in  the  thirteenth 
century.  The  latter  was  formed  to  pro- 
tect the  innocent  from  injustice,  held  its 
courts  in  the  forest  at  night,  and  executed 
its  judgments  without  fear  or  favor.  It 
granted  audience  alike  to  noble  and  peas- 
ant, and  few  were  bold  enough  to  ignore 
its  summons  or  treat  its  judgments  with  dis- 
respect. Traces  of  the  society  in  a  modified 
form  were  found  as  late  as  the  present  cen- 
tury. (See  Ancient  Order  of  Freesmiths.) 
Its  oath  was  of  a  most  solemn  character, 
binding  the  initiate  to  "conceal,  hold,  and 
not  reveal,"'  etc.  Its  chief  symbol  was  the 
arrow,  and  for  a  violation  of  the  vow  the 
penalty  was  death.  The  introduction  into 
the  ritual  of  Freemasonry,  about  1825,  of 
the   story  of  Hiram   was  a  master   stroke. 


If  a  like  legend  among  the  French  trades 
guilds,  or  Companionage,  for  sixty-five  years 
prior  to  1717,  does  not  explain  where  the 
Freemasons  of  1717-24  got  it,  it  must  be  re- 
garded as  a  most  extraordinary  coincidence. 
Within  ten  years  after  the  formation  of 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  England  at  London,  in 
1717,  Freemasonry  had  spread  throughout 
the  United  Kingdom  and  the  Continent  of 
Europe,  to  many  of  the  British  colonies, 
and  by  1730  to  those  in  America.  With  the 
ap2:)ointment  of  the  Duke  of  Montagu  as 
Grand  Master,  in  1720,  the  impetus  given 
the  growth  of  the  institution  became  pro- 
nounced, and,  as  one  author  points  out,  the 
Fraternity  almost  lost  its  breath  in  the  race 
for  popularity.  Many  men  distinguished 
in  the  professions,  in  politics,  and  as  repre- 
sentatives of  the  nobility,  not  only  in  the 
United  Kingdom,  but  on  the  Continent  of 
Europe,  became  members  of  the  Fraternity, 
and  not  a  few  of  them  were  conspicuous 
as  its  officers.  With  prosperity  there  natu- 
rally came  antagonisms,  for  some  of  which 
see  Anti-Masonry.  As  early  as  1724  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  England  granted  a  charter 
for  a  subordinate  Lodge  at  the  ancient  city 
of  York,  which  is  presumed  to  have  antag- 
onized a  Lodge  of  Freemasons  which  had 
existed  there  since  1705,  as  shown  by  its 
records,  and  with  little  doubt  for  a  period 
ranging  far  back  into  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury. The  ancient  Lodge  thereupon  consti- 
tuted itself  a  "Grand  Lodge  of  all  Eng- 
land "  (1725),  but  does  not  appear  to  have 
instituted  more  than  one  or  two  subordinate 
Lodges  prior  to  1740,  when  it  became  dor- 
mant, and  remained  so  for  twenty  years  or 
more.  But  it  does  not  appear  to  have  ac- 
tively opposed  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England 
at  London,  which  had  been  and  was  still 
engaged  in  chartering  subordinate  Lodges 
at  home  and  abroad.  In  1761  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  all  England,  at  York,  became  ac- 
tive again,  and  chartered  a  number  of  sub- 
ordinate Lodges  in  two  counties  in  England. 
Ten  years  before,  in  1751,  nine  subordinate 
Lodges   holding    allegiance    to  the    Grand 


FREEMASONRY 


23 


Lodge  of  England  seceded  from  that  body, 
on  the  ground  that  the  latter  suffered  sub- 
ordinate Lodges  of  its  jurisdiction  to  depart 
from  the  ancient  landmarks  and  practise 
that  which  had  previously  been  unknown  in 
Freemasonry.  The  seceders  organized  a 
"  Grand  Lodge  of  England,  According  to 
old  Institutions,"  describing  themselves  as 
"  Ancients,"  and  the  members  of  the  orig- 
inal Grand  Lodge  of  England  as  "  Mod- 
erns." The  animating  spirit  of  the  seced- 
ing (Ancient)  Grand  Lodge  was  Laurence 
Dermott,  its  Grand  Secretary,  Avho  was  an 
able  administrator  and  executive,  but  an 
audacious  antagonist.  Dermott  compiled 
the  '*  Ahiman  Rezon,"  or  Book  of  Con- 
stitutions of  the  Ancients,  in  1756,  which  he 
copied  from  the  Constitutions  of  the  orig- 
inal or  so-called  Modern  Grand  Lodge,  and 
addressed  it  to  "the  Ancient  York  Masons 
in  England."'  The  rivalry  between  the  two 
London  Grand  Lodges,  Ancient  and  Mod- 
ern, was  keen,  and  at  times  bitter.  The 
seceders  granted  many  warrants  to  army 
Lodges,  which  bore  good  fruit  by  making 
Ancient  Masons  in  many  parts  of  the  world 
where  the  English  army  was  stationed  dur- 
ing the  latter  half  of  the  eighteenth  century. 
Dermott  was  made  a  Freemason  in  Dublin 
about  1740,  and  testified  to  his  appreciation 
of  the  Lodge  wherein  he  was  raised  by  copy- 
ing its  by-laws  and  using  them  as  the  by- 
laws of  the  Ancients.  He  received  the 
Koyal  Arch  degree  in  Ireland  before  com- 
ing to  Loudon,  then  an  unsystematized  de- 
gree, borrowed  presumably  from  the  French, 
and  afterwards  utilized  it  in  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  Ancients.  The  Moderns  likewise  suffered 
from  the  mania  for  higher  or  more  degrees 
which  characterized  the  latter  half  of  the 
eighteenth  century,  and  thus  it  was  that  at 
the  reunion  of  the  Ancients  under  the  Grand 
Mastership  of  the  Duke  of  Sussex  with  the 
Moderns  under  the  Duke  of  Kent,  Ancient 
Freemasonry  was  declared  to  consist  of  the 
three  symbolic  degrees.  Entered  Apprentice, 
Fellowcraft,  and  Master  Mason,  "  including 
the  Holy  Royal  Arch." 


After  the  revival  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
all  England,  at  York,  in  1701,  it  continued 
neutral  to  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England  and 
that  of  the  seceding  body,  the  Ancients. 
Late  in  the  last  century,  after  the  death  of 
its  several  subordinate  Lodges,  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  all  England  was  discontinued. 
In  1779  an  expelled  faction  of  the  Lodge  of 
Antiquity  at  London  (one  of  the  four  Lodges 
which  united  to  form  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
England  in  1717),  together  with  a  deputa- 
tion from  the  Grand  Lodge  of  all  England 
at  York,  formed  another  Grand  Body  under 
the  title,  ''Grand  Lodge  of  England  south 
of  the  Trent."  But  in  1789  the  expelled 
members  of  the  Lodge  of  Antiquity  apolo- 
gized to  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England,  and, 
upon  petition,  were  restored  to  good  stand- 
ing, whereupon  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Eng- 
land south  of  the  Trent  died.  With  this 
and  the  final  disappearance  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  all  England,  the  way  was  clear  for 
the  concentration  of  efforts  of  members  of 
the  original  and  of  the  seceding  Grand 
Lodges  looking  to  reunion.  Negotiations 
to  that  end  were  continued  over  a  series  of 
years,  and  resulted,  in  1813,  as  pointed  out, 
in  a  United  Grand  Lodge  of  England,  since 
which  time  the  Craft  in  the  United  King- 
dom has  been  undisturbed  by  schism  or 
other  serious  dissension.  It  is  of  interest 
to  American  Freemasons  to  note  that  the 
expression  "York  Rite  Masons  "  has  little 
or  no  basis;  that  it  is,  in  fact,  a  misnomer. 
There  was  and  is  no  York  Masonic  rite,  and 
the  symbolic  Freemasonry  which  the  world 
knows  did  not  come  from  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  all  England,  founded  at  Yoi'k  in  1725, 
but  from  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England, 
founded  at  London  in  1717.  The  York 
Grand  Lodge  outlived  its  several  subordi- 
nate Lodges,  and  died  twenty  years  before 
the  union  of  the  two  great  English  Grand 
Lodges  from  which  the  world  received  An- 
cient Craft  Masonry.  The  expression  '*  An- 
cient York  Masons"  is  probably  derived 
from  Laurence  Dermott's  "  Ahiman  Re- 
zon," which  was  addressed  to  "  the  Ancient 


lod.  Ter-y 


8.  Africa.  .i^^__ 

B&ham&s. 

Greece. 

Straits  Settlements. 

So,  Australia. 

Japan. 

Liberia. 

Borneo. 

and  others. 


Explanatory. 
The  first  Masouic  Lodge  in  France  had 
an  English  warrant,  as  did  the  first  Lodge 
in  Ireland,  in  Scotland,  Spain,  Germany, 
etc.  The  charter  of  the  first  Lodge  in 
Sweden  came  from  France,  that  of  the  first 
in  New  South  Wales,  from  Ireland,  first 
in  Florida,  from  Spain,  etc. 


GRAPHIC    CHART,    SHOWING    THE    SPREAD    OF    FREEMASONRY,    BEGINNING 

IN  1725,  FROM   ENGLAND   TO   SOME  OF  THE  MORE  IMPORTANT 

COUNTRIES,     STATES,     COLONIES,     AND     PROV- 

INCES  THROUGHOUT    THE  WORLD. 


FREEMASONRY 


25 


York  Masons  in  England."  The  Free- 
masonry of  the  English  schismatics,  or  An- 
cients, was  more  firmly  established  in  Penn- 
sylvania than  in  any  other  of  the  American 
colonies,  where  that  jieculiar  type  remains 
without  change  or  elaboration,  a  curiosity  to 
visiting  brethren.  In  Pennsylvania,  natur- 
ally, much  was  formerly  heard  of  ''  Ancient 
York  Masons,"  and  for  that  reason  the  ex- 
pression acquired  vogue.  English  Free- 
masonry, consisting  of  the  three  symbolic 
degrees,  "  including  the  Holy  Royal  Arch," 
forms  the  English,  not  the  Y^ork  rite.  The 
Grand  Lodge  of  all  England  (Y^ork),  like 
the  rival  London  Grand  Lodges,  conferred 
not  only  the  Royal  Arch  degree,  but  that  of 
Knight  Templar,  as  well  as  detached  cere- 
monials. 

With  English  commerce  and  the  British 
army,  navy,  and  diplomatic  service  furnish- 
ing currents  of  communication  between  Eng- 
land and  almost  every  civilized  community, 
it  was  not  strange,  when  the  jiopularity  of 
Freemasonry  in  England  between  1823  and 
1840  is  considered,  that  the  Fraternity 
spread  rapidly  to  almost  every  quarter  of  the 
world.  The  dates,  locations,  and  origin  of 
first  Masonic  Lodges  in  more  important  coun- 
tries, states,  and  provinces,  given  in  chrono- 
logical order,  enable  one  to  trace  its  extension. 


FIRST    MASONIC   LODOKS.         LOCATION'.  CHARTEllED   PROM. 

172.T  France Paris Eni;laiul. 

17'.iG  Irt'latid Cork England. 

1727  Scotland Edinburgh England. 

1728  Spain Madrid England. 

1730  (iermany Ilambuig..  England. 

Pfnns.vlvania Pliiladclpliia England. 

India Calcutta England. 

1731  Notherlands Uaguc England. 

Hus.><ia St.  Poteri-burg.    . . .  iMigland. 

1733  Ma.ssachusetts Boston England. 

1735  Ncw^llampghire Portsnioutli Massachusetts. 

Portugal Lisbon England. 

Norway  and  Sweden. Stockholm France. 

Italy Rome England. 

Georgia Savannah England. 

South  Carolina Charleston England. 

1736  Switzerland (Jcneva England. 

I'oland Warsaw ICngland. 

1737  .Moiitserrat England. 

17:^8  Martinique France. 

1739  Jamaica Kingston England. 

Antigua England. 

St.  Christopher England. 

1740  Prussia Charlottenburg (ierniany. 

Malta Valetta .'. Enghuul. 

Barl)adoe8 England. 

1742  Austria Vienna England. 

1743  Denmark Copenhagen (rermany. 

1747  St.  Eustatius Prance. 

Transviuil Pretoria England. 

1748  Turkey Constantinople England. 

1749  Hayti Sau  DoiuiDgo France. 


FIRST   MASONIC  LODGES.       LOCATION.  CHARTERED    FROM. 

749  Rhode  Island New|)ort Massachusetts. 

750  Connecticut New  Haven Massachusetts. 

Marj;land Baltimore MassachuBetta. 

7.53  V^irginia York  town England. 

7.")4  New  York New  York lingland. 

North  Carolina Wilmington England. 

7.'>5  French  (iuiana Cayenne F'raiice. 

7.")7  Curayoa Holland. 

7W  Virgin  Islands England. 

Hungary Presburg (Jermany. 

701  Bermudas England. 

New  Jersey Newark New  York. 

762  Dominion  of  Canada. Quebec Massachusetts. 

Maine Porilaiul Massacliusette. 

763  Nicaragua Mosiiiiito  Shore Englan(i. 

Honduras St  (Jeorge's  (^uay  .  England. 

764  Grenada Fort  Royal Engl.  &  France, 

765  Sumatra Bencoolen England. 

Delaware Cantwell's  Bridge  .  Pennsylvania. 

7(!()  Guadeloupe France. 

7ii7  China Canton, Hong KongEngland. 

7i;8  China Cochin France. 

Florida St.  Augustine Scotland. 

769  Java Batavia Holland. 

Dutch  Guiana Paramaibo Holland. 

771  Ceylon Colombo Holland. 

British  Guiana (ieorgetown England. 

772  South  Africa Cape  Town England. 

773  Dominica Roseau England. 

781  Vermont Springfield Massachusetts. 

783  Ohio Marietta A  N.  Y.  Army  L. 

District  Columbia  . .  .Alexandria Pennsylvania. 

784  St.  Lucia France. 

78.5  Bahamas England. 

788  Kentucky Lexington Virginia. 

792  St.  Thomas Pennsylvania. 

793  Louisiana New  Orleans 

794  Michigan Detroit Canada. 

796  Ten nessee Nashville North  Carolina. 

797  St.  Bartholomew Sweden. 

798  Trinidad Port  D'Espagne  . .  .Pennsylvania. 

800  St.  Martin France. 

801  Mississippi Natcliez Kentucky. 

8—  Venezuela Caracas Spain. 

802  EgyiJt Alexandria France. 

804  Cuba Havana Pennsylvania. 

805  Illinois Kaskaskia Pennsylvania. 

806  St.  Vincent Ireland. 

807  Missouri St.  (ienevieve Pennsylvania. 

Indiana Vincennes  Kentucky. 

Peru Lima France. 

809  Grei'ce Corfu England. 

Straits  Settlements.  .Penang England. 

810  Mexico City  of  Mexico Spain. 

811  Alabama  Iluntsville Kentucky. 

815  Brazil  Rio  de  Janeiro  . . .  France. 

816  New  South  Wales. .  .Sydney Ireland. 

Arkansas Post  of  Arkansas. .  Pennsylvania. 

823  Tasmania Ilobart  Town  Ireland. 

824  Mexico  (revival) City  of  Mexico Pennsylvania. 

Wisconsin Green  Bay New  York. 

825  Argentine  Republic  .Buenos  Ayres Pennsylvania. 

832  Uruguay Montevideo Pennsylvania. 

Algeria  Algiers France. 

8.33  U.  S.  Colombia Cartha<'ena Spain. 

834  South  Australia Adelaide England. 

Society  Islands Tahiti  France. 

835  Texas   Brazoria Louisiana. 

840  Chili   Valparaiso France. 

841  Victoria Mell)ourne England. 

842  West  Australia Perth England. 

Iowa  Montrose Illinois. 

843  New  Zealand  Akaroa France. 

848  California Sacramento Dist.  Columbia. 

849  Minnesota St.  Paul   Ohio. 

850  Oregon Oregon  City  California. 

Sandwich  Islands  . . .  llonoUihi  ." France  and  Cal. 

Marquesas Nukahiva France. 

851  New  Mexico Santa  V6   Missouri. 

8.52  Washington (Jlympia Oregon. 

8.54  Kansas Wyandotte   Missouri. 

855  Nebraska ." Illinois. 

Indian  Territory.   . .  .Muscogee Arkansas. 

8."7  Ecuador (iuavaquil Peru. 

859  Roumania Bucharest France. 

Queensland Brisl)ane England. 

860  Porto  Rico Mayaguez   Cuba. 

Tunis Tunis France. 

8()1  Colorado (Jolden  City Nebraska. 

862  Nevada Carson  City California. 

Dakota Yankton Iowa. 

1863  Montana Baunock Nebraska. 


26 


FREEMASONRY 


FIBST  MASOKIC  LODGES.       LOCATION.  CHABTERED  PROM. 

1863  Idaho    Idaho  City Oregon. 

West  Virginia  Sep.  f r.  Va. 

1864  New  Caleaonia  Noumea  France. 

1866  Japan Yeddo England. 

I'tiUi Salt  Lake  City Nevada. 

Arizona   Prescott California. 

1867  .Morocco Tanojiers France. 

Lilieria Monrovia England. 

Costa  Kica San  Jose   Spain. 

1868  Wyoming Cheyenne Colorado. 

1875  Fiji  Islands Levuka Scotland. 

Bolivia Peru. 

187-  Servia  Belgrade Italy. 

1880  Philippine  Islands  ..Manila  Spain. 

1881  I'araguay Asuncion Brazil. 

Uaatemala Carthagena U.  S.  Colombia. 

1882  San  Sal vator Costa  Rica. 

188:J  Celebes  Islands Macassar Ilolland. 

1885  Borneo^ Elopuro  England. 

An  accompanying  chart  makes  plain  the 
importance  of  the  work  done  by  the  earlier 
English  Grand  Lodges  and  by  the  United 
Grand  Lodge  of  England  in  propagating 
Freemasonry.  The  English  Kite  was  car- 
ried to  France  in  1725,  where  it  became 
quite  as  popular  as  in  England  ;  to  Ireland 
in  1726,  and  to  Scotland  in  1727.  In  1727  it 
was  also  taken  to  Spain ;  to  Germany,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  to  India  in  1730  ;  to  the  Neth- 
erlands and  to  Russia  in  1731 ;  to  Massa- 
chusetts in  1733  ;  and  to  Portugal,  Nor- 
way, Sweden,  Italy,  and  Georgia  in  1735  ;  so 
that  within  ten  years  Masonic  Lodges  had 
been  established  throughout  the  United 
Kingdom,  at  nearly  all  the  larger  conti- 
nental cities,  at  Calcutta,  India,  and  at 
Philadelphia,  Boston,  Charleston,  Wil- 
mington, N.C.,  and  at  Savannah,  in  the 
American  colonies.  All  this  was  the  result 
of  the  activity  of  the  Grand  Lodoe  of  Enaf- 
land,  with_  the  exception  of  the  Lodge  at 
Stockholm,  which  was  instituted  by  French 
Freemasons.  Eeference  to  the  chart  shows 
that  next  to  English  Grand  Lodges, 
French  Grand  bodies  were  most  active  in 
creating  Lodges  abroad ;  after  which,  in 
the  order  named,  rank  parent  bodies  in 
Pennsylvania,  Massachusetts,  Virginia,  Ire- 
land, Spain,  the  Netherlands,  and  Ger- 
many. Prior  to  the  present  century,  the 
American  Masonic  doctrine  of  exclusive 
territorial  jurisdiction  was  practically  un- 
known ;  and  while  an  accompanying  chart 
indicates  the  sources  of  only  the  first  Ma- 
sonic Lodges,  subsequent  Lodges  were  fre- 
quently of  another  allegiance.     The  Grand 


Lodge  of  Ireland  is  responsible  for  the  first 
Lodges  in  New  South  Wales,  St.  Vincent, 
and  Tasmania,  but  has  chartered  many 
other  Lodges  in  foreign  lauds  and  in  Brit- 
ish colonics,  where  some  other  Grand  Body 
had  preceded  them  ;  and  the  like  is  true  of 
Grand  Lodges  of  England,  France,  Spain, 
Ilolland,  and  Pennsylvania.  A  dispute  as 
to  whether  the  first  Masonic  Lodge  in  what 
is  now  the  United  States  was  opened  at 
Philadelphia  or  at  Boston  continued  for 
many  years,  but  the  weight  of  evidence  is 
declared,  by  those  who  are  considered 
authorities,  to  favor  Philadelphia.  The 
first  Lodge  at  Philadelphia,  1730-31,  is 
believed  to  have  been  a  voluntary  one,  as 
there  is  no  record  of  its  having  been  char- 
tered until  a  year  or  two  later.  It  was  in 
the  same  year,  1730,  that  Daniel  Coxe  of 
New  Jersey  was  appointed  Provincial  Grand 
Master  of  New  York,  New  Jersey,  and  Penn- 
sylvania, but  he  is  not  known  to  have  ever 
exercised  his  authority  as  such.  The  first 
Philadel^jhia  Lodge  assumed  the  preroga- 
tives of  a  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  of  Penn- 
sylvania in  1732,  and  in  1734  Benjamin 
Franklin  was  elected  Provincial  Grand  Mas- 
ter, to  which  office  he  was  also  appointed  in 
1849  by  Thomas  Oxnard  of  Boston,  Provin- 
cial Grand  Master  of  all  North  America. 
In  17G4  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Ancients,  in 
London,  chartered  a  Lodge  in  Philadelphia 
and  organized  a  rival  Grand  Lodge,  which 
was  evidently  possessed  of  more  active 
members  than  the  older  Pennsylvania  Grand 
body,  which  discontinued  its  labors  about 
1793.  The  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  of 
Pennsylvania,  formed  by  the  Ancients,  was 
responsible  for  the  activity  shown  by  Free- 
masons of  that  colony  in  establishing 
Lodges,  not  only  in  the  colonies  (later  the 
United  States),  but  in  other  parts  of  the 
world,  and  continues  the  governing  body  of 
the  Craft  in  Pennsylvania  to  this  day.  In 
1786,  following  like  action  in  Massachu- 
setts, it  declared  itself  an  independent  and 
sovereign  Grand  Lodge.  At  Boston,  in 
1733,  Henry  Price,  claiming  authority  from 


FREEMASONRY 


27 


the  Grand  Lodge  of  England,  as  Provincial 
Grand  Master  of  New  England,  opened  a 
Provincial  Grand  Lodge,  and,  witii  the  aid 
of  ten  brethren,  initiated  eight  candidates. 
This  Lodge  and  the  Philadelpliia  Lodge, 
which  initiated  Benjamin  Franklin  in  1734 
and  subsequently  met  as  a  Grand  Lodge, 
became  the  Mother  Grand  Lodges  of 
America.  The  Price,  or  St.  John's,  Grand 
Lodge  had  smooth  sailing  until  1752,  when 
several  brethren  in  Boston  instituted  St. 
Andrew's  Lodge,  according  to  the  old 
usage,  without  a  warrant.  This  was  op- 
posed b}'  St.  John's  Grand  Lodge,  and  re- 
sulted in  a  schism  which  lasted  forty  years. 
Li  1760  St.  Andrew's  received  a  charter 
from  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Scotland,  which 
widened  the  breach.  In  1769  it  united 
with  several  Ancient  military  Lodges  in 
forming  ^Massachusetts  Grand  Lodge,  with 
Joseph  Warren  as ''Grand  Master  of  Ma- 
sons in  Boston,  New  England,  and  Within 
One  Hundred  Miles  of  the  Same."  Li 
1773  Joseph  Warren  was  appointed,  by  the 
Grand  Master  of  Scotland,  Grand  Master 
of  Masons  for  the  Continent  of  America. 
The  death  of  Warren,  at  Bunker  Hill, 
resulted  in  the  Massachusetts  Grand  Lodge 
declaring  its  independence  and  sovereignty, 
thus  becoming  the  first  independent  Grand 
Lodge  of  Masons  in  America.  In  1792  the 
Grand  Lodge  for  the  Commonwealth  of 
Massachusetts  was  formed  by  the  union  of 
St.  John's  and  the  Massachusetts  Grand 
Lodges,  since  which  time  the  history  of 
the  Craft  in  that  State  has  not  been 
marked  by  dissension.  (See  Freemasonry 
among  the  Negroes.)  Successors  to  Dan- 
iel Coxe,  as  Provincial  Grand  Master 
for  New  York  and  New  Jersey,  did  noth- 
ing in  an  official  capacity,  so  far  as 
has  been  learned,  except  to  induct  their 
successors  into  office,  until  1754,  or  1757, 
when  a  subordinate  Lodge  was  established 
in  New  York  city.  Tliis  was  about  twenty 
years  after  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England 
had  granted  petitions  for  liodges  at  Savan- 
nah,  Ga.,    Charleston,    S.  C,  and  at  Wil- 


mington, N.  C.  A  schismatic  Grand  Lodge 
of  New  York  ap^ieared  in  Albany  in  1823, 
the  outgrowth  of  opposition  to  holding  the 
Grand  Lodge  exclusively  at  New  York  city. 
Four  years  later,  in  1827,  the  city  and 
country  Grand  Lodges  compromised  their 
differences  and  united.  H.  C.  Atwood  and 
others  were  expelled  by  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  New  York  in  1837,  for  violation  of  regu- 
lations regarding  public  parades,  which 
led  to  the  formation  of  a  St.  John's  Grand 
Lodge,  all  the  members  of  which  were 
declared  clandestine,  and  remained  so 
until  the  union  of  1850.  A  number  of 
other  Lodges  seceded  from  the  regular 
Grand  Lodge  of  New  York  in  1849,  and 
formed  a  third,  known  as  the  Phillip's 
Grand  Lodge.  This  schism  was  the  out- 
come of  a  disj)ute  as  to  the  right  of  Past 
Masters  to  membership  in  the  Grand 
Lodge.  The  matter  was  amicably  adjusted 
in  1858,  since  which  time  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  New  York  has  not  suffered  from  dissen- 
sion. South  Carolina,  like  Pennsylvania, 
suffered  from  the  rivalry  between  the 
Grand  Lodges  at  London,  when,  in  1787, 
an  Ancient  Grand  Lodge  was  established  at 
Charleston.  The  breach  continued  until 
1808,  when  the  opposing  bodies  united, 
only  to  separate  again  in  1809.  It  was  not 
until  1817,  four  years  after  the  reunion  of 
the  Ancients  and  Moderns  in  England, 
that  the  warring  South  Caroliiui  bodies 
finally  healed  their  differences.  In  Georgia, 
where  Freemasonry  was  also  introduced 
direct  from  England,  there  were  rival 
Grand  Lodges  between  1827  and  1839, 
owing  to  a  controversy  growing  out  of  t4ie 
change  of  the  capital  of  the  State. 

Russia  is  the  only  country  in  tbe  world 
in  which  Masonic  Lodges  are  suppressed. 
Austrian  prohibition  of  Masonic  gatherings 
is  not  enforced  in  Hungary  and  only  moder- 
ately in  Vienna.  Spanish  opposition  to  the 
Craft  has  long  since  ceased  to  be  active. 
Representatives  of  the  reigning  family,  or 
of  the  government,  in  every  European 
country  exce])t  Russia,  Austria,  Belgium, 


28 


FREEMASONRY 


and  Turkey  are  members  of  the  Fraternity. 
The  removal  of  the  name  of  Deity  from  its 
lectures  by  the  Grand  Orient  of  France 
more  than  twenty  years  ago,  and  of  the 
Holy  Bible  from  its  altars,  was  followed  by 
the  refusal  of  English-speaking  and  other 
Grand  Lodges  to  recognize  members  of 
Lodges  chartered  by  the  Grand  Orient  of 
France.  France,  therefore,  is  outside  of  the 
^lasonic  family. 

In  the  United  Kingdom,  during  the 
eighteenth  century,  the  adoption  of 
'' higher ''  or  additional  Masonic  degrees 
was  limited  to  the  Royal  Arch,  Knight 
Templar,  and  Mark  Master  Mason  ;  but  in 
France,  very  soon  after  Freemasonry  was 
introduced  there,  many  new  degrees  and 
rites  made  their  appearance,  in  peddling 
which  their  inventors  did  a  thriving  busi- 
ness. Between  1725  and  1775  hundreds  of 
what  were  called  higher  Masonic  degrees 
were  evolved  and  hawked  over  the  Conti- 
nent. Some  were  meritorious,  but  many 
soon  fell  into  obscurity,  while  a  few  still 
exist  in  collections  of  curious  outgrowths 
of  that  character.  In  1754,  at  Paris,  the 
Chevalier  Bonneville  brought  together  and 
systematized  twenty-five  of  the  older  and 
better  productions  among  these  high 
grades,  as  the  Rite  of  Perfection,  under 
the  title,  '^  ChaiJter  of  Clermont."  Some 
of  them  were  called  Scottish  because  their 
legends  traced  their  origin  to  Scotland. 
It  would  have  risked  exposure  to  attribute 
them  to  English  ingenuity.  They  might 
have  been  given  an  Irish  origin,  because 
their  authors  had  to  go  as  far  as  possible 
from  England  and  France.  But  Ireland 
evidently  did  not  suit  the  purpose,  and 
so  the  degrees  were  called  Ecossais  or 
Scotch,  and  were  declared  to  have  been 
conferred  for  many  years  in  the  north  of 
Scotland.  This,  too,  accounts  for  the  al- 
leged connection  of  the  partisans  of  the 
Stuarts  with  earlier  Ecossais  Freemasonry, 
some  of  its  traditions  stating  that  they  in- 
troduced the  degrees  into  France  or  were 
responsible  for  their  creation.     In  1758  a 


Council  of  Emperors  of  the  East  and 
West  was  organized  at  Paris,  with  a  system 
of  twenty-five  degrees,  and,  as  stated  by 
McClenachan,  "  in  some  way  became  pos- 
sessed "  of  the  Rite  of  Perfection,  Chapter 
of  Clermont,  "and  became  its  successor/' 
In  1761  the  Council  of  Emperors  of  the 
East  and  West  granted  a  patent  to  Stephen 
Morin  to  introduce  this  rite  (of  twenty-five 
degrees)  into  the  West  Indies,  after  which, 
in  1772,  it  united  with  a  faction  of  the 
Grand  Orient  (which  controlled  the  first 
three  degrees  of  Freemasonry  in  France), 
known  as  the  "  Old  Grand  Lodge,"  which 
factional  Grand  Lodge  died  four  months 
later.  In  1779,  or  seven  years  later,  the 
Grand  Orient  officially  declared  its  j)ower 
limited  to  the  three  symbolic  degrees,  and 
that  it  had  no  official  knowledge  of  so- 
called  high  grades.  In  1786  the  Grand 
Orient  organized  and  promulgated  the 
French  rite  of  seven  degrees,  adding  to 
the  three  symbolic  degrees  four  from  the 
abundant  material  floating  about  the  Con- 
tinent. The  importance  of  this  is  to  show 
that  long  prior  to  the  French  Revolution 
the  Grand  Orient  of  France  neither  230S- 
sessed  nor  claimed  to  control  the  Rite  of 
Perfection  of  twenty-five  degrees  which 
appeared  in  1754  as  a  system  under  the  title 
"  Chapter  of  Clermont,"  and  disappeared 
with  the  death  of  the  factional  or  *''01d 
Grand  Lodge."  In  the  Rite  of  Perfection, 
Chapter  of  Clermont,  one  finds  the  origin 
of  the  Ancient,  Accepted  Scottish  Rite, 
thirty-three  degrees,  which  was  created 
and  first  ajDpeared  at  Charleston,  South 
Carolina,  in  1801.  Of  this  rite,  Gould 
(F.  R.),  in  his  '^History  of  Freemasonry" 
(vol.  iii.,  page  273),  says  :  "  Although  one 
of  the  youngest  of  the  Masonic  rites,  it  is 
at  this  day  (1886)  the  most  j^opular  and  the 
most  extensively  diffused.  Supreme  Coun- 
cils or  governing  bodies  of  the  rite  are  to 
be  found  in  almost  every  civilized  country 
of  the  world,  and  in  many  of  them  it  is  the 
only  Masonic  obedience."  The  three  sym- 
bolic   degrees     of     ancient     Freemasonry 


FREEMASONRY 


29 


underlie  all  Masonic  systems  or  rites,  and 
upon  that  fact  is  based  the  claim  of  the 
universality  of  Freemasonry.  The  Eng- 
lish Rite  alone  confines  itself  to  the  three 
degrees  of  Entered  Apprentice,  Fellow- 
craft,  and  Master  Mason,  "'including  the 
Holy  Eoyal  Arch,"  but  upon  it  have  been 
erected  the  many  Masonic  systems  or  rites 
which  daring  the  past  one  hundred  and 
sixty  years  have  attracted  the  interest  of 
the  Craft. 

Students  will  find  extended  lists  of  the 
more  important  Masonic  rites  or  systems  of 
degrees,  living  and  dead,  in  the  works  of 
many  Masonic  historians ;  but  nowhere,  so 
far  as  learned,  has  there  been  given  a  brief, 
chronological  account  of  them  and  their 
characteristics  so  as  to  enable  the  young 
craftsman  to  distinguish  between  those 
which  have  passed  away  and  those  which 
are  still  practised.  There  are  ten  Masonic 
rites  in  use  to-day.  Two  of  them,  the  Eng- 
lish, which  includes  the  first  three  or  sym- 
bolic degrees,  and  together  with  the  Royal 
Arch  forms  the  basis  of  all  systems  or  rites, 
and  the  Ancient,  Accepted  Scottish  Rite  of 
thirty-three  degrees,  are  ranked  as  univer- 
sal. The  American  Rite  is  next  in  impor- 
tance, and  is  j^ractised  in  the  United  States 
and  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  where  are 
to  be  found  three-fourths  of  all  the  Free- 
masons in  the  world.  The  Rite  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  the  Three  Globes,  Ger- 
many, is  third  in  importance,  after  which 
follow  the  French  Rite,  the  Swedish  Rite, 
or  Rite  of  Zinnendorf,  Schroder's  Rite  (in 
use  by  a  few  German  Lodges),  the  French 
Order  of  the  Temple,  the  Rite  of  Memphis 
(in  Roumania,  Spain,  and  Egypt),  and  the 
Rite  of  Swedenborg. 

1724.  The  English,  erroneously  called 
the  York  Rite,  is  composed  of  the  degrees 
of  Entered  Apprentice,  Fellowcraft,  and 
Master  Mason,  the  three  ancient,  symbolic 
degrees  which  were  practically  perfected 
and  conferred  as  a  system  about  1724,  or 
shortly  after,  to  which  was  formally  ap- 
pended the  Royal  Arch  degree,  in  1813,   at 


the  reunion  of  the  two  English  Grand 
Lodges,  the  change  involving  a  modification 
of  the  degree  of  Master  Mason. 

1777.  The  Rite  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
Three  Globes  is  practised  by  more  than  two 
hundred  German  Lodges.  It  consists  of  the 
three  symbolic  degrees  and  seven  others, 
which  are  modifications  of  the  Gernum 
Strict  Observance  Templar  and  various 
Scottish  Rite  grades. 

1777.  The  Swedish  Rite  exists  only  in 
Norway  and  Sweden,  Avhere  it  is  under  the 
patronage  of  royalty.  It  is  a  mixture  of  the 
English  and  French  Rites,  of  the  Templar- 
ism  of  the  Rite  of  Strict  Observance,  and  of 
Rosicrucianism. 

1783.  The  Rite  of  Swedenborg  is  pre- 
served in  a  few  French  Lodges.  It  is 
founded  on  Peruetty's  Rite  of  Avignon, 
which  appeared  in  France  in  1769.  It  in- 
volves, like  Pernetty's  system,  much  of  the 
mysticism  of  Swedenborg,  who,  by  the  way, 
was  not  a  Freemason. 

1786.  The  French,  or  Modern  Rite,  as 
exi:)lained,  consists  of  the  English  system, 
upon  which  are  superimposed  four  degrees 
formed  from  some  of  the  many  unsystema- 
tized ceremonials  practised  on  the  Continent 
of  Europe  in  the  latter  half  of  tlie  last  cen- 
tury. 

1801.  Schroder's  Rite  is  still  cultivated 
by  a  few  German  Lodges,  notably  at  Ham- 
burg. It  is  confined  to  the  three  ancient 
craft  degrees  and  a  Select  Historical  Union 
of  Master  Masons  for  the  study  of  the  iihi-' 
losophy  of  Freemasonry. 

1801.  The  Ancient,  Accepted  Scottish 
Rite,  referred  to  elsewhere. 

1810.  The  American  Rite,  substantially 
as  it  exists  to-day,  may  be  said  to  date  from 
the  first  decade  of  the  present  century.  It 
is  referred  to  under  a  separate  liead. 

1839.  The  Rite  of  Memphis,  youngest  of 
living  Masonic  systems,  is  described  under 
that  title. 

There  are  more  than  1,400,000  active 
Freemasons  in  the  world,  all  of  whom,  of 
course,   are    practically  familiar  with    the 


30 


FREEMASONRY 


three  degrees  of  the  English  Kite.  Of  the 
total,  probably  125,000  are  in  possession  of 
the  Ancient,  Accepted  Scottish  Rite,  and 
118,000  of  the  American  Rite  us  conferred 
in  Lodges,  Chapters  (Councils),  and  Com- 
manderies.  There  are  27,000  members  of 
the  French  Rite,  4,000  of  the  Swedish  Rite, 
20,000  of  the  Rite  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
the  Three  Globes  at  Berlin,  but  only  a  very 
few  who  practise  Schroder's  Rite,  the  Rite 
of  Swedenborg,  or  the  French  Order  of  the 
Temple. 

The  more  important  among  extinct 
Masonic  Rites  are  twenty-two  in  number, 
thirteen  of  which  appeared  in  France,  six 
in  Germany,  and  one  each  in  England, 
Belgium,  and  Italy. 

1748.  Rite  of  Vielle  Bru,  France,  an  in- 
vention of  the  adherents  of  the  Stuarts 
while  in  exile.  The  Grand  Orient  of  France 
killed  it  by  refusing  it  recognition. 

1754.  Rite  of  Perfection,  Paris,  France; 
already  referred  to. 

1754.  Von  Hund's  Rite  of  Strict  Observ- 
ance, Germany,  was  based  on  the  Templar 
theory  of  the  origin  of  Freemasonry,  the 
legend  of  which  taught  that  every  Free- 
mason is  a  Knight  Templar.  This  Rite, 
whicli  was  drawn  from  the  earlier  French 
Scottish  Templar  degrees,  which  ultimately 
were  formed  into  the  Rite  of  Perfection, 
into  which  Von  Hund  was  received  in 
Paris,  exercised  considerable  influence  over 
succeeding  systems. 

1758.  Emperors  of  the  East  and  West ; 
already  referred  to. 

1765.  The  Rite  of  Elected  Cohens 
(Priests),  France,  was  based  on  the  mysti- 
cism of  the  Jewish  Kabbala. 

1766.  The  Rite  of  the  Blazing  Star  re- 
vived the  legends  and  ceremonials  of  chiv- 
alry. 

1767.  Rite  of  Chastenier,  France,  theo- 
sophical  and  mystical,  was  introduced  into 
England,  but  did  not  live  long. 

1769.  Pernetty's  Rite  of  Avignon,  France, 
was  a  revel  in  mysticism.  Pernetty  is  said 
to  have  been  the  author  of  the  degree  of  the 


Knight  of  the  Sun,  now  the  twenty-eighth 
of  the  Ancient,  Accepted  Scottish  Rite. 
His  Rite  of  Avignon  had  great  influence  on 
several  which  followed  it. 

1770.  Rite  of  Martinism,  France,  a  com- 
bination of  Scottish  degrees  with  the  specu- 
lations of  the  mystics. 

1772.  Reformed  Rite,  a  German  modifica- 
tion of  the  Rite  of  Strict  Observance. 

1773.  Rite  of  Philalethes,  France,  based 
on  the  Rite  of  Martinism.  It  lived  about 
twenty  years. 

1775.  The  Philosophic  Scotch  Rite, 
France,  was  a  revival  of  Pernetty's  Rite  of 
Avignon,  combined  with  Rosicrucianism 
and  suggestions  from  the  Pythagoreans. 

1776.  The  Rite  of  the  Elect  of  Truth, 
France,  was  jihilosophical. 

1777.  The  Egyptian  Rite,  of  Cagliostro, 
was  the  work  of  that  prince  of  adventurers 
and  impostors.  Cagliostro  was  made  a  Free- 
mason in  London  in  1776,  and  immediately 
set  to  work  to  form  a  ''  Masonic  ''  system  of 
his  own,  into  which  he  introduced  the  search 
for  the  philosopher's  stone,  and  physical  and 
moral  regeneration.  He  traveled  through 
Europe,  establishing  Lodges  and  selling  de- 
grees, often  to  princes,  prelates,  and  philo- 
sophers. After  a  career  of  monumental 
effronter}^  decej^tion,  and  dishonesty,  he 
was  sentenced  to  death  in  1789  at  Rome  by 
the  Holy  Inquisition,  and  his  manuscript, 
"Maconnerie  Egyptienne,"  was  publicly 
burned.  The  Pope  commuted  his  sentence 
to  imprisonment  for  life.  He  died  in  prison 
in  1795. 

1780.  The  Primitive  Rite  of  Philadelphes 
(Primitive  Rite  of  Narbonne)  was  founded 
at  Narbonne,  France,  by  pretended  "  Supe- 
riors of  the  Order  of  Free  and  Accejjted 
Masons."  Its  degrees  were  divided  into 
three  classes,  in  which  were  treated  the  oc- 
cult sciences  and  the  rehabilitation  and  re- 
integration of  man  in  his  primitive  rank 
and  prerogatives. 

1780.  The  Rite  of  Brothers  of  Asia,  Ger- 
man, was  composed  of  a  mixture  of  religious 
faiths,  science,  and  the  reveries  of  the  mystics. 


,x\ 


CP^ 


o5^E>. 


"/> 


Yr^      \<^^ 


^"-1^. 


'^'>"^^. 


^ 


ANCIEHT 
ACCEPTED 
SCOTTISH  RITE 

J25.000. 


THE    AREA   OF  THE 


ENTIRE     CIRCLE      REP- 


RESENTS       THE        1.400.000 


AFFILIATED       MASTER       MA- 


SONS IN  THE  WORLD,  MEM- 


BERS   OF    THE     ENGLISH    (OR    "YORK")     RITE.       OF    THIS 


TOTAL  ONLY  128^000   HAVE    RECEIVED  THE   SCOTTISH 


RITE,    118.0OO    THE    AMERICAN    RITE,   27.000    THE 


FRENCH  RITE.  AND  ABOUT  lO.OOO  OTHER 


RITES. 


CHART   SHOWING  THE  RELATIVE  MEMBERSHIP  OF  LEADING  LIVING  MASONIC  RITES. 


32 


FREEMASONRY 


1T82.  The  Beneficent  Knights  of  the 
Holy  City,  France,  included  some  of  the 
mystical  speculations  for  which  the  last  cen- 
tury was  noted,  and  the  early  Scottish  de- 
gree of  Templarism. 

1783.  Fessler's  Eite,  Germany,  consisted 
of  nine  degrees,  based  on  the  Golden  Eose 
Croix,  the  Eite  of  Strict  Observance,  and 
the  Eite  of  Perfection.  It  professed  to  be 
abstrusely  learned. 

1784.  The  Eeformed  Helvetic  Eite,  Ger- 
many, was  a  modification  of  the  Eeformed 
Eite  of  1772,  and  was  used  in  Poland. 

1787.  The  Eite  of  African  Architects  was 
the  successor  of  a  rite  with  a  similar  name, 
1767.  It  appeared  in  Germany  and  was 
patronized  by  Frederick  II.  Its  objects 
were  to  rescue  Freemasonry  from  innovation 
and  to  study  philosophy. 

1805.  The  Eite  of  Mizraim  is  referred  to 
elsewhere. 

1818.  Primitive  Scottish  Eite,  thirty-three 
degrees,  Belgium,  was  based  on  the  Eites  of 
Perfection  and  Strict  Observance,  and  fol- 
lowed the  Adonhiramite  theory  as  to  the 
principal  officers  at  the  building  of  King 
Solomon's  Temple,  which  characterized  so 
many  of  the  Continental  rites  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  last  century,  and  still  has  an  in- 
fluence in  some  of  the  minor  living  rites. 
It  never  Avent  beyond  the  city  of  its  birth. 

Freemasonry  in  the  eighteenth  century 
was  characterized  by  its  rapid  spread  from 
England  throughout  the  world,  by  the  avid- 
ity with  which  able  and  learned  men  inter- 
ested themselves  in  it,  in  many  instances 
only  to  extend,  elaborate,  or  embroider  its 
ritual  and  ceremonials,  and  by  the  schism 
in  England  which  lasted  from  1751  to  1813. 
It  met  with  the  antagonism  of  pope  and 
pamphleteer,  and  the  exiled  Stuarts  vainly 
sought  to  use  it  in  an  effort  to  regain  the 
English  throne.  The  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows' made  its  appearance  in  London  be- 
fore 1740,  a  variety  of  democratized  Free- 
masonry, and  was  followed  by  the  Druids 
in  1760  and  by  the  Foresters  in  1780,  types 
of   the    sincerest   form    of    flattery,    when 


judged  from  the  point  of  view  of  the  Free- 
mason of  that  day.  The  Orange  Institution 
appeared  at  the  close  of  the  last  century,  an 
open  imitator  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity  so 
far  as  some  of  its  forms  and  ceremonies  are 
concerned.  American  Provincial  Grand 
Lodges  after  the  close  of  the  War  of  the 
Eevolution  declared  their  independence  of 
English  mother  Grand  Lodges,  and  at  the 
end  of  the  century  an  effort  was  made  to 
form  a  Supreme  Grand  Lodge  of  the  United 
States  with  Washington  as  Supreme  Grand 
Master.  Washington's  death  prevented  the 
success  of  the  plan,  and  when  the  subject 
was  brought  up  again  in  1822,  it  was  re- 
ceived with  less  favor.  Between  1827  and 
1840  the  Craft  suffered  from  political  per- 
secution and  unreasoning  warfare  which 
grew  out  of  the  "  Morgan  excitement ; '''  but 
beginning  in  1843,  it  grew  and  prospered 
beyond  all  previous  records  until  its  growth 
was  checked  by  the  Civil  War.  Since  1865 
its  popularity  and  prosperity  in  the  United 
States,  Canada,  Great  Britain,  the  British 
colonies,  and  elsewhere  throughout  the  world 
have  been  beyond  all  precedent. 

Tlie  American  Eite. — Practised  only  in 
the  L^nited  States  of  America  and  the  Do- 
minion of  Canada.  It  adds  to  the  three 
symbolic  degrees  of  the  English  Eite,  first, 
the  degrees  of  Mark  Master,  Past  Master, 
Most  Excellent  Master,  and  Eoyal  Arch  Ma- 
son, which  are  conferred  in  Eoyal  Arch 
Chapters  federated  into  Grand  Chapters, 
and  a  General  Grand  Chapter  of  tlie  United 
States  of  America;  second,  the  degrees  of 
Eoyal  Master,  Select  Master,  and  of  Super- 
Excellent  Master,  conferred  in  Councils  of 
Eoyal  and  Select  Masters,  which  have  a  sys- 
tem of  state  and  general  government  similar 
to  that  of  Eoyal  Arch  Chapters;  and,  third. 
Companion  of  the  Illustrious  Order  of  the 
Eed  Cross,  Knight  Templar,  and  Knight  of 
St.  John  and  Malta,  under  the  authority  of 
chartered  Commanderies  of  Knights  Tem- 
plars. There  are  no  very  marked  differ- 
ences between  the  Entered  Apprentice  and 
Fellowcraft  degrees    as    conferred    in   the 


FREEMASONRY 


33 


United  States  and  in  England;  but  while 
the  peculiarity  which  marks  the  third  de- 
gree is  met  w'itli  in  every  Masonic  Lodge, 
American  Lodges  have  taken  marked  liber- 
ties with  it.  Several  so-called  essentials  are 
omitted  altogether,  and  the  one  which 
should  be  universal,  if  any  ])ortion  of  the 
degree  is  to  be,  is  totally  unlike  anything 
communicated  under  that  name  in  many 
foreign  Lodges.  American  Lodges  tend  to 
emphasize  the  dramatic  possibilities  of  the 
Master  Mason  degree,  while  in  England  and 
on  the  Continent  the  greater  portion  of  the 
characteristic  part  of  the  degree  is  commu- 
nicated. The  claim  of  universality  for  the 
English  Rite  rests  on  its  substance  rather 
than  form;  for  certain  "accompanying" 
words,  the  letter  G,  and  a  most  important 
sign  are  far  from  being  universal.  Where 
this  rite  exists,  it  is  recognized  by  Supreme 
Councils  of  the  Ancient,  Accepted  Scottish 
Eite,  which  thereupon  begin  their  labors 
with  the  fourth  degree.  In  countries  Avhere 
the  Ancient,  Accepted  Scottish  Rite  pre- 
ceded the  English  Rite,  the  former  presents 
the  three  symbolic  degrees  of  a  genuinely 
universal  type.  In  Germany  and  elsewhere 
on  the  Continent  the  work  in  the  third  de- 
gree has,  in  some  systems  or  localities,  been 
abused  by  the  infusion  of  the  Adonhiramite 
theory  which  made  Adoniram  rather  than 
Hiram  the  conspicuous  figure.  The  growth 
of  this  heresy  in  the  eighteenth  century  was 
due  to  a  confusion  of  philological  and  his- 
torical data  and  to  the  ignorance  of  those 
responsible  for  it.  But  this  alteration,  like 
American  changes  in  the  English  Rite,  has 
become  a  part  of  the  tree  on  which  it 
was  grafted,  and  constitutes  something  in 
the  nature  of  local  color.  The  arrangement 
of  the  Words  in  the  first  and  second  degrees 
was  reversed  by  the  Ancient,  or  schismatic, 
Grand  Lodge  of  England,  in  order  to  de- 
tect visitors  from  the  rival  obedience.  The 
dominance  of  the  Ancient  Grand  Lodge  in 
the  American  colonies  naturally  brought  the 
variation  into  Lodges  here;  but  in  Germany, 
France,  Norway,  and  some  other  countries 


where  Freemasonry  was  introduced  prior  to 
1751,  visiting  American  and  English  Free- 
masons find  a  singular  and,  to  some,  inex- 
plicable reversal  of  what  they  were  taught. 
The  honorary  degree  of  Past  Master  is  con- 
ferred only  on  Master  Masons  who  have  been 
regularly  elected  and  installed  Masters  of 
Lodges.  It  did  not  take  the  form  of  a  de- 
gree until  early  in  the  present  century  in 
the  United  States.  It  was  conferred  on 
actual  Masters  of  Lodges  and  on  Past  Mas- 
ters early  in  the  last  century,  merely  as  a 
ceremonial,  and  in  1744  began  to  be  referred 
to  as  "passing  the  chair."  Its  place  in 
Royal  Arch  Chapters  in  the  L^nited  States 
is  referred  to  hereafter. 

Chapters  of  Royal  Arch  Masons  in  the 
United  States  confer  the  capitular  degrees 
of  Mark  Master,  (virtual)  Past  JMaster,  Most 
Excellent  Master,  and  Royal  Arch  Mason 
upon  such  Master  Masons  as  apply  for  and 
are  elected  to  receive  them.*  This  system, 
culminating  in  the  Royal  Arch,  is  a  purely 
American  arrangement,  and  is  found  only 
in  the  United  States,  the  Dominion  of  Can- 
ada, and  in  the  relatively  few  Chapters  in 
Mexico  and  elsewhere  abroad  chartered 
from  the  United  States.  The  Royal  Arch 
degree  in  England  was  originally  conferred, 
probably  as  early  as  1740,  in  some  of  the 
seceding  Lodges  of  1739  wdiich  united  in 
1751  and  formed  the  Ancient  Grand  Lodge; 
for,  even  in  1740,  twenty-three  years  after 
the  formation  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Eng- 
land in  1717,  several  rebellious  Lodges 
claimed  to  have  secrets  in  reference  to  the 
Master's  degree  which  were  unknown  in 
Lodges  loyal  to  the  mother  Grand  Lodge. 
It  must,  therefore,  have  been  in  Lodges 
which  in  1751  formed  the  schismatic  Grand 
Lodge  that  the  Master's  degree  was  muti- 
lated to  form  the  Royal  Arch, because  as  early 
as  1735  all  of  the  original  essentials  of  the 
Master's  degree  remained  intact.  While  gen- 
erally conferred  in  Lodges  as  a  supplement 

*  The  exception  is  in  Pennsylvania,  where  the 
Grand  Chapter  rejects  the  Mark  and  Most  Excellent 
Masters'  degrees. 


34 


FREEMASONRY 


to  the  Master's  degree  for  several  years 
after  the  schism,  Royal  Arch  Chapters  ulti- 
mately came  into  existence,  and  afterward 
a  Supreme  lioyal  Arch  Chapter.  The  An- 
cients announced  the  existence  of  the  Royal 
Arch  degree  in  its  "  Ahiman  Rezon,"  or 
book  of  constitutions,  in  1750,  but  as  late  as 
1758  the  Moderns  denied  all  knowledge  of  it. 
Dunckerly,  the  celebrated  ritualist,  intro- 
duced the  Royal  Arch  degree  to  the  Moderns, 
or  mother  organization  of  modern  Free- 
masonry, in  1770,  by  which  it  was  adopted 
in  1779,  together  with  a  system  of  subordi- 
nate Chapters  afterward  governed  by  a  Su- 
preme Royal  Arch  Chapter.  At  the  union 
of  the  rival  English  Grand  Lodges  in  1813 
the  Royal  Arch  of  the  Ancients  was  made 
supplementary  to  the  degree  of  Master  Ma- 
son, and  in  1817  the  rival  Supreme  Chapters 
united.  From  that  day  to  this  the  English 
Rite  has  conferred  the  Royal  Arch  on  Mas- 
ter Masons  elected  to  receive  it,  in  contrast 
with  the  American  system,  which  requires 
a  Master  Mason  to  first  receive  the  degrees 
of  Mark  Master,  (virtual)  Past  Master,  and 
Most  Excellent  Master,  prior  to  being  '^  ex- 
alted." Before  the  Moderns  adopted  the 
Royal  Arch  degree  the  Ancients  had  been 
conferring  it  only  on  Masters  of  Lodges;  but 
both  the  Moderns  and  Ancients,  in  order  to 
popularize  the  degree,  admitted  during  the 
latter  portion  of  the  eighteenth  century,  not 
only  actual  Past  Masters,  but  those  made  so 
by  dispensation  of  a  Grand  Master  for  that 
purpose.  This  practice  was  brought  to  the 
American  colonies  by  British  army  Lodges 
and  explains  the  existence  in  the  American 
Royal  Arch  Chapter  of  the  degree  of  virtual 
Past  Master. 

The  Mark  Master's,  or  fourth  degree  of 
the  American  Rite,  is  of  undoubted  English 
origin,  and  while  conferred  only  on  Master 
Masons,  forms  a  graceful  appendage  to  the 
degree  of  Fellowcraft.  It  is  based  on  the 
practice  of  ancient  operative  Freemasons 
of  selecting  particular  marks  which  they 
could  no  more  alter  or  change  than  they 
could  their  names,  with  which  they  marked 


their  work,  and  utilized,  as  otherwise  related, 
in  legendary  and  historical  records.  The 
degree  is  traced  to  Dunham,  England,  1774, 
when  it  was  conferred  in  symbolic  Lodges  as 
a  side  or  unsystematized  ceremonial.  It  be- 
came popular  and  spread  throughout  the 
Kingdom,  but  the  United  Grand  Lodges  of 
England  (1813)  refused  to  recognize  it. 
Gradually  it  separated  from  symbolic  Lodges 
andAvas  conferred  in  Mark  Lodges.  In  1856 
the  English  Grand  Lodge  of  Mark  Master 
Masons  was  formed,  which  maintains  cor- 
dial relations  with  American  Grand  Royal 
Arch  Chapters.  In  1792-93  St.  Andrew's 
Royal  Arch  Lodge,  Boston,  incorporated 
the  Mark  Master's  degree,  and  the  latter 
soon  after  appeared  as  a  detached  degree 
in  other  American  Lodges. 

The  Past  Master's  degree,  as  such,  which 
is  of  American  origin  and  forms  the  fifth 
degree  of  the  American  Rite,  did  not  ap- 
pear until  the  second  decade  of  the  present 
century.  Prior  to  that  time  Past  Masters 
were  those  who  had  actually  presided  over 
Lodges  or  who  had  received  dispensations 
from  Grand  Masters  permitting  them  to 
assume  the  title  to  render  them  eligible  to 
the  Royal  Arch  degree.  The  advisability 
of  the  introduction  of  the  degree  into  the 
American  capitular  system  has  often  been 
and  still  is  seriously  questioned. 

The  Most  Excellent  Master's,  or  sixth  de- 
gree of  the  American  Rite,  an  American  in- 
vention, is  supposed  to  have  first  appeared  at 
Albany,  N.  Y.,  in  1795  ;  to  have  been  the 
invention  of  John  Hanmer,  an  accomplished 
Masonic,  ritualist  of  England  then  visiting 
the  Craft,  and  to  have  been  elaborated  by 
Thomas  Smith  Webb,  Past  Grand  Master 
of  Rhode  Island,  the  well-known  Ameri- 
can Masonic  ritualist,  who  left  so  deep  an 
impress  on  the  formation  of  what  has  be- 
come the  American  Rite  of  Freemasonry. 
It  celebrates  the  completion  and  dedication 
of  the  first  Temple,  and  so  supplies  a  link 
between  the  Master  JNIason  and  the  Royal 
Arch  degree,  of  Avhich  it  is  the  immediate 
predecessor. 


FREEMASONRY 


35 


The  essentials  of  the  original  Master  Ma- 
son degree  are  believed  to  have  appeared  in 
new  form,  in  tliat  which  became  the  Royal 
Arch,  in  France,  between  1838  and  1840. 
That  the  Master's  degree  prior  thereto  con- 
tained something  which  gives  the  Eoyal 
Arch  its  distinctive  connection  with  it, 
has  been  shown  in  many  ways,  notably 
in  an  old  French  print  illustrating  an  im- 
portant ceremony  in  the  third  degree,  in 
which  a  Name  appears.  The  origin  of 
the  Royal  Arch  has  often  been  erroneously 
attributed  to  the  Chevalier  Ramsay,  one 
of  the  learned  Freemasons  of  the  first  half 
of  the  eighteenth  century  and  an  alleged 
partisan  of  the  exiled  Stuart.  The  only  rea- 
son for  believing  that  Ramsay  had  anything 
to  do  with  it  was  the  fact  that  he  had  the 
ability  to  construct  such  a  ceremonial,  and 
Avas  for  a  brief  period  associated  with  the 
young  Pretender.  Beginning  about  1738-40 
French  Masonic  ritualists  and  others  began 
the  construction  of  additional  degrees  called 
Scottish,  which  they  superimposed  upon 
the  three  symbolic  degrees.  The  Chevalier 
Ramsay,  born  at  Ayr,  Scotland,  in  1786, 
was  made  a  Freemason  at  London  about 
1728.  He  was  a  tutor  to  the  sons  of  the 
Pretender  in  Rome  for  fifteen  months,  be- 
tween 1725  and  1727,  after  which  he  re- 
turned to  England,  and  was  prominent 
among  London  Freemasons  and  literary 
men  until  1737,  when  he  went  to  Paris.  In 
the  same  year  he  delivered  his  now  famous 
speech  on  Freemasonry,  in  which  he  merely 
elaborated  Anderson  traditions  as  to  the  ori- 
gin of  the  Fraternity.  Nowhere  did  he 
speak  of  Templary,  but  he  did  advance  a 
theory  that  some  of  the  Crusaders  under 
Prince  Edward,  son  of  Edward  IIL,  who 
had  become  Knights  of  St.  John  in  the 
Holy  Land  (not  St.  John  of  Malta),  returned 
to  England,  and,  under  the  patronage  of 
the  Prince,  took  the  name  of  Freemasons. 
He  declared  that  a  Lodge  was  established  at 
Kilwinning,  in  Scotland,  in  1286,  but  that 
it  afterward  declined,  and  that  it  was  the 
English  Masonic  Crusaders  who  perpetuated 


Freemasonry.  Gould  presumes  the  refer- 
ence to  Kilwinning  was  a  rhetorical  flour- 
ish due  to  his  Scotch  origin  and  familiarity 
with  Scotland,  for  the  statement  requires  no 
refutation.  His  theory  as  to  the  chivalric 
origin  of  Freemasonry,  whether  or  not  a 
delicate  compliment  to  the  distinguished 
company  he  was  addressing,  was  only  a  the- 
ory, for  it  had  no  foundation.  This  address 
had  unlooked-for  and  somewhat  remarkable 
results.  Its  first  effect  was  to  furnish  an 
alleged  authority  for  the  legends  of  many 
of  the  Scottish  degrees  Avhich  appeared  in 
France  within  the  next  few  years,  for  the 
cultivation  of  the  Templar  theory  of  the 
origin  of  Freemasonry  which  they  presented, 
and  for  their  supposititious  Scottish  origin. 
A  second  result  was  the  charge  that  Ramsa}' 
was  himself  the  inventor  of  Scottish  degrees, 
owing  to  his  friendship  for  the  young  Pre- 
tender, and  that  the  ulterior  purpose  of 
those  degrees  was  to  draw  adherents  to,  and 
gain  money  for,  the  claimant  of  the  British 
throne.  This  was  almost  universally  be- 
lieved by  otherwise  well-informed  students 
of  the  origin  of  the  Scottish  degrees  of  1739- 
50,  until  Gould,  in  a  careful  examination 
of  the  subject  a  dozen  years  ago,  showed  its 
absurdity.  Ramsay  was  a  liberal  Catholic, 
and  was  antagonized  by  the  Jesuits,  who 
were  connected  with  the  earlier  fabrication 
of  some  of  the  Scottish  degrees.  There  is 
absolutely  no  proof  that  Ramsay  sympa- 
thized with  the  Stuarts,  and  there  is  much 
that  he  did  not.  That  he  ever  invented  any 
Masonic  degree  has  never  been  shown.  That 
his  speech  was  used  by  French  degree- 
makers  between  1740  and  1750  to  give  a 
status  to  tlieir  creations,  and  that  his  name 
was  used  for  the  same  purpose,  require  no  ar- 
gument. After  writing  two  letters  to  Cardi- 
nal Fleury,  the  French  Prime  ^[inister, 
^larch  20  and  22,  1737  (see  Gould's  "  His- 
tory of  Freemasonry,"  vol.  ill.,  pp.  337, 
338),  ui-ging  official  protection  of  Free- 
masonry, which  might  well  be  read,  in  all 
sincerity,  by  Pope  Leo  XIII.,  Ramsay  re- 
turned to  London  and  was  not  heard   of 


36 


FREEMASONRY 


again  publicly  until  his  death  in  1743.  The 
early  Scottish  degrees  which  appeared  in 
France,  fabulously  attributed  to  Scotland, 
though  dissimilar  in  one  respect,  had  a 
legend  in  common — that  of  the  discovery  of 
a  long  lost  and  Ineffable  AVord  in  a  secret 
vault  by  Scottish  Crusaders.  In  this  is 
found  the  germ  of  the  Eoyal  Arch  degree, 
not  only  that  of  Enoch,  the  earlier  Scottish 
degree  sublimated  into  the  thirteenth  of  the- 
Ancient,  Accepted  Scottish  Eite  of  to-day, 
but  of  the  English  or  Royal  Arch  of  Zerub- 
babel.  These  (French)  Scottish  degrees, 
with  the  vault  and  Arch,  one  or  more  of 
them,  were  carried  into  England,  and  first 
heard  of  at  York,  in  the  independent  Grand 
Lodge  at  that  city,  Avhence  Kilwinning 
Lodge,  Dublin,  received  it  at  the  hands  of 
a  visiting  brother  prior  to  1744.  Laurence 
Dermott  was  made  a  Freemason  at  Dublin 
in  1744,  and  received  the  Eoyal  Arch  degree 
there  in  1746.  He  modified  and  introduced 
it  into  seceding  Lodges  at  London.  The  re- 
sult was  the  English  or  Eoyal  Arch  of  Zerub- 
babel  in  distinction  from  the  Eoyal  Arch  of 
Enoch,  now  the  thirteenth  degree  of  the 
Ancient,  Accepted  Scottish  Eite,  into  which 
the  Eoyal  Arch  became  incorporated  through 
having  been  absorbed  into  the  French  Eite 
of  Perfection  in  1754,  and  by  the  Emperors 
of  the  East  and  West  in  1758,  from  which 
we  get  the  Ancient,  Accepted  Scottish  Eite 
of  1801.  British  army  Lodges,  most  of 
them  hailing  from  the  schismatic  Grand 
Lodge,  brought  this  degree,  as  well  as  the 
Mark,  to  the  American  colonies.  The  first 
Eoyal  Arch  Chapter  held  here  was  under 
that  title,  "  No.  3,"  at  Philadelphia,  but  the 
degree  was  first  conferred  in  St.  Andrew's 
Eoyal  Arch  Lodge,  Boston,  afterward  St. 
Andrew's  Eoyal  Arch  Chapter,  in  1769, 
and  soon  after  it  was  found  in  Xew  York 
city  and  at  various  points  in  Xew  England. 
The  first  Eoyal  Arch  Chapter  in  New  York 
city  (independent)  was  chartered  by  Pro- 
vincial Grand  Master  George  Harrison  in 
1757.  The  Eoyal  Arch  degree,  the  seventh 
of  the  American  Eite,  constitutes  the  sum- 


mit and  perfection  of  symbolic  Freemasonry. 
It  is  conferred  on  no  more  or  less  than  three 
persons  at  the  same  time,  and  treats  of  the 
destruction  of  the  first  Temj)le  at  Jerusalem 
and  the  building  of  the  second  Temple,  to- 
gether with  important  discoveries  made  on 
the  return  of  the  Jews  from  the  Babylonish 
captivity.  Prior  to  1795,  the  Mark,  Most 
Excellent,  and  Eoyal  Arch  ceremonials  were 
conferred  in  America  as  detached  degrees, 
generally  in  Lodges,  that  last  named  some- 
times in  Chapters  held  under  cover  of  Lodge 
warrants.  The  Eoyal  Arch  Chapter  was 
convened  at  Philadelphia  in  1795  by  James 
Molau,  in  which  the  four  capitular  degrees 
were  for  the  first  time  conferred  as  at  j)res- 
ent,  in  regular  order,  Mark  Master,  Past 
Master,  Most  Excellent  Master,  and  Eoyal 
Arch  Mason.  In  1798  delegates  from  nine 
Eoyal  Arch  Chapters,  six  from  New  Eng- 
land, and  three  from  New  York  State,  met 
at  Hartford,  Conn.,  and  formed  a  Grand 
Eoyal  Arch  Chapter  of  the  Northern  States 
of  America,  which,  in  1806,  became  the 
General  Grand  Chapter  of  Eoyal  Arch  Ma- 
sons for  the  United  States  of  America, 
which  meets  triennially  to  this  day,  and  is 
the  governing  body  of  American  Grand 
Eoyal  Arch  Chapters,  except  Grand  Chap- 
ters in  Pennsylvania,  where  the  Grand  Chap- 
ter is  subordinate  to  the  Grand  Lodge;  in 
Virginia,  founded  in  1808,  and  in  West  Vir- 
ginia (1871),  where  they  remain  indepen- 
dent. In  Virginia  and  West  Virginia  what 
are  known  as  the  Council  degrees,  elsewhere 
the  eighth  and  ninth  of  the  American  Eite 
(Eoyal  Master  and  Select  Master),  are  con- 
ferred in  Eoyal  Arch  Chapters.  The  hon- 
orary Order  of  High  Priesthood,  first  heard 
of  in  Pennsjdvania  in  1825,  is  conferred  by 
Past  High  Priests  on  Eoyal  Arch  Masons 
who  have  been  regularly  elected  to  preside 
over  Eoyal  Arch  Chapters. 

The  eighth,  ninth,  and  tenth,  the  Cryptic 
degrees  of  the  American  Eite,  are  the  Eoyal 
Master,  Select  Master,  and  Super-Excellent 
Master  respectively,  and  are  so  called  be- 
cause the  first  two  treat  of  a  secret  vault. 


FREEMASONRY 


37 


They  are  conferred  in  Councils  of  Eoyal  and 
Select  Masters  which  are  federated  into 
Grand  Councils  and  a  General  Council  of 
the  United  States  of  America.  With  few 
exceptions,  Grand  Commanderies  of  Knights 
'I'emphxrs  do  not  require  the  possession  of 
the  Cryptic  degrees  by  candidates  for  Orders 
conferred  in  Commanderies.  The  Cryptic 
degrees  are  also  worked  in  Enghxnd  andt 
Canada,  where  they  were  taken  from  the 
United  States,  and  form  interesting  supple- 
ments to  the  Master's  and  tlie  IWal  Arch 
degrees.  The  Koyal  and  the  Select  Masters' 
degrees,  formerly  unattached,  honorary, 
Scottish  Rite  degrees,  were  introduced  into 
America,  probably  at  Albany,  in  1767,  by 
Francken  (see  Ancient,  Accepted  Scottish 
Kite);  into  Charleston  in  1783  by  Scottish 
Rite  Masons  who  received  them  from 
Francken  ;  into  Georgia  in  1796  ;  and  into 
Xew  York  in  1808,  where  in  1810  a  Grand 
Council  was  formed.  They  were  originally 
conferred  at  will  upon  Royal  Arch  IVIasons 
by  those  empowered  to  do  so,  and  after  1820 
gradually  found  their  way  into  separate 
bodies  called  Councils,  convened  by  Royal 
and  Select  Masters  for  that  purpose,  al- 
thougli  the  Supreme  Council,  Ancient,  Ac- 
cepted Scottish  Rite,  Southern  Masonic  Jur- 
isdiction, United  States  of  America,  claimed 
without  exercising  much  jurisdiction  over 
the  degrees,  until  1870,  when  it  relinquished 
authority  over  them  to  Grand  Councils  of 
Royal  and  Select  Masters,  which  had  grown 
up  inucli  the  same  as  did  the  earlier  Crand 
Chapters  of  Royal  Arch  Masons.  In  \\r- 
ginia  and  Maryland  both  degrees  are  con- 
ferred in  Chapters  prior  to  the  Royal  Arch 
degree.  The  Royal  Master's  degree  repre- 
sents the  search  by  the  Fellowcraft  Adoni- 
ram,  prior  to  the  tragedy  of  the  third  de- 
gree, for  that  which  was  to  be  the  reward 
of  faithful  craftsmen.  In  the  following 
degree  the  deposit  is  made  by  the  master 
builder  which  was  brought  to  light  at  the 
building  of  the  second  Temple.  The  origin 
of  the  honorary  degree  of  Super-Excellent 
Master  is  unknown,  but  is  believed  to  be 


native.  It  has  no  connection  with  the  two 
which  precede  it,  and  is  an  elaboration  of 
tliat  portion  of  the  Royal  Arch  which  re- 
lates to  the  destruction  of  the  first  Temple 
by  Nebuzaradan. 

There  liave  been  various  theories  as  to 
the  origin  of  Masonic  Knights  Templars, 
and  it  is  surprising  that  only  within  the  last 
thirty  years  have  Knights  Templars  them- 
selves made  the  necessary  investigation  to 
learn  that  they  never  had  any  connection 
with  the  Ancient  Military  and  Religious 
Order  of  the  Temple.  The  like  is  true, 
also,  with  reference  to  the  Masonic  Order  of 
Knights  of  St.  John  and  Malta.  Among 
the  theories  to  explain  a  direct  connection 
between  modern  Knights  Templars  and  the 
ancient  order,  the  oldest  is  that  having  ref- 
erence to  the  Charter  of  Larmenius.  When 
JacquQS  de  ]\Iolay,  Grand  Master  of  the 
Templars,  was  in  prison,  he  is  said  to  have 
sent  for  Larmenius  just  prior  to  his  death, 
and  to  have  given  him  a  charter  ajipointing 
him  his  successor  with  power  to  name  his 
own  successor  and  so  perpetuate  the  Order. 
In  1682,  three  hundred  and  sixty-four,  years 
afterward,  a  society  was  organized  at  Paris, 
called  La  Petite  Resurrection  des  Templiers. 
Its  members  were  bo/i  vivants  among  the 
younger  element  at  the  French  court,  and 
the  organization  became  so  luuch  more  con- 
spicuous for  the  cultivation  of  licentiousness 
than  the  knightly  virtues,  that  it  was  sup- 
pressed by  the  king.  In  1705,  perhaps 
twenty  years  after  its  suppression,  twelve 
years  before  the  revival  of  Freemasonry  in 
England,  and  twenty  years  before  its  intro- 
duction into  France,  the  society  was  revived 
by  Philip,  Duke  of  Orleans,  as  a  secret  po- 
litical organization,  and  declared  a  direct 
continuation  of  the  Order  of  the  Temple 
which  was  overtlirown  and  dispersed  by 
Pope  Clement  V.  and  Philip  the  Fair  in 
1314.  The  authority  for  this  was  the  char- 
ter of  Larmenius,  then  first  nuide  public, Avith 
a  list  of  signatures  following  the  name  of  Lar- 
menius, as  alleged  succeeding  Grand  Mas- 
ters.    The  Duke  tried  to  obtain  recognition 


38 


FREEMASONRY 


for  his  Order  and  for  the  charter  from  the 
Portuguese  Order  of  Christ,  said  to  have 
been  formed  by  a  number  of  De  Molay's  fol- 
lowers wlio  escai')ed  to  Portugal  and  secured 
the  protection  of  the  king,  with  permission 
to  continue  their  Order  under  the  new  title. 
Failing  in  this,  the  Orleans-Larmenius  Order 
of  the  Temple  fell  into  obscurity.  It  was 
last  heard  of  as  the  Societe  d'Aloyau  (Beef- 
steak Club)  about  1789.  The  Revolution  is 
supposed  to  have  finished  it.  In  1804-5 
several  clever,  learned,  but  unscrupulous 
men  came  into  the  possession  of  the  cha^rter 
of  Larmenius  through  having  purchased  a 
jDiece  of  antique  furniture  in  which  it  had 
been  secreted.  It  was  an  easy  matter  to 
bring  the  charter  down  to  date,  by  adding 
names  of  alleged  Grand  Masters,  after  which 
the  Order  of  the  Temple  was  again  revived 
(or  created),  and  exists  to  this  day,  claiming 
to  be  the  only  true  continuation  of  the  orig- 
inal Templars.  Its  progress  was  not  rapid 
in  the  first  quarter  of  the  century,  and  with 
the  introduction  of  Freemasonry  into  France 
these  French  Templars  incorporated  the 
three  symbolic  degrees  as  the  foundation 
of  their  rite.  The  German  Rite  of  the 
Strict  Observance  obtained  its  Templar  Or- 
der, as  stated  in  its  own  legend,  through 
Peter  Aumont,  one  of  De  Molay's  associates 
who  fled  to  Scotland.  This  statement  and 
the  fact  that  Von  Hund,  who  founded  the 
rite,  had  received  the  earlier  (French)  Scot- 
tish degrees  in  Paris,  prior  to  establishing 
his  rite,  are  sufficient  to  show  the  fabulous 
character  of  the  Aumont  story.  The  Swed- 
ish Rite  attributes  its  Order  of  the  Temple 
to  Count  Beaujeu,  a  nephew  of  De  Molay, 
who,  it  declares,  became  a  member  of  the 
Order  of  Christ  in  Portugal,  went  to  Swe- 
den, and  there  revived  the  true  Order  of  the 
Temple.  This  story  also  is  its  own  author- 
ity. The  Scotch  claim  that  the  modern 
Scotch  Templars  descended  from  Knights 
of  the  ancient  Order  who  fled  to  Scotland 
after  the  death  of  De  Molay,  and  joined  the 
ancient  Masonic  Lodge  of  working  Freema- 
sons at  Stirling.     This  also  is  one  of  those 


legends  which  have  been  repeated  so  often 
as  to  finally  gain  credence.  There  was  no 
Knight  Templary  in  Scotland  when  the 
young  Pretender  went  there  prior  to  his 
defeat  at  Culloden,  although  it  has  been  so 
often  stated  that  he  was  elected  Grand  Mas- 
ter of  the  Order  of  the  Temple  in  Scotland 
in  1745,  that  the  story  has  been  looked  upon 
as  true.  English  modern  Templary  is  said 
to  have  been  derived  from  Baldwyn  Encamp- 
ment at  Bristol,  which  had  existed  "from 
time  immemorial,"  or  from  one  or  more  an- 
cient Encampments  at  London,  York,  Bath, 
and  Salisbury,  where  refugee  Knights  of  the 
ancient  Order  made  their  headquarters;  but 
in  the  light  of  modern  historical  evidence  it 
would  be  difficult  to  show  that  these  English 
centres  of  ancient  Templarism  shielded  any 
genuine  Knights  Templars  four  hundred 
years  after  the  death  of  De  Molay;  that  the 
haughty  survivors  of  the  ancient  Order  in 
England  united  ^vitli  the  operative  Free- 
masons of  the  sixteenth  and  seventeenth 
centuries,  or  that  either  as  Knights  or  Free- 
masons they  survived  until  after  the  middle 
of  the  eighteenth  century,  when  Masonic 
Templar  degrees  began  to  make  their  ap- 
pearance from  France. 

The  earliest  recorded  Temple  degree  at 
Baldwyn  Encampment  is  not  traced  beyond 
1779  or  1780,  ten  years  after  some  sort  of 
Templai'y  had  appeared  in  the  United  States 
from  Ireland.  English  Masonic  Templary, 
including  the  degree  of  Knight  of  St.  John 
of  Rhodes,  Palestine,  and  Malta  (the  union 
of  which  Orders  legend-makers  have  ex- 
plained as  due  to  the  association  of  the  early 
Templars  and  Knights  of  Malta  in  Scotland), 
took  sliape  in  1791,  six  years  prior  to  the 
first  Grand  Encampment  formed  in  the 
United  States,  a  General  Conclave  having 
been  organized  in  that  year  by  Dunckerly, 
the  well-known  English  ritualist.  In  1809 
the  title  was  *'  The  Royal,  Exalted,  Reli- 
gious, and  Military  Order  of  H.  R.  D.  M., 
Grand  Elected  Masonic  Knights  Templars, 
K.  D.  S.  H.  of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem,  Pal- 
estine,  Rhodes,   etc."     This  reference   to 


FREEMASONRY 


39 


Heroclem  and  to  Kadosch  points  quite  con- 
clusively to  the  absorption  of  earlier  (French) 
Scottish  degrees.  At  that  period,  too, 
"  Lodges  of  Craft  ^Easons  and  Chapters  of 
the  Koyal  Arch,"  it  was  declared  by  author- 
ity of  the  Eoyal  Grand  Patron,  "  pretend,  by 
virtue  of  their  respective  Charters  of  Con- 
stitution, to  admit  Knights  of  the  several 
Orders  mentioned,  and  to  confer  the  De- 
grees of  RosEe  Crucis  to  the  said  Orders  an- 
nexed and  thereon  dependent;  "  and,  says 
Hughan,  '"means  were  taken  to  prevent 
such  irregularity." 

The  clash  between  the  English  Supreme 
Body,  which  chose  to  absorb  the  chivalric 
degrees,  and  Lodges  and  Chajjters  which, 
as  admitted,  had  long  been  conferring  them 
without  special  authority,  would  seem  to 
further  show  that  these  high  grades  were 
derived  from  the  early  Scottish  degrees  and 
their  successors  (from  which  it  is  admitted 
English  Lodges  received  the  germ  of  their 
Royal  Arch),  and  not  from  surviving 
ancient  Templary  in  England  or  Scotland. 
The  Duke  of  Sussex  became  Grand  Mas- 
ter of  the  exalted  Orders  in  1812,  and  con- 
tinued to  act  until  his  decease  in  1843, 
Colonel  Kemeys-Tynte  succeeding  him  in 
1840.  The  Duke  of  Sussex  was  evidently  not 
satisfied  with  what  he  received  in  the  way  of 
Masonic  Templary  from  Dunckerly,  for  he 
asked  for  and  obtained  the  ritual  of  the 
French  Order  of  the  Temple,  which  he  used, 
as  ^lackey  says,  only  once.  He  also  applied 
to  Alexander  II.  of  Russia,  nominal  head  of 
a  surviving  remnant  of  the  ancient  Knights 
of  Malta  in  Russia,  and  obtained  authority 
to  create  Knights  of  that  rank  in  England, 
which  constitutes  the  nearest  approach  the 
English  body  can  claim  to  any  connection 
with  the  ancient  Knights  of  Malta.  The 
revival  of  the  English  Language  of  the  an- 
cient Knights  of  St.  Jolin,  Malta,  etc.,  in 
England,  in  1831,  where  it  had  been  extinct 
for  nearly  three  hundred  years,  brought  to 
life  an  aristocratic  social  institution  repre- 
senting the  fourth  inroad  of  Maltaism  into 
the  modern  English  Temple  and  ]\[alta  asso- 


ciation, the  first  being  from  the  Dunckerly 
ritual,  the  second  that  imported  from  the 
French  Order  of  the  Temple,  and  the  third 
from  Russia.  In  1846  the  Ancient,  Ac- 
cepted Scottish  Rite  having  finally  been  in- 
troduced into  England,  the  Rose  Croix  and 
Kadosch  degrees  were  "  gradually  restored  " 
to  that  rite.  The  English  Religious  and 
Military  Order  of  the  Temple  spread 
throughout  the  Kingdom,  and  in  1873  the 
Prince  of  Wales  was  installed  frraud  Master 
of  the  Convent  General  (founded  in  1872), 
since  composed  of  the  Great  Priories  of  Eng- 
land and  AVales,  Ireland,  and  Canada.  The 
Scottish  f raters  declined  to  join  the  new  or- 
ganization. Canada  withdrew  in  1883,  and 
still  insists  it  represents  a  continuation  of 
the  ancient  Templars. 

It  was  in  the  early  (French)  Scottish  de- 
grees of  1739-50,  which  multiplied  and  be- 
came popular,  that  a  second  series  of  liigher 
grades  appeared,  those  in  which  Templar 
and  Malta  degrees  were  revived.  The 
(French)  Scottish  Masters  assumed  preroga- 
tives not  possessed  by  ordinary  ^Master  Ma- 
sons, such  as  to  sit  covered  in  Lodges,  to  con- 
trol elections  of  officers  of  symbolic  Lodges, 
and  even  to  usurp  the  functions  of  a  Grand 
Lodge;  and  with  the  fabrication  of  a  ^la- 
souic  Knight  Temjilary,  in  which  the  noviti- 
ate was  told  that  the  Ancient  Templars  fled 
to  Scotland  in  1314  and  there  became  Free- 
masons, was  introduced  another  field  of  ex- 
ploration for  those  who  had  already  delved 
dee])  into  the  arcana  of  symbolic  and  Scot- 
tish degrees.  As  Gould  says:  '"Some  of 
these  Scots  Lodges  would  appear  to  have 
very  early  manufactured  new  degrees  con- 
necting these  very  distinguislied  Scots  Ma- 
sons with  the  Knights  Templars,  and  thus 
giving  rise  to  the  subsequent  flood  of  Tem- 
plarism."  The  Kadosch  (Templar)  degree 
was  invented  as  early  ;is  1741  at  Lyons, 
France.  It  typified  the  revenge  of  the  Tem- 
plars, and  a  modification  of  it  constitutes  the 
thirtieth  degree  of  the  existing  Ancient,  Ac- 
cepted Rite.  By  1745  Masonic  Templary 
had  spread   over   Europe,   finally   securing 


40 


FREEMASONRY 


recognition  in  both  the  York,  independent, 
and  the  Ancient  Grand  Lodges  of  England. 
It  is  to  this  source,  then,  rather  than  to 
Larmenius,  Aumont,  Beaujeu,  or  survivors 
of  ancient  Templars  who  fled  to  England 
and  Scotland  that  one  must  look  for  the 
Masonic  Order  of  the  Temple  as  we  have 
it  in  the  United  Kingdom  and  the  United 
States  to-daj.  The  Order  appeared  in  Ire- 
land prior  to  1779,  but  just  how  long  before 
cannot  be  stated.  It  was  only  natural  that 
it  should  be  popular  in  the  Catholic  city  of 
Dublin,  when  one  considers  the  evolution 
of  symbolic  Freemasonry,  originally  Chris- 
tian, into  a  unitarian  and  cosmopolitan 
institution.  The  definition  of  Masonic 
Knighthood,  by  T.  S.  Parvin,  in  the  Ameri- 
can aj^iiendix  to  Gould's  "  History  of  Free- 
masonry "  (vol.  iv.,  p.  557),  is  as  follows:  It 
"  is  a  society  eminently  Christian,  purged 
of  all  the  leaven  of  heathen  rites  and  tradi- 
tions, and  to  which  none  are  admitted  but 
members  of  a  Masonic  body,  and  such  only 
as  profess  themselves  to  be  Trinitarian 
Christians."  Hugh  McCurdy,  Past  Grand 
Master  of  the  Grand  Encampment  of 
Knights  Templars,  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica, in  an  address  at  the  Triennial  Conclave 
at  Boston,  in  1895,  said: 

Modern  Templary  is  a  Christian  association  of 
Freemasons  adhering  sacredly  to  the  traditions  of 
the  military  Orders  of  the  Crusades,  strictly  follow- 
ing, so  far  as  possible,  their  principles  and  customs, 
yielding  obedience  to  their  teachings,  and  accepting 
laneonditionally  their  Trinitarian  doctrine.  The 
teachings  are  founded  upon  the  Bible,  and  a  Temp- 
lar must  be  a  Christian;  for,  it  is  said,  the  practice 
of  Christian  virtues  is  their  avowed  purj^ose  of  affilia- 
tion. ^'  Non  noiis,  Dotnine,"  is  their  motto,  and 
" In  7ioc  signo  vinces"  is  still  their  legend. 

In  Kilwinning  Lodge,  Dublin,  the  degree 
was  conferred  on  Eoyal  Arch  Masons  under 
the  title  "High  Knights  Templars,"  whence 
it  went  to  Scotland,  and,  strangely,  long  be- 
fore 1779,  the  earliest  record  of  it  in  Dublin, 
to  America, through  an  Irisli  military  Lodge. 
The  earliest  known  record  of  conferring  this 
Masonic  Order  anywhere  is  dated  1769,  in 
St.  Andrew's  Chapter,  Boston.    During  the 


next  thirty  years  it  is  traced  to  Charleston, 
Philadelphia,  New  York  city,  and  to  other 
points  in  the  United  States,  generally  being 
conferred  under  Lodge,  sometimes  Chapter 
warrants.  Prior  to  1797,  there  were  no 
American  Knight  Templar  associations 
authorized  to  grant  warrants  for  Encamp- 
ments, as  Commanderies  were  called  prior 
to  1856,  so  that  nearly  all  earlier  Templar 
bodies  here  were  self -created.  There  were 
Knights  Templars  in  New  Y'ork  city  as 
early  as  1785,  and  in  Philadelphia  in  1794. 
Temple  and  Malta  rituals,  as  used  in  Amer- 
ican Commanderies,  are  purely  American, 
and  show  something  more  than  a  trace  of 
the  Eose  Croix  (eighteenth),  the  Knight  of 
the  Brazen  Serpent  (twenty-fifth).  Com- 
mander of  the  Temple  (twenty-sixth),  and 
the  Knight  Kadosch  (thirtieth)  degrees  of 
the  Ancient,  Accepted  Scottish  Eite,  to 
which  the  American  Temple  and  Malta 
rituals  virtually  owe  their  origin. 

American  records  of  the  Eed  Cross  de- 
gree, now  the  eleventh,  and  the  Knight  of 
Malta,  the  thirteenth  and  last  of  the  Amer- 
ican Eite,  are  few  and  far  between,  jDrior  to 
the  present  century,  but  both  are  known  to 
have  existed  at  Charleston  as  early  as  1783. 
The  Eed  Cross  is  a  fabrication  by  chiefs  of 
the  Scottish  Eite  of  an  earlier  period  from 
what  are  now  the  fifteenth  and  sixteenth 
grades  of  that  rite.  It  was  formerly  prac- 
tised under  the  title  ''Babylonish  Pass,''  has 
a  Jewish  and  Persian  legend,  and  supple- 
ments the  Eoyal  Arch.  It  has  no  place  in 
any  Templar  system  and  should  not  have 
been  incorjDorated  in  one. 

The  Malta  degree  is  out  of  place  in  any 
secret  organization.  The  Ancient  Knights 
of  Malta  did  not  constitute  a  secret  society 
and  Avere  bitter  rivals  of  Knights  Templars. 
In  1856  the  Grand  Encampment  of  Knights 
Templars  of  the  United  States  declared  that 
the  incorporation  of  the  Order  of  Malta  with 
that  of  Knights  Templars,  and  the  making 
the  one  person  the  possessor  of  both  degrees, 
was  a  violation  of  historic  accuracy,  and  the 
Malta  de2:ree  was  discarded;  but  in  1862  it 


FREEMASONRY 


41 


was  restored,  to  be  communicated  after  the 
candidate  luid  been  created  a  Knight  Tem- 
plar. 

The  earliest  notice  of  a  Malta  degree  or 
ceremony  in  Scotland  is  that  on  ^two  old 
brass  plates,  said  to  have  been  in  possession 
of  Stirling  Ancient  Lodge,  but  now  lost. 
One  related  to  the  first  two  degrees  of  Free- 
masonry ;  the  other  displayed  Master's  em- 
blems on  one  side,  and  on  the  reverse,  at  the 
top,  the  Red  Cross  or  ark  ;  at  the  bottom 
a  series  of  concentric  rings  which  suggested 
a  rainbow,  except  for  a  keystone,  indicating 
an  arch  ;  the  sepulclire,  Knight  of  Malta, 
and  Knight  Templar.  The  plates  could 
scarcely  have  dated  back  farther  than  the 
middle  of  the  eighteenth  century,  judging 
from  reference  to  the  Red  Cross.  Scotch 
Masonic  Lodges  became  acquainted  with 
Templar  and  Malta  ceremonies  through 
Irish  brethren  who  belonged  to  regiments 
serving  in  Scotland  about  the  close  of  the 
last  century.  These  degrees  were  then 
known  as  "Black  Masonry,"  and  were  pro- 
pagated through  charters  issued  by  the 
High  Knights  Templars  of  Kilwinning 
Lodge,  in  Dublin.  From  Dublin  Kilwin- 
ning arose  the  early  encampments  of  L'c- 
land,  and  subsequently  tlie  early  Grand 
Encampment,  which  chartered  Lodges  in 
Scotland  and  England.  The  refusal  of 
Baldwyn  Encampment,  England,  to  confer 
the  Temple  and  Malta  Orders  on  any  but 
Royal  Arch  Masons,  which  rule  obtains  in 
like  Masonic  bodies  to  this  day,  has  been 
declared  to  have  given  rise  to  the  formation 
of  Encampments  in  Ireland  separate  from 
the  influence  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity. 
These  Encampments  became  identified  with 
the  Orange  bodies  early  in  this  century, 
and  subsequently  extended  their  influence 
to  America,  through  an  "Imperial  Parent, 
Grand  Black  Encampment"  of  Scotland,  u 
"Grand  Lodge,"  organized  about  1844, 
claiming  supreme  jurisdiction  over  a  reli- 
gious and  military  Order  of  Malta.  (See 
Non-Masonic  Orders  of  Malta. ) 

That  there  was  abundant  material  to  en- 


able this  independent  Scotch-Orange  body 
to  produce  an  Order  of  Malta  is  evident 
from  the  fact  that  in  1720  the  "History  of 
the  Knights  of  Malta,"  by  De  Vertot,  was 
published  in  Paris  ;  and  that  from  1495  to 
1735  there  were  no  less  than  thirty  publica- 
tions treating  of  the  statutes,  ordinances, 
and  ceremonies  of  the  Hospitaller  Order  of 
St.  John  of  Malta.  The  dramas  of  the  day 
also  characterized  the  ceremonies  of  the 
Order,  and  in  Beaumont  and  Fletcher's 
"Knight  of  Malta"  (1646),  the  ceremonies 
at  initiation  and  degradation  are  illustrated 
and  exemplified. 

Masonic  Knight  Templary,  tlien,  is  con- 
nected with  the  ancient  Templars  only  in 
name,  and  tlirough  its  use  of  Temi)lar 
emblems  and  the  names  of  ancient  Grand 
Masters  of  the  Templars,  and  of  sites 
rendered  historical  by  them  as  titles  for 
Commanderies.  The  American  Templar 
ceremonial  is  exclusively  Masonic  in  method 
and  arrangement,  repi'esenting  the  second, 
or  Christian,  in  cratrast  with  the  first,  or 
Jewish,  dispensation.  It  docs  not  incorpo- 
rate the  ritual  of  the  ancient  or  of  English 
Templars.  It  is  doubtful  whether  there 
was  much  of  any  ceremonial  in  American 
Templar  bodies  until  in  the  second  decade 
of  the  present  century.  Early  American 
Encampments  are  known  to  have  had  little 
else  than  distinctive  uniforms,  emblems, 
and  an  obligation.  Bi\t  in  1814  the  Sover- 
eign Grand  Consistory  of  the  ancient  Scot- 
tish Rite  of  Ilerodem,  established  at  Xew 
York  city  in  1807  by  Joseph  Ccrneau,  a 
spurious  Scottish  Rite  body,  whicli  had  no 
more  to  do  with  the  independent  Templar 
Encampments  of  that  day  than  with  the 
New  York  Chamber  of  Conjmerce,  pre- 
sumed to,  and  actually  did,  constitute  a 
Grand  Encampment  of  Knights  Tem]>lars 
and  Appendent  Orders  for  tlie  State  of  New 
York.  It  was  the  early  Ccrneau  Masons 
who.  without  authority,  constituted  a  Grand 
Encampment  of  Knights  Temjdars,  a  body  of 
which  they  officially  knew  nothing,  and  who 
filclied  from  four  Scottish  Rite  dcirrecs  that 


42 


FREEMASONRY 


which,  with  modifications,  gives  an  impres- 
sive and  sacred  character  to  the  American 
Temple  and  Malta  ceremonials.  A  Grand 
Encampment  of  Pennsylvania  was  formed 
in  1794,  twenty  years  before  that  in  New 
York,  and  a  second  one  in  1797,  in  which 
State  the  Grand  Chapter,  as  well  as  Grand 
Commaudery,  recognizes  a  higher  authority 
iu  the  Grand  Lodge.  The  United  States 
Grand  Encampment,  that  of  Massachusetts 
and  Ehode  Island,  was  formed  in  1805.  In 
1816,  two  years  after  the  formation  of  the 
Grand  Encampment  of  the  State  of  New 
York,  which  was  not  even  recognized  by 
Encampments  in  that  State  for  five  or  six 
years,  a  convention  of  eight  Encampments 
(five  from  New  England,  and  three  from 
New  York  State)  was  held  at  Hartford, 
Conn.,  and  the  Grand  Encampment  of 
Knights  Templars,  U.  S.  A.,  was  organized. 
There  were  also  in  existence  at  that  time 
six  other  Encampments,  which  did  not  take 
part  in  the  organization  of  what  finally  be- 
came the  Supreme  Ameftcan  Templar  body, 
one  each  at  Philadelphia,  Pittsburg,  New 
York,  Wilmington,  Del.,  Baltimore,  and 
Charleston.  Prior  to  1865  the  growth  of 
the  Order  in  America  was  slow,  but  since 
the  Civil  War  the  organization  has  been 
very  popular,  numbering  forty-three  Grand 
Commanderies  and  115,770  members  in  1898, 
out  of  about  120,000  in  the  United  States, 
United  Kingdom,  and  in  Canada.  Eighty 
years  ago  there  were  probably  not  more 
than  500  Knights  Templars  in  the  fourteen 
Encampments  in  existence  iu  the  United 
States,  when  the  Grand  Encampment  of 
the  United  States  of  America  was  formed. 

An  accompanying  table  of  total  mem- 
bership of  the  American  Eite,  members 
of  Lodges,  Koyal  Arch  Chapters,  Councils 
of  Royal  and  Select  Masters,  and  Command- 
eries of  Knights  Templars,  is  presented 
so  as  to  show  comparative  statistics  for 
countries,  provinces,  etc.  The  American 
Rite  exists  in  its  entirety  only  in  the 
United  States.  There  are  Royal  Arch 
Chapters  on  the  American   system  in  the 


Dominion  of  Canada,  as  well  as  Encamp- 
ments of  Knights  Templars,  but  no  Coun- 
cils of  Royal  and  Select  Masters,  unless 
the  bodies  in  New  Brunswick  are  active. 
There  are  a  few  Councils  of  Royal  and 
Select  Masters  in  the  United  Kingdom, 
where  the  Order  of  the  Temple  is  also 
found,  with  a  total  membership  of  about 
4,000,  as  comjjared  with  nearly  113,000  in 
the  United  States.  Out  of  768,511  Master 
Masons  in  the  United  States  in  1897, 
193,639,  or  25  per  cent.,  were  Royal  Arch 
Masons  ;  and  of  the  latter,  43,478,  5.6  per 
cent,  of  the  total  number  of  Master 
Masons  and  22.5  per  cent,  of  the  Royal 
Arch  Masons,  were  Royal  and  Select  Mas- 
ters. The  latter  degrees  are  not  generally 
made  essential  to  gain  admission  to  the 
Templar  Order,  which  explains  their  com- 
paratively small  membership.  Six  Amer- 
ican Royal  Arch  Masons  out  of  ten,  however, 
are  Knights  Temj^lars,  and  one  Master 
Mason  out  of  seven.  The  strongest  Grand 
Lodges  numerically  are  those  of  New  York, 
including  about  one-eighth  of  all  the  Mas- 
ter Masons  in  the  country  ;  Illinois,  one- 
fifteenth  ;  and  Pennsylvania,  one-twentieth 
— in  all,  23  per  cent,  of  the  members  of  the 
Fraternity  in  the  United  States  and  Terri- 
tories. New  York  also  reports  the  largest 
number  of  Royal  Arch  Masons,  about  one- 
tenth  of  the  grand  total ;  Pennsylvania  being 
second,  with  one-twelfth  ;  and  Illinois  third, 
with  nearly  as  large  a  |)roportion.  The 
Cryptic  Rite,  including  the  degrees  of  Royal 
and  Select  Masters,  is  most  popular  in 
Massachusetts,  where  one-eighth  of  all  who 
have  those  degrees  are  to  be  found.  Ohio 
ranks  next,  with  one-tenth;  Michigan  third, 
with  nearly  as  large  a  total,  and  New  York 
fourth  in  order.  The  Grand  Commandery 
of  Massachusetts  and  Rhode  Island  reports 
more  than  one-tenth  of  the  total  number  of 
Knights  Templars  in  the  United  States, 
Pennsylvania  about  one-tenth,  and  New 
York  a  slightly  smaller  proportion,  after 
which  rank  Illinois  and  Ohio,  with  about 
one-twelfth  and  one-fifteenth,  respectively. 


FREEMASONRY 


43 


TOTAL   ACTIVE    MEMBERSHIP   OF    THE    AMERICAN 

RITE  OF  FREE  AND  ACCEPTED 

MASONS. 


Total 

Active  Membership, 

1897. 


Maine 

New  Hiimpsliire 

Vermont 

Massacluisctts 

Rlioile  Island 

Connecticut 

New  York    

New  Jersey 

Pennsylvania 

Delaware 

Ohio 

Indiana 

Illinois 

Missouri 

Michigan 

Kansas 

Kentucky 

Colorado 

Wisconsin 

Minnesota 

Iowa 

Nebraska 

South  Dakota 

North  Dakota 

Montana 

Wyoming 

Maryland 

Virginia 

West  Virginia 

North  Carolina 

South  Carolina 

Georgia 

Florida 

Alabanui ...   . 

^Mississippi 

Louisiana.    

Texas 

Tennessee. . . 

Arkansas  . . . .' 

District  of  Columbia. 

California 

Oregon 

Nevada 

Washington 

Idaho... 

Arizona 

Indian  Territory 

New  Mexico  

Utah 

Oklahoma 

+  Attached     to    General 
Grand  Bodies 


Totals,  I'nited  States 


Ontario 

Ouebec 

New  Brunswick 

Nova  Scotia 

Prince  Kdward  Island. 

Newfoundland 

Manitoba 

N.  W.  Territory 

British  Columbia 


Totals,  Canada. 

England  and  Wales 

Ireland 

Scotland 

Victoria,  Australia., 


Grand  Total 


o  o 


S,9(i3 

9,(i94 

3r,4G0 

4,890 

lfi,813 

90,874 

1(>,094 

49,.')89 

2,077 

40,839 

~>8.430 

.'•)-2,,-iU9 

30,(i06 

.38,608 

19,.595 

18.367 

7  2i 

16',4b8 

l.-),428 

26,890 

11,8;!6 

4,213 

2..5;i,-) 

2,()20 

1.023 

7,310 

12,052 

.5,867 

10,8:3!) 

.5,72 

17,31' 

4.393 

11,113 

9,110 

5,363 

30,567 

17,082 

13,204 

5,118 

18.208 

4,874 

948 

4,991 

1,152 

569 

2,908 

894 

7(i3 

1.085 


768,511 

23,351 

3,519 

1.774 

3.351 

515 


2.413 


1,272 


36,195 

See 
Another 
Exhibitt 


1,324,000 


32 


5,89 
3,335 
2.t!50 

13,944 
2,347 
5,433 

19,400 
3,234 

15,95' 
59, 

13,373 
6,479 

10.414 
6,681 

12,077 
5,057 
2,826 
2,456 
1.077 
4,615 
7:046 
3,042 
1,.529 
765 
663 


2,189 
1,416 
1,056 
5.294 
1,215 
3.212 
3,932 
413 
1,815 


1,602 
2,407 
1,115 

818 

591 
3,266 

675 
1,007 
1,: 
1,005 
.5,681 
2,755 
1.89' 
2,192 
.5.178 
1,238 

228 
1,141 


179 
581 


6,538 
None 


200,16; 


2,828 
704 

4,006 
79' 
7.52 


89 
133 
514 

72 


434 

20' 


901 
189 


963 


43,478 

Dorm 'I 
None 

No  etat. 
None 


79; 
None 


44,275 


as 


3,153 
2,060 
1,499 

11,789 

2,363 
11,037 

1,779 
11,218 


t... 


8,071 

3,.526 

9,518 

4,237 

5,.52;i 

3,234 

2,020 

1,667 

2,902 

2,448 

4,343 

1,769 

750 

426 

34S 

319 

1,132 

1,481 

951 

347 

'7i9 

' "  ':i82 

441 

320 

2,115 

1,091 

122 

1,534 

3.033 

415 


626 


122 
123 


1,562 


112,891 


1,548 

2.366 
968 
525 
76 


118,374 


t  Attached  to  (inmil  Encami)nient. 


Ancient,  Accepted  Scottuh  Rite,  33°. — 
Mackey,  in  his  "  EncjclopEedia  of  Freema- 
sonry ''  (p.  G97),  says  of  the  Rite  :  "  Although 
one  of  the  youngest  of  the  Masonic  rites, 
having  been  esta])lished  not  earlier  than  the 
year  1801,  it  is  at  this  day  the  most  popular 
and  most  extensively  diffused.  Supreme 
Councils  or  governing  bodies  of  the  Rite  are 
to  be  found  in  almost  every  civilized  coun- 
try of  the  world,  and  in  many  of  them  it  is 
the  only  Masonic  obedience."  It  was  con- 
structed at  Charleston,  S.  C,  in  1801,  out  of 
the  twenty-five  degrees  of  the  Rite  of  Per- 
fection, Chapter  of  Clermont,  Paris,  1754, 
which  were  absorbed  by  the  Emperors  of 
the  East  and  West,  1758,  which  body 
granted  a  patent  in  1761  to  Stephen  Morin 
to  introduce  the  Rite  of  Perfection,  twenty- 
five  degrees,  into  the  West  Indies  and  Amer- 
ica. Reference  to  the  rise  and  progress  of 
the  fabrication  of  so-called  higher  Masonic 
degrees  in  France  and  elsewhere  on  the 
European  Continent  may  be  found  in  the 
outline  of  Masonic  rites  and  the  discussion 
of  the  origin  of  the  Royal  Arch  and  Knight 
Templar  degrees.  McClenachan  declares  * 
that  Morin's  patent  was  probably  the  first 
Masonic  document  of  the  kind  ever  issued. 
The  best  informed  Masonic  students  admit 
that  such  a  document  was  issued.  Accord- 
ing to  the  existing  copy,  it  empo^-ered  Morin 
to  confer  the  twenty-five  degrees  and  ap- 
point Inspectors  of  the  Rite  of  Perfection. 
Morin  was  an  Inspector  and  a  Sovereign 
Prince  Mason  (then  the  twenty-fifth,  now 
the  thirty-second  degree).  The  title  In- 
spector referred  to  an  office  and  not  a  degree. 
The  Morin  patent  was  signed  by  representa- 
tives of  the  Council  of  Emperors  of  the 
East  and  West  and  by  officials  of  the 
National  Grand  Lodge  of  France  who  were 
members  of  the  Council  of  Emperors.  In 
1772  the  Council  of  Emperors  united  with 
a  faction  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  France, 
and  died  a  few  months  later.  The  Grand 
Lodge  of  France  declared,  in  1779,  that  it 

*  American  Appendix  to  Gould's  History  of  Free- 
masonry, vol.  iv.,  p.  626. 


44 


FREEMASONRY 


knew  nothing  of  ''high  degrees/'  and  in 
1786  formed  the  French  Rite  by  adding 
modifications  of  four  borrowed  Scottish  Rite 
degrees  to  the  three  symbolic  degrees,  which 
system  it  practises  to  this  day.  The  impor- 
tance of  this,  which  is  admitted  by  all 
except  partisan  chroniclers  who  have  axes 
to  grind,  or  are  in  need  of  dupes,  lies  in  the 
fact  tliat  existing  spurious  Scottish  Rite 
bodies  in  America  claim  authority  for  using 
the  Rite  of  Perfection  from  the  Grand  Ori- 
ent of  France.  Morin  landed  in  San  Do- 
mingo in  1762  or  1763,  and  in  the  same  year 
established  a  Council  of  Princes  of  the  Royal 
Secret,  25°,  and  created  Henry  Andrew 
Francken  Deputy  Inspector  for  North 
America,  25°,  who,  in  1767,  organized  a 
Lodge  of  Perfection  at  Albany,  N.  Y.,  thus 
introducing  the  Rite  of  Perfection  on  the 
American  Continent.  This  Lodge  was  dor- 
mant from  1774  until  1821,  w4ien  it  was 
revived,  and  is  still  in  existence,  the  oldest 
high-grade  Masonic  organization  in  the 
world.  The  next  body  to  confer  Sublime  or 
Scottish  degrees  in  this  country  was  a  Lodge 
of  Perfection  at  Philadelphia  in  1781.  The 
work  of  creating  Inspectors,  25°,  of  the  Rite 
of  Perfection,  progressed  rapidly,  and  by 
the  end  of  the  century,  in  addition  to  nu- 
merous representative  American  chiefs  of 
the  Rite,  introduced  here  by  Morin  through 
Francken,  there  were  some  who  were  merely 
peddlers  of  degrees,  who  traveled  about 
the  country  making  twenty-fifth  degree 
Freemasons  "  at  sight,"''  for  a  price.  Ref- 
erence to  an  accompanying  chart  shows 
that  the  filiation  of  powers  over  the  Rite 
of  twenty-five  degrees  coming  from  Morin, 
took  two  courses  in  the  Western  world. 
On  the  one  hand  it  descended  through 
Francken  to  Hayes  (1767-1770),  with  power 
covering  North  America,  and  thence  to 
Spitzeras  Deputy  Inspector  (1781),  to  Cohen 
(1781),  Jacobs  (1790),  Long  and  Mitchell  (in 
1795),  and  to  De  Grasse  Tilly  in  179G.  On 
the  other,  Prevost,  who  was  created  Deputy 
Inspector  by  Francken  (1774),  conferred  the 
office  on  Du  Plessis  (1790),  who  made  Hac- 


quet  an  Inspector  in  1798.  From  the  latter, 
Du  Potet  received  the  Rite  in  1799,  and  Du 
Potet  made  Joseph  Cerneau  Deputy  Inspec- 
tor, 25°,  at  Baracoa  (1806),  "for  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  Island  of  Cuba.''  In  1783 
a  third  Grand  Lodge  of  Perfection  was  estab- 
lished at  Charleston  by  Isaac  Da  Costa,  who 
had  been  made  Deputy  Inspector  by  Hayes, 
and  in  1792  a  fourth  like  body  was  formed 
at  Baltimore  by  Henry  Williams.  In  1788 
a  Council  of  Princes  of  Jerusalem  (fifteenth 
and  sixteenth  degrees)  was  instituted  at 
Charleston  by  Joseph  Myers,  Deputy  In- 
spector with  authority  from  Hayes,  and 
in  1799  the  first  Grand  Council  of  Princes 
of  the  Royal  Secret,  25°,  was  formed  at 
Charleston  by  Hyman  Long  and  others, 
acting  under  authority  of  the  chiefs  of  the 
Rite  at  Kingston,  Jamaica,  which  action 
was  approved  by  the  latter  in  the  same 
year.  In  1797  Huet  La  Chelle,  Du  Potet, 
and  others  opened  "  La  Trij^le  Union " 
Sovereign  Chapter  Rose  Croix  of  H.  R. 
D.  M.,  of  Kilwinning,  Scotland,  at  New 
York  city.  This  was  not  the  Rose  Croix 
(eighteenth  degree)  of  the  Rite  of  Perfec- 
tion, which  is  now  the  eighteenth  degree  of 
the  Ancient,  Accepted  Scottish  Rite,  but 
the  second  degree  of  the  Royal  Order  of 
Scotland.  La  Chelle  came  to  New  York 
from  San  Domingo  and  is  not  known  to 
have  had  any  authority  to  establish  a  Kil- 
winning Rose  Croix  Chapter,  except  by 
virtue  of  some  old  ritual  which  may  have 
fallen  into  his  hands. 

At  Charleston,  S.  C,  May  31,  1801, 
John  Mitchell  and  Frederick  Dalcho,  as 
Sovereign  Grand  Inspectors  General, 
opened  a  Supreme  Council  of  the  thirty- 
third  degree  for  the  United  States  of 
America.  The  Rite  of  Perfection,  twenty- 
five  degrees,  was  used  as  a  basis  for  the 
new,  the  Ancient,  Accepted  Scottish  Rite, 
eight  degrees  being  added.  The  twenty- 
third  degree  in  the  old  Rite,  Knight  of  the 
Sun,  became  tlie  twenty-eighth  in  the  new 
one  ;  the  twenty-fourth.  Knight  Kadosch, 
became  the  thirtieth  ;  and  the  twenty-fifth. 


FREEMASONRY 


45 


Prince  of  the  Royal  Secret,  became  the 
thirty-second.  The  added  degrees  (except 
the  thirty-third)  Avere  selected  in  part 
from  existing  material,  and  now  rank  as 
the  twenty-third,  twenty-fourth,  twenty- 
fifth,  twenty-sixth,  twenty-seventh,  twenty- 
ninth,  and  thirty-first.  Members  of  the 
thirty-third  aud  last  degree  constitute  the 
chiefs  of  the  Eite.  The  new  Supreme 
Council  recognized  Morin's  patent  and  cre- 
ated Morin  a  Sovereign  Grand  Inspector, 
33°.  It  also  recognized  the  Grand  Consti- 
tutions of  1762,  supposed  to  have  been  for- 
warded to  Morin  after  he  left  France,  a  copy 
of  which  Morin  gave  Francken,  and  was  left 
by  the  latter  in  Albany  in  1767  ;  and  the 
Secret  Constitutions  of  May  1,  1786,  by 
which  Frederick  the  Great  was  made  the 
founder  of  the  Aucient,Accepted  Eite,  33°, 
supreme  power  descending  from  the  Em- 
peror of  Prussia  to  nine  brethren  of  each 
nation  to  act  as  Grand  Commanders  or  Sov- 
ereigns of  Masonry.  By  these  constitu- 
tions it  was  provided  that  there  should  be 
one  Supreme  Council,  33°,  for  each  state  or 
kingdom  in  Europe,  one  for  the  West  Indies, 
one  also  for  the  French  West  Indies,  and 
two  for  (the  United  States  of)  North 
America.  In  this  one  finds  the  origin 
of  the  power  in  the  rite  possessed  by  active 
thirty-third  degree  Freemasons.  The  Secret 
Constitutions  have  frequently  been  at- 
tributed to  the  Charleston  creators  of  the 
rite,  and  good  reasons  have  been  adduced 
to  show  that  Frederick  of  Prussia  never 
heard  of  them,  although  Pike  makes  a  strong 
argument  in  favor  of  their  royal  origin  in 
Prussia.  AVhatever  the  facts,  the  legend 
continues  as  virile  and  yet  as  innocuous  as 
that  which  attributes  so  much  to  our  ancient 
Grand  Master,  Solomon,  King  of  Israel,  in 
symbolic  and  Eoyal  Arch  degrees.  By  the 
end  of  1801  the  full  number  of  Sovereign 
Grand  Inspectors  General  was  completed, 
but  the  new  rite  was  not  formally  an- 
nounced to  the  world  until  1803.  In  1801 
a  Council  of  Princes  of  Jerusalem,  subordi- 
nate to  the  new  Supreme  Council  at  Charles- 


ton, established  a  Lodge  of  Perfection.  In 
February,  1802,  Count  A.  F.  A.  De  Grasse 
Tilly  was  granted  a  patent  by  tlie  Supreme 
Council  A.  A.  S.  E.,  33°  (mother  Council 
of  the  world),  to  constitute,  establish,  direct, 
and  inspect  Masonic  bodies  in  two  hemi- 
spheres. Under  this  he  organized  a  Su- 
preme Council  A.  A.  S.  E.,  33°,  in  San 
Domingo  in  1802  (which  did  not  live  beyond 
1803),  and  another,  the  third,  at  Paris,  in 
1804.  The  De  Grasse  Tilly  French  Supreme 
Council  continues  to  this  day  the  governing 
body  of  the  A.  A.  S.  E.,  33°,  in  France. 
It  carried  back  to  France  the  new  rite  of 
thirty-three  degrees,  founded  on  the  old 
Scottish  (French)  Eite  of  Perfection,  twenty- 
five  degrees,  as  something  entirely  new  and 
distinct,  a  Masonic  Eite,  as  such,  of  which 
France  had  no  previous  knowledge.  De 
Grasse  Tilly,  on  his  arrival  in  Paris,  found 
Germain  Hacquet,  25°  (see  chart  of  powers 
of  filiation),  who  had  established  the  Scot- 
tish Eite  of  Herodem,  an  offshoot  of  the 
unauthorized  Kilwinning  Rose  Croix  of 
Herodem,  founded  in  New  York  by  La 
Chelle  and  others  in  1797,  a  degree  of  the 
Eoyal  Order  of  Scotland,  having  no  connec- 
tion with  the  Eite  of  Perfection,  and,  of 
course,  none  with  the  A.  A.  S.  E.  of  1801. 
To  the  founding  of  the  new  French  Supreme 
Council,  Hacquet  and  his  Eose  Croix  pro- 
ject offered  an  obstacle  and  were  promptly 
absorbed.  The  old  Eite  of  Perfection 
had  been  forgotten  in  France,  and  came 
back  with  eight  more  degrees — an  absolute 
stranger.  The  right  of  Mitchell,  Dalcho, 
and  others  to  organize  a  new  rite  of  thirty- 
three  degrees  may  hardly  be  called  in  ques- 
tion. The  old  Eite  of  Perfection  had  no 
governing  body,  had  been  forgotten  in 
Europe,  and  a  new  rite  had  been  created  aud 
carried  to  France,  where  the  Grand  Orient, 
governing  a  French  system  of  seven  degrees, 
was  the  only  Grand  Body  in  existence.  The 
Grand  Orient,  alarmed  at  the  prestige  of 
and  the  prospects  for  success  of  the  new  rite 
of  thirty-three  degrees,  a  system  containing 
more  degrees  than  had  ever  been  constructed 


46 


FREEMASONRY 


before,  made  overtures  for  harmony,  particu- 
larly as  it  had  utilized  in  its  own  system, 
without  warrant,  a  modification  of  the  old 
Kite  of  Perfection  Kose  Croix  degree,  the 
eighteenth  in  both  that  and  the  A.  A.  S.  R. 
It  certainly  could  have  no  claim  to  all  of 
the  thirty-three  degrees,  seven  of  which  it 
knew  nothing  about  oflBcially,  and  one, 
nothing  about  whatever.  The  result  was 
a  concordat,  December  5,  1804,  by  which 
the  Grand  Orient  was  to  have  the  right  to 
confer  the  first  eighteen  degrees ;  but  in 
1805  the  Grand  Orient  broke  the  agreement 
and  claimed  the  right  to  control  thirty-three 
degrees.  This  was  resisted,  and  a  long 
quarrel  followed.  In  1814,  the  Supi-eme 
Council  being  weakened  by  the  loss  of  many 
influential  members  (Bonapartists),  the 
Grand  Orient,  by  a  coup  d'etat,  usurped 
control  of  the  thirty-three  degrees,  where- 
upon the  Supreme  Council  retaliated  by 
resuming  control  of  all  the  degrees  from 
the  fourth  to  the  eighteenth,  inclusive. 

Political  conditions  in  France  resulted  in 
the  Supreme  Council  becoming  dormant 
between  1814  and  1821,  during  which  in- 
terval and  subsequent  thereto  the  Grand 
Orient  claimed  to  control  thirty-three  de- 
grees, until  1862,  when  peace  was  restored 
and  the  Grand  Orient  retired  to  its  proper 
sphere.  The  action  of  the  Grand  Orient 
between  1814  and  1862  may  be  likened  to 
an  attemjit  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  New 
York  State  to  confer  the  degrees  controlled 
by  the  Grand  Chapter  or  by  the  Grand 
Commaudery. 

In  1806  Antoine  Bideaud,  33°,  created 
a  Sovereign  Grand  Inspector  General  in 
the  Supreme  Council  instituted  by  Count 
De  Grasse  Tilly  at  San  Domingo,  in  1803 
(but  without  authority  to  act  on  the 
continent  of  North  America),  organized  a 
Sovereign  Grand  Consistory,  S.  P.  E.  S. 
32",  at  New  York  city,  of  which  notice 
was  sent  to  the  mother  Supreme  Coun- 
cil at  Charleston.  Bideaud  had  no  right 
to  organize  a  Masonic  body  in  New  York, 
but   he   was   a   thirty-third    degree  Mason 


under  the  authority  of  a  Supreme  Council 
created  by  the  Charleston  mother  Supreme 
Council,  and  his  New  York  Consistory  was 
afterwards  made  regular  by  the  Charleston 
body.  In  1807  Joseph  Cerneaii,  a  French 
immigrant,  who  had  received  the  twenty- 
five  degrees  of  the  Rite  of  Perfection  from 
Mathieu  du  Potet  at  Baracoa,  Cuba,  in 
1806,  organized  a  "  Grand  Consistory  of 
Sublime  Princes  of  the  Royal  Secret'"  of  the 
''Scottish  Rite  of  Herodem."  Cerneau 
utilized  the  Rose  Croix  Chapter  '"'La  Triple 
Union  "  of  1797,  which  was  not  a  Scottish 
Rite  body,  in  building  up  his  Consistory. 
Reference  to  an  accompanying  chart,  and  to 
Cerneau's  patent,  shows  that  he  had  only 
the  twenty-five  degrees  of  the  Rite  of  Per- 
fection when  he  did  this.  For  that  matter, 
he  did  not,  at  that  time,  claim  to  have  the 
thirty-three  degrees  of  the  Ancient,  Accepted 
Rite.  In  1808  the  Bideaud  body  issued  to 
J.  G.  Tardy  a  patent  as  Illustrious  Com- 
mander, etc.,  under  the  statutes,  etc.,  of  the 
Supreme  Tribunal  of  Sovereign  Grand  In- 
spectors General,  which,  while  Bideaud  was 
not  authorized  to  do  so,  is  important  as  show- 
ing that  the  sublime  degrees,  as  created  by 
the  A.  A.  S.  R.  Supreme  Council  at  Charles- 
ton, were  being  conferred  in  New  York 
city  at  that  date.  In  1812  Joseph  Cerneau 
organized  at  New  York  a  Supreme  Council 
of  Sovereign  Grand  Inspectors  General, 
33°,  for  the  United  States  of  America,  its 
Territories  and  Dependencies,  with  himself 
as  Most  Puissant  Sovereign  Grand  Com- 
mander, and  from  this  assumption  on  his 
part  grew  the  dissension  in  Scottish  Rite 
Masonry  in  the  United  States  which  marked 
many  succeeding  years.  Even  a  tyro  at 
controversy  might  well  ask  where  did  the 
man  of  the  twenty-five  degrees  of  the  Rite  of 
Perfection  get  his  title,  "  Sovereign  Grand 
Inspector  General,"  and  his  ''thirty-third 
degi'ee"  ?  As  a  matter  of  fact,  he  assumed 
them  with  the  same  effrontery  that  Cagli- 
ostro,  after  receiving  the  three  symbolic 
degrees,  invented  his  "ancient"  Egyptian 
Rite,  with  the  sole  difference  that  the  Italian 


FREEMASONRY 


47 


impostoi'  bad  the  decency  to  create  some- 
thing instead  of  pretending  to  possess  de- 
grees which  did  not  belong  to  him  and  which 
he  did  not  have.  Ccrneaii  dupes,  and  others, 
have  declared  that  Cerneau  received  his 
patent  from  one  Martin,  "a  successor  of 
Morin,''  who,  they  allege,  had  his  patent 
recalled  by  the  Emperors  of  the  East  and 
West  in  176G.  Cerneau's  patent  itself  is 
sufficient  refutation,  but  just  what  advan- 
tage would  have  been  gained  by  Cerneau  if 
it  had  been  so,  is  not  clear.  Martin  is  un- 
known to  the  Masonic  world  other  than  to 
purveyors  of  Cerneau  gold  bricks.  Cerneau 
received  his  patent  as  Inspector,  25°,  from 
Du  Potet,  and  Du  Potet  his  from  Du  Plcs- 
sis.  Du  Plcssis  was  made  a  thirty-third 
degree  Freemason  b}"  Du  Grasse  Tilly,  in 
1802,  three  years  after  he  had  created  Du 
Potet  an  Inspector,  and  fully  four  years  be- 
fore Du  Potet  gave  Cerneau  his  patent.  Why 
did  Du  Plessis  feel  it  necessary  to  get  an- 
other patent  in  order  to  secure  the  thirty- 
third  degree  of  the  A.  A.  S.  R.  ?  Yet  Du 
Plessis  was  the  Masonic  grandfather  of 
Cerneau. 

The  chiefs  of  the  Bideaud  (New  York) 
body,  among  others,  were  J.  G.  Tardy,  J.  J. 
J.  Gourgas,  and  J.  B.  Desdoity,  to  whom 
Bideaud  gave  the  thirty-second  degree  ;  yet 
they  soon  found  they  Avere  not  regular,  be- 
cause of  Bideaud's  lack  of  authority  in  New 
York,  and  were  healed  at  Philadelphia,  in 
1807  and  1808,  by  Du  Plessis,  who  received 
the  thirty-third  degree  in  1802,  from  De 
Grasse  Tilly.  It  was  in  1813  that  Emanuel 
De  la  Motta,  a  Sovereign  Grand  Inspector 
General  of  the  mother  Supreme  Council, 
A.  A.  S.  R.,  33°,  at  Charleston,  S.  C,  arrived 
in  New  York  with  full  power  from  the 
mother  Supreme  Council,  when,  with  the 
aid  of  those  who  had  been  connected  with 
the  Bideaud  body,  he  organized  the  Supreme 
Council,  A.  A.  S.  R.,  33°  (the  second  in  the 
United  States),  for  the  Northern  Jurisdic- 
tion, with  Daniel  D.  Tompkins,  afterward 
Vice-President  of  the  United  States,  in  the 
Grand  East. 


The  Cerneau  body,  a  Sovereign  Consistory, 
at  first  produced  its  Supreme  Council  attach- 
ment in  1812.  It  was  more  active  than  the 
De  la  Motta  body.  It  naturally  ignored  the 
Charleston  Supreme  body,  and  corresponded 
with  the  Grand  Orient  of  France  at  a  period 
when  that  body  was  most  anxious  to  recog- 
nize a  claimant  of  any  Masonic  rite,  as  it  was 
engaged  in  an  effort  to  disrupt  the  Su])reme 
Council  of  France  and  so  monopolize  the 
latter's  system  of  thirty-three  degrees.  The 
character  of  the  Cerneau  body  of  1814  is 
illustrated  by  its  presuming  to  organize  the 
Grand  Encam])ment  of  Knights  Templars 
of  New  York.  Notwithstanding  neither 
the  Supreme  Council,  Northern  Jurisdic- 
tion, or  the  Cerneau  body  made  much  effort 
to  popularize  the  rite  prior  to  18C0,  the  latter 
skilfully  advertised  itself,  going  so  far  as  to 
deceive  De  Witt  Clinton  into  accepting  of- 
fice, a  position  which  he  held  several  years 
without  ever  filling  it  or  ever  being  present 
at  a  meeting.  Mackey  explains  that  Clinton 
became  "unwittingly  complicated"  with 
the  spurious  (Cerneau)  "Consistory,"  and 
states  how,  but  "took  no  active  part  "in  it, 
and  soon  "  withdrew  from  all  connection 
with  it."  A  chronological  synopsis  of  the 
more  important  events  in  the  careers  of 
Supreme  Councils  prior  to  1863  is  given  as 
follows  : 


A.  A.  S.  R.— U.  S.  A. 

Southern  Jmisdiction . 

1801. 

Charleston,  S.  C,  Supreme 
Council  of  the  I'uited  States, 
foriiK'd  by  Count  A.  F.  A. 
De  (irasso  Tilly,  John  Mitchell, 
J.  K.  I)elaho>ru(',  and  Fred- 
erick I)alcho  ;  Mitchell,  Grand 
Commander. 

1802. 

Tableau  that  year  showB 
nine  Sovereign  Grand  Inspect- 
ors General. 

1807. 

Seven  Sovereign  Grand  In- 
spectors General. 


IRREGULAR  SCOTTISH 
RITE  BODIES. 


1811. 

New  Orleans.  Grand  Con- 
sistory P.  K.  S.  ;£2°,  oreanizc<l 
hy^  regular  Supremo  Council  at 
Kingston,  preceding  Cerneau 
invasion  of  the  South. 


48 


FREEMASONRY 


A.  A.  S.  R.-U.  S.  A. 
Southei'n  Jurisdiction. 

.  1813. 
Commissioned  Emanuel  De 
la  Motia  to  organize  a  Su- 
preme Council  at  New  York 
city  for  Northern  Jurisdiction, 
wHicli  was  done. 

1822. 
Corresponded  with  Northern 
Supreme       Council      through 
Bouse  and  Holbrook.  Commit- 
tee on  Correepomlence. 

1823-24. 
Frederick     Dalcho,     Grand 
Commander. 


IRREGULAR  SCOTTISH 
RITE  BODIES. 

1813-55. 
New  Orleans.  A  Cerneau 
Scottish  Kite  body  appc:ucd  in 
1813  (two  years  after  the  Kings- 
ton Rose  Croix  Chapter).  After 
a  fight  of  forty  years  (during 
which,  in  1830,  "it  became  in- 
dependent), in  which  it  antag- 
onized the  Grand  Lodge  of 
Louisiana  by  assuming  to  war- 
rant Lodges  and  confer  the 
three  symbolic  degrees,  it 
united  with  the  regular  Con- 
sistory at  New  Orleans,  formed 
by  the  Supreme  Council,  South- 
ern Jurisdiction,  at  Charleston. 


1825. 
G.  F.  Yates  created  a  Sover- 
eign Grand  Inspector  General. 

1827. 

Acknowledged  receipt  of 
documents  from  Northern  Su- 
preme Council  and  partitioned 
ITnited  States  between  itself 
and  Northern  Supreme  Coun- 
cil. 

1828-32. 

Corresponded  with  Grand 
Orient  of  France  until  1832. 
(Dormant  1832  to  1844.) 

1844. 
Alexander  McDonald,  Grand 
Commander. 

18.%. 
John  Henry  Honour,  Grand 
Commander. 


1859. 

Albert    Pike,    Grand    Com- 
mander. 

1892. 
James  C.  Batchelor,  Grand 
Commander. 

1893. 
Philip    C.    Tucker,    Grand 
Commander. 

1897. 
Thomas  H.   Caswell,  Grand 
Commander. 


1856. 
New  Orleans.     Poulhouze'e 
spurious  Consistory  formed ; 
short-lived. 


A.  A.  S.  R.— U.  S.  A. 
Northern  Jurisdiction. 

1806. 
New  York  city.  Grand  Con- 
sistory, P.  R.  S.  (by  A.  Bi- 
deaud  of  San  Domingo  Su- 
preme Council,  established  by 
De  Grasse  Tilly  of  the  Charles- 
ton Supreme  Council),  after- 
wards regularized  by  Southern 
Supreme  Council. 


SCOTTISH  RITE  OF  HERO- 
DEM— U.  S.  A. 

Cerneau. 


New  York  city.  Council, 
Princes  of  Jerusalem,  estab- 
lished by  Abraham  Jacobs. 

New  York  city.  Aurora  Grata 
Grand  Lodge  of  Perfection. 


A.  A.  S.  R.-U.  S.  A. 
Noi'thern  Jurisdiction. 

1811. 
New    Orleans.     Chapter   of 
Rose  Croix,  established  by  au- 
thority    from     the     Supreme 
Council  at  Kingston. 


SCOTTISH  RITE  OF  HERO- 
DEM— U.  S.  A. 


1813. 

New  York  city.  Bideaud 
Consistory  organized  into  the 
Northern  Jurisdiction  Su- 
premeCouncil  Sovereign  Grand 
Inspectors  General,  33°,  by  au- 
thority of  Charleston  Supreme 
Council. 

1822. 

Letter  received  from  Com- 
mittee on  Correspondence  of 
Southern  Supreme  Council  by 
D.  D.  Tompkins  of  Northern 
Supreme  Council. 

1825. 
J.  J.  J.  Gourgas,  actineMost 
PuissantSovereign  GrandCom- 
mander. 

1826. 
Northern  Supreme    Council 
received  oaths  of  fealty  from 
Camague,    Lawrence,    and 
others. 

1827. 
Southern  Supreme    Council 
acknowledged  receipt  of  docu- 
ments from  Nortliern  Supreme 
Council. 

1827. 
Southern  Supreme  Council 
recognized  States  north  of  Ma- 
son and  Dixon  line  and  cast  of 
the  Mississippi  River  ae  terri- 
tory of  the  Northern  Supreme 
Council. 

1'828. 
Northern  Supreme    Council 
received  oath  of   fealty  from 
G.   P.   Yates  of  Southern  Su- 
preme Council. 

Alliance  between  the  Grand 
Orient  of  France  and  the 
Northern  and  Southern  Su- 
preme Councils. 

1830. 
Cerneau's  name  struck  from 
the  Tableau  of  the  Grand  Ori- 
ent of  France. 


1812. 
Supreme  Council,  Sovereign 
Grand  Inspectors  Gteneral,  33°, 
for  United  States  of  America, 
their  Territories  and  Depend- 
encies, formed  two  years  be- 
fore hearing  from  the  Grand 
Orient  of  France,  from  which 
Cerneau,  after  1814,  claimed  to 
have  received  the  thirty-third 
degree. 


1807. 
New  York  city.  Joseph  Cer- 
neau opened  a  Sovereign  Grand 
Consistory,  P.  R.  S.,  25°,  which 
claimed  to  revive  a  preexist- 
ing Rose  Croix  Chapter,  Royal 
Order  Scotland. 


1827. 
Cerneau  body  became  dor- 
mant and  was  allowed  to  die. 


1844. 

Northern  Supreme  Council 
revived  ;  J.  J.  J.  Gourgas,  Most 
Puissant  Sovereign  Grand 
Commander.  (Met  annually 
thereafter.) 


1832. 
Revived  by  A.  Laurent  of 
France  as  United  Supreme 
Council,  etc.,  for  the  Western 
Hemisphere,  and  confederated 
with  Supreme  Council  of  Bra- 
zil. Elias  Hicks,  Most  Puissant 
Sovereign  Grand  Commander. 

1836. 
Alleged  confederation  with 
Supreme  Council  of  France. 


FREEMASONRY 


49 


A.  A.  8.  R— U.  S.  A. 
Northern  Jurisdiction. 

1845. 
Northern   Supreme    Council 
issued  charter  for  a  Supreme 
Council  for  England. 


SCOTTISH  RITE  OF  HERO- 
DEM-U.  8.  A. 


1860. 
Gourgas   resigned    and    ap- 
pointecf  Giles    Fonda    Yates 
Most  Puissant  Sovereign  Grand 
Commander. 


1851. 
G.  F.  Yates  resigned  and  ap- 
pointed E.  A.  Raymond  Most 
Puissant  Sovereign  Grand 
Commander.  The  Grand  East 
was  removed  from  New  York 
city  to  Boston. 


1857. 
Northern  Supreme   Council 
recognized  the  Supreme  Coun- 
cil of  V'enezuela. 


1860. 
Boston.    Northern  Supreme 
Council  (owing  to  dissensions) 
declared    closed   sine   die    by 
Raymond,  August  25Jd. 

Boston.  Raymond  (with 
RobiuMon)  rcorgiinizcs  a  North- 
ern Siiprcnie  Council. 

1861. 
Rjiyinoiid  deposed  as  Sover- 
eign Grand  Coniniander  by  the 
Provisional  Supreme  Conricil. 

1862. 
Van   Rensselaer,  Lieutenant 
Grand      Commander,     elected 
Sovereign  Grand  Commander, 
vice  Raymond  deposed. 


1846. 
United  Supreme  Council  dis- 
solved ;  went  otit  of  existence, 
and  divided  funds  among  four 
out  of  the  Ave  remaining  mem- 
bers. (Genuine  Cerneau  bodies 
terminate  here.) 

1850. 

IT.  C.  Atvvood  (an  expelled 
Master  Mason,  who  claimed  to 
have  receiveil  thirty-third  de- 
gree patent  from  a  traveling 
Scottish  Kite  lecturer  *)  organ- 
ized a  Supreme  Council,  etc., 
for  the  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica, Territories,  and  Dependen- 
cies, without  cooperation  of 
any  member  of  the  Hicks 
body. 

1851. 

Atwood  succeeded  by  J.  L. 
Cross  of  Southern  Supreme 
Council,  who  soon  found  him- 
self misplaced  and  withdrew. 

1852. 
Atwood  succeeded  Cross  and 
changed  the  name  to  Supreme 
Council, etc.,  for  the  Sovereign, 
Free,  and  Independent  State 
of  New  York. 

1854. 
Name  again  changed  to  Su- 
preme Council,  etc.,   for    the 
United  States  of  America,  Ter- 
ritories, and  Dependencies. 


1858. 
Name  changed  for  the  fifth 
time,  to  Supreme  Council,  etc., 
for  Western  Hemisphere. 

1860. 
E.  B.  Hays,  by  appointment 
of  Atwood,  succeeds  latter  at 
his  death. 


*  William  Sewall  (Jardner,  *}",  Massachusetts,  in  appendix 
to  the  Proceedings  of  the  Northern  Jurisdiction,  on  spurious 
Supreme  Councils  in  the  Northern  Jurisdiction,  says  that  H. 
C.  Atwood  (as  well  as  K.  B.  Folger)  went  to  Trenton,  jjiior  to 
1840,  among  a  p.'irty,  all  of  whom  paid  ten  dollars  and  got  the 
thirty  third  degree  from  Abraham  .Jacobs  (e.xpt'lled),  who  had 
spent  nearly  forty  years  peddling  Scottish  Hile  degrees  il- 
legally. They  went  to  Trenton,  because  Jacobs  had  agreed 
with  the  Cerneau  i>eoi)le  for  a  price  not  to  peddle  his  desrrees 
within  sixty  miles  of  New  York.  Atwood  is  said  to  have'-  in- 
herited "  Jacobs'  trunk  of  rituals.  Here,  then,  is  the  probable 
origin  of  the  Cerneau  Kite  of  18f)0-180)i,  for  Atwood  started  it 
as  Its  comniaiKler,  without  an  officer  of  any  preceding  Cerneau 
body  to  legitimatize  him. 


"Scottish      CekneauRite,     A.  A.  S.  R.  A.  A.  S.  H. 

Rites"  AMONG     "Scottish."           Northern  Southern 

Negroes.                                         Masonic  .Masonic 

Jurisdiction.  Jurisfliction. 


New  York. 
(Without  au- 
thority.) 
1806. 


Charleston, 
S.  C. 


1801 


o         «  o 
"  ME 

o        1-1  *:; 


f5  oO 


New  York. 

(Authorized.) 

1813. 


186.3. 


o  2     = 


i 


Schism. 

ISfiO. 


18«.3.    i 


Rcor^ani-  = 

zatioii,     3 

186*;.       = 


Seymour's 

Spurious 

Cerneau  Rite, 

N.Y.City,  1879. 


Hopkins 
Thomj)- 

son 

Bodv, 

NY'.,i881. 


Consol- 
idation. 
1867. 


(crea- 
ted). 


Neuro         "Cekneai'" 
"Scottish  "Scoltisli 

Rite  "Bodies.   Rite"  Bodies. 
(Irregular.)    (Unauthorized.) 


White  and  Negro  Spurious 
Bodies,  recognized  nowhere. 


Anc.  .\ccepted  Scottish  Rite. 

Northern  Southern 

Jurisdictions,  U.  8.  A. 


Regular  Bodies,  universally 
recognized. 


1761 
1762 


1781 


1798 

1799 
1801 

1808 
1806 
1808 


Stephek  Mohim,  25°, 
Inspector  for  America,  Rite  1  of  Perfection,  Paris,  1761. 

Hekbt  a.  Franceen,  25',  Jackmel,  Jamaica,  1762. 
Dep.  Inspector  (or       North  America. 


M.  M.  Hays,  25\  Boston, 
1767-70,  Dep.  Ids.  for  North  America. 


Aug.  Prevost,  25°,  Dep.  Ins., 
Jamaica.     1774. 


P.  Le  B.  Du  Plessis,  25°,  Dep.  Ins 
PUlla.  1790. 


•  B.  Spftzer,  25',  Dep.  for  Georgia, 

Pliila.       I     1781. 
'  M.  Cohen,  S5°,'Phlla.,  1781. 


Abr.  Jacobs,  25°,  Jamaica,"  1790. 


John  Mitchell,  25°,  Dep.  for  S.  C. 
Charleston,  1795. 


Germain  Hacquet,  25° 
Phila.        1798. 


Mathieu  Du  Potet,  25° 
Port  Republic,  1799. 


Hym.  I.  Long,  25°,  Phila.,  1795. 

A.  F.  A.  De  Grasse  TiUy,  25»,  Chwleston 
1796 


Fred'k  Dalcho,  33°,  S.  Q.  I.  G 
CharlestoB,  1801. 


A.  F.  A.  De  Grasse  Tilly.  33°:  S.  G.  I.  G.         •"■  ^-  ^  ^"  ^"^"''^Z'/- ,^-  ^2,•, 
Charleston,  1801.  Charleston,  1801. 


Joseph  Cerneau,  25°, 
Baracoa,  July,  1806. 


Antolne  Bideaud.  33°,  S.  G.  I.  G. 
Jamaica        1802, 

n.  O.  Tardt,  ^ 

J.  J.  J.  GouRGAS,  and 
J.  B.  Desijoity,  32°. 
Deo.  Insp., ,  New  York   1806. 


P.  Le  B.  Du  Plessis,  38°  S.  G.  I.  G. 
PhUa.         1     1802. 


■ 

'Tardv,  Gooroab,  and  Desdoity, 
NewYork  1807-8. 


M.  L.  M.  PeUotto,  82°.  N.  Y.,  1806. 


1761 


1774 


1790 


1796 


1803 


1808 


CHART    SHOWING    THE   SUCCESSION   OF  AUTHORITY  AMONG  THE  ORIGINAL. 

CHIEFS   OF    "SCOTTISH"   FREEMASONRY   IN    THE    UNITED   STATES, 

AND    AMONG    THE    EARLIER    POSSESSORS    OF    THE    33d 

DEGREE,  ANCIENT  ACCEPTED   SCOTTISH  RITE. 


FREEMASONRY 


51 


In  1862  there  were  four  Supreme  Coun- 
cils in  the  United  States — that  of  the  South- 
ern Jurisdiction,  at  Charleston,  the  orig- 
inator of  the  rite  of  thirty-tiiree  degrees; 
the  Van  Rensselaer  and  the  Raymond  rival 
bodies,  each  chiiming  to  be  the  Supreme 
Council  for  the  Northern  Jurisdiction  ;  and, 
fourth,  the  Cerneau  Supreme  Council,  "for 
the  United  States  of  America,  its  Territories 
and  Dependencies."  The  first  three  held 
fraternal  relations  with  like  bodies  in  Eng- 
land, Scotland,  Ireland,  France,  Belgium, 
and  in  Central  and  South  American  coun- 
tries. An  active  warfare  was  in  progress 
between  the  Van  Rensselaer  and  Raymond 
Councils,  with  the  former  apparently  the 
more  successful  in  creating  subordinate 
bodies  and  obtaining  new  members.  On 
April  2,  1862,  the  Cerneau  body  made 
overtures  to  the  Raymond  Supreme  Coun- 
cil looking  to  union,  though  some  chron- 
iclers (Cerneau  members)  say  the  Raymond 
people  made  the  advances.  In  any  event, 
each  side  appointed  a  conference  committee, 
which  committees  met  and  reported  in  favor 
of  union,  whereupon  the  committees  were 
continued  with  full  power  to  act.  On 
April  13,  1863,  complete  union  was  effected 
under  the  title  by  which  the  Cerneau  body 
had  been  known.  Supreme  Council  for  the 
United  States  of  America,  etc.,  with  E. 
B.  Hays,  who  had  been  at  the  head  of 
the  Cerneau  body,  as  the  Grand  Com- 
mander of  the  union  Council.  The  contin- 
uation of  the  name  Supreme  Council  for 
the  United  States  of  America,  etc.,  with 
Hays  at  the  head  of  the  new  Supreme 
Council,  should  not  be  regarded  as  an  evi- 
dence that  the  Cerneau  organization  swal- 
lowed the  Raymond  body.  This  is  plainly 
shown  by  all  the  members  of  both  the  unit- 
ing bodies  taking  an  oath  of  fealty,  and  all 
the  subordinate  organizations  of  the  Cer- 
neau and  of  the  Raymond  Councils  sur- 
rendering their  old  charters  to,  and  tak- 
ing out  new  charters  from  the  new,  or 
united  Supreme  Council.  More  than  this, 
it  will  be  recalled  that  offices  of  both  the 


Supreme  Councils  were  then  held  ad  vitam, 
and  that  at  the  union  those  oflBces  were  va- 
cated and  refilled,  after  which  the  incum- 
bents were  duly  installed.  No  more  com- 
plete or  perfect  action  could  have  been 
taken  to  emphasize  the  fact  that  the  union 
Supreme  Council  of  1863  was  a  newly 
formed  body.  Whether  its  members  then 
regarded  its  authority  as  based  on  Cerneau's 
assumption  of  power  in  1806,  or  on  De  la 
Motta's  action  at  New  York  in  1813,  is  im- 
material. By  1865  the  Civil  War  had 
ended,  and  the  rival  Supreme  Councils  at 
the  North — the  Van  Rensselaer  and  the 
united  Cerneau-Raymond  bodies — were  anx- 
ious for  recognition  from  the  mother 
Supreme  Council  at  Charleston  ;  if  for  no 
other  reason,  to  secure  regularity  and  ex- 
clusive territorial  jurisdiction.  It  was  in 
this  year,  too,  that  Harry  J.  Seymour  was 
defeated  for  office  in  the  Cerneau-Raymond 
Supreme  Council  and  afterward  expelled 
for  cause.  Following  this,  two  committees 
were  appointed,  one  to  visit  the  Supreme 
Council  at  Charleston,  witli  a  view  to  secur- 
ing recognition,  and  the  other  to  consider 
the  advisability  of  changing  the  name  of  the 
body  from  "for  the  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica,*' etc.,  to  Northern  Jurisdiction,  for  it  was 
realized  that  no  overtures  to  the  Supreme 
Council,  Southern  Jurisdiction,  would  be  re- 
ceived from  a  body  claiming  jurisdiction 
throughout  the  country.  On  October  22, 
1865,  the  latter  committee  reported  in  favor 
of  that  change  in  name,  and  the  rejjort  was 
unanimously  adopted.  Hopkins  Thompson, 
who,  in  1881,  led  a  revolt  over  this  very 
point,  was  present.  That  the  action  was 
taken  in  order  to  secure  recognition  from 
the  Southern  Supreme  Council,  and  thus 
pave  the  way  to  self-preservation,  is  shown 
by  the  united  Supreme  Council  at  its  next 
session  receiving  and  welcoming  a  visi- 
tor from  the  Southern  Supreme  Council. 
Late  in  the  same  year  the  committee  to 
visit  the  Cluirleston  Supreme  Council  re- 
ported that  the  latter  declined  to  recognize 
Hays,  who  represented  an  illegal  (the  Cer- 


52 


FREEMASONRY 


iieau)  boch',  and  that  it  did  not  regard  the 
union  of  18G3  as  legal,  because  Eaymond 
(who  had  died  in  18G4)  had  been  illegally 
deposed  as  the  Sovereign  Grand  Commander 
of  the  only  legal  Northern  Supreme  Coun- 
cil (by  the  Van  Eensselaer  body  in  1861), 
and  that  Kobinson  alone  (Lieutenant  Grand 
Commander  of  the  old  Raymond  body),  now 
Lieutenant  Grand  Commander  of  the  united 
Cerneau-Raymond  body,  could  succeed  Ray- 
mond. Hays  thereupon  resigned  his  office, 
and  was  succeeded  by  Robinson  in  the  pres- 
ence of  a  majority  of  all  the  officers  and 
members  of  the  Supreme  Council.  But  this 
was  not  to  suffice.  The  Van  Rensselaer 
schism  was  in  existence  and  prosperous, 
numbering  among  its  officers  several  former 
ad  vitam  officials  of  the  Raymond  Supreme 
Council  of  1860,  the  only  Supreme  Council 
the  Southern  body  could  recognize.  Com- 
plete union  was  therefore  necessary,  and  to 
accomplish  it,  reorganization  of  the  Cerneau- 
Raymond  body  was  necessary.  Robinson, 
therefore,  as  successor  of  Raj^mond,  called  a 
special  meeting  of  the  old  Raymond  Council 
at  Boston,  December  11,  1860.  ]\rostof  the 
officers  of  the  latter  were  members  of  the 
Van  Rensselaer  Council,  and  naturally  de- 
clined to  be  present,  where ajDon  Robinson, 
in  strict  accord  with  his  prerogative,  filled 
the  vacancies  from  among  the  twelve  active 
and  ten  honorary  members  of  the  united 
Cerneau-Raymond  Supreme  Council  who 
were  present.  Men  of  whom  the  Avorld  at 
large  has  never  heard,  to  whom  self  rather 
than  fraternity  has  been  a  creed,  who  have 
hankered  for  Masonic  office  and  the  oppor- 
tunity to  peddle  degrees  and  titles  rather 
than  for  the  union  and  prosperity  of  the 
Craft,  have  held  that  this  action  of  Robin- 
son at  Boston  amounted  merely  to  the  dis- 
solution of  the  Cerneau-Raymond  Council. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  it  was  not  only  a  disso- 
lution of  it,  but  a  reorganization  of  the 
Cerneau-Raymond  body  in  order  to  make 
the  latter  regular  under  the  statutes  and 
regulations,  the  recognition  of  honesty  in 
fraternity  politics  as  opposed  to  assumption 


and  deception.  The  reorganized  Cerneau- 
Raymond  Council  thus  honestly  acquired 
what  it  had  unanimously  resolved  to  secure 
the  year  before,  the  title  "Northern  Juris- 
diction," in  place  of  "United  States  of 
America,  its  Territories  and  Dependencies," 
That  the  action  at  Boston  in  1866  was  not 
regarded  by  those  present  as  a  coiqj,  in  order 
to  merely  revive  the  old  Northern,-  or  Ray- 
mond, Supreme  Council  and  swallow  the 
Cerneau-Raymond  Council,  is  shown  by  the 
fact  that  all  the  officers  of  the  latter  were  re- 
elected, and  that  no  oaths  of  fealty  were  re- 
quired. Overtures  were  then  made  looking 
to  a  union  with  the  Van  Rensselaer  Supreme 
Council.  Committees  to  consider  the  pro- 
ject were  appointed  by  each  body,  which  met 
at  Boston  in  1867,  just  prior  to  the  annual 
session  of  the  Van  Rensselaer  Supreme  Coun- 
cil. After  prolonged  conference,  during 
which  it  seemed  at  times  as  if  the  outcome 
could  only  be  failure,  a  treaty  of  union  was 
agreed  to,  which  Avas  ratified  by  both  Su- 
preme Councils  and  approved  by  all  the 
honorary  members.  After  rescinding  acts  of 
expulsion  based  on  former  differences,  the 
two  Supreme  Councils  ratified  each  other's 
acts,  and  Josiah  H.  Drummond  of  Maine 
was  elected  Most  Puissant  Sovereign  Grand 
Commander  of  the  (consolidated)  Supreme 
Council,  Northern  Jurisdiction,  by  concur- 
rent vote  of  the  two  bodies,  which  came  to- 
gether as  one.  The  oath  of  fealty  was  then 
taken  to  the  consolidated  Supreme  Council 
by  eighty  members  present.  The  career  of 
this  Sujireme  Council  ever  since  has  been 
one  of  harmony  and  prosperity,  and  it  is 
to-day  the  largest  body  of  the  kind  in  the 
world,  numbering  more  than  25,000  thirty- 
second  degree  members,  about  one-fifth  of 
the  total  number  of  Scottish  Rite  Freemasons 
in  the  world.  Among  Sovereign  Princes  of 
the  Royal  Secret,  32°,  and  Sovereign  Grand 
Inspectors  General,  33°,  of  the  Northern  and 
Southern  Jurisdictions,  United  States  of 
Abierica,  are  to  be  found  many  of  the  most 
illustrious  of  those  who  re2)resent  the  pro- 
fessions, the  army  and  navy,  and  financial. 


FREEMASONRY 


53 


commercial,  and  industrial  life.  The  two 
Supreme  Councils  who  now  divide  between 
them  the  United  States  of  America,  its 
territories  and  dependencies,  hold  amicable 
relations  with  Supreme  Councils  of  the  A. 
A.  S.  R.  for  England,  Scotland,  Ireland, 
France,  Belgium,  Spain,  Portugal,  Italy, 
Greece,.  Switzerland,  Brazil,  Argentine  Re- 
public, Uruguay,  Peru,  United  States  of 
Colombia,  Chili,  Central  America,  Cuba, 
Mexico,  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  Egypt, 
and  Tunis. 

The  degrees  of  the  Ancient,  Accepted 
Scottish  Eite,  from  the  fourth  to  the  thirty- 
second,  inclusive,  are  conferred  in  the  North- 
ern Masonic  Jurisdiction,  United  States  of 
America,  in  four  bodies,  and  make  of  the 
Master  Mason  a  Sublime  Prince  of  the  Royal 
Secret.  Grand  Lodges  of  Perfection,  not 
Grand  Lodges  in  the  ordinary  sense  of  the 
words,  induct  candidates  into  the  mysteries 
of  eleven  ineffable  degrees,  fourth  to  four- 
teenth, inclusive,  of  which  the  first  nine  are 
additions  to  and  explanations  and  elabora- 
tions of  the  second  section  of  the  Master's 
degree,  so  familiar  to  all  Freemasons.  The 
names  of  the  thirty-three  degrees  of  Scottish 
Rite  Freemasonry  are  given  in  full  in  an  ac- 
companying chart  of  the  English,  Scottish, 
and  American  Rites.  The  thirteenth  and 
fourteenth  degrees  of  the  Scottish  Rite,  form- 
ing the  summit  of  work  jierformed  in  Grand 
Lodges  of  Perfection,  correspond  to,  but  are 
in  no  sense  identical  with,  the  English  Royal 
Arch  degree  as  worked  in  Royal  Arch 
Chapters  in  the  American  Rite.  They  are 
founded  historically  on  the  royal  arch  of 
Enoch  instead  of  tiie  royal  arch  of  Zerub- 
babel,  which  forms  the  basis  of  the  English 
royal  arch  degree.  Many  among  those  com- 
petent to  judge  favor  the  theory  elsewhere 
outlined,  tliat  the  English  royal  arch  of 
Zerubbabel  was  an  outgrowth  of  the  earlier, 
continental  royal  arch  of  Enoch  of  about 
1740,  and  that  Laurence  Dermott  had  as 
much  to  do  with  the  changes  made  as  he 
had  with  the  introduction  of  this  ampli- 
fication of  the  old  Master's  degree  among 


British  Freemasons.  The  Grand  Elect,  Per- 
fect, and  Sublime  Mason,  fourteenth  degree, 
is  eligible  to  receive  the  historical  degrees, 
Knight  of  the  East  and  Sword,  and  Prince 
of  Jerusalem,  tlie  fifteenth  and  sixteenth, 
respectively,  of  the  system.  These  relate  to 
the  rebuilding  of  the  second  holy  Temple  at 
Jerusalem  under  the  authority  of  King 
Cyrus  and  Darius  his  successor.  From 
them  the  modern  framers  of  the  ritual  of 
the  degree  of  Companion  of  the  Red  Cross, 
conferred  in  Commanderies  of  Knights  Tem- 
plars, have  borrowed  freely. 

The  philosophical  degrees  of  the  Scottish 
Rite,  Knight  of  the  East  and  West,  and 
Knight  of  the  Eagle  and  Pelican,  or  Rose 
Croix,  the  seventeenth  and  eighteenth,  are 
conferred  in  Chapters  of  Rose  Croix  and 
"  relate  to  the  building  of  the  third  Temple, 
'one  not  made  with  hands,'  within  the 
heart  of  man."  In  the  Rose  Croix  degree, 
Scottish  Rite  Freemasonry  reaches  its  sum- 
mit as  a  teacher  of  the  sublime  truths  of 
Christianity,  and  it  is  from  this  degree,  as 
well  as  others  of  the  Rite,  that  the  Ameri- 
can Templar  ritual  draws  some  of  its  more 
impressive  ceremonials.  The  degrees  from 
the  nineteenth  to  the  thirty-second,  inclu- 
sive, historical  and  philosophical,  are  con- 
ferred under  the  sanction  of  a  Consistory  or 
Areopagus  of  Knights  of  Kadosch. 

The  thirty-third  and  last  degree  of  An- 
cient, Accepted  Scottish  Masonry  is  conferred 
upon  thirty-second  degree  Freemasons  who 
have  rendered  long  or  distinguished  service 
to  the  Craft.  It  is  executive  in  its  func- 
tion, recipients  being  members  of  the  Su- 
preme Council,  or  governing  body,  of  the 
Rite.  In  the  Southern  Jurisdiction  in  the 
L^nited  States  there  is  an  intermediate  grade 
between  the  thirty-second  and  thirty-third 
degrees,  known  as  the  Court  of  Honor,  com- 
posed of  (a)  Masters  of  the  Royal  Secret, 
and  (b)  Inspectors  General  (thirty-third 
degree),  active,  emeriti,  and  honorary. 
There  is  also  the  rank  of  Knight  of  the 
Court  of  Honor,  consisting  of  two  grades, 
Knight   Commander   and   Grand    Cro^?s  of 


54 


FREEMASONRY 


Honor.  Sovereign  Grand  Inspectors  Gen- 
eral, by  which  title  members  of  Supreme 
Councils  of  the  Kite  are  known  throughout 
the  world,  are  classed,  practically,  as  active, 
emeriti,  and  honorary.  Only  those  in  the 
first  class  are  permitted  to  be  present  at  ex- 
ecutive sessions  of  Supreme  Councils,  and 
''actives''  alone  create  thirty-third  degree 
members.  The  total  number  of  active  thirty- 
third  degree  members  is  very  small,  probably 
not  exceeding  one  hundred  in  North  Amer- 
ica, and  not  exceeding  three  hundred  in  all 
countries.  There  are  fewer  than  fifty  in 
the  Northern  Jurisdiction  in  the  United 
States — north  of  the  Ohio  and  east  of  the 
Mississippi  Rivers — and  still  fewer  in  the  re- 
maining States.  The  list  of  emeriti  Sover- 
eign Grand  Inspectors  General  is  very  short, 
and,  as  the  title  implies,  includes  the  few 
"  actives  "  who  have  retired  from  the  labors 
of  the  governing  body  full  of  honors  and 
advancing  years.  The  custom  of  creating 
honorary  Sovereign  Grand  Inspectors-  Gen- 
eral is  one  which  has  grown  up  within  a 
generation,  as  a  means  of  advancing  and 
rewarding  enthusiastic  and  active  Sublime 
Princes  of  the  Royal  Secret  one  step  nearer 
the  goal  which,  of  course,  all  may  not  reach. 
There  are  nearly  six  hundred  names  of  hon- 
orary "thirty-thirds"  in  the  Nortlieru  and 
nearly  four  hundred  in  the  Southern  Juris- 
diction of  the  United  States.  A  full  list  of 
the  names  and  places  of  residence  of  active 
and  honorary  Sovereign  Grand  Inspectors 
General,  33°,  in  the  United  States,  January 
1,  1898,  may  be  found  in  an  accompany- 
ing Masonic  Directory.  Official  position  in 
a  Supreme  Council  was  formerly  for  life, 
and  in  nearly  all,  except  the  Northern  Ju- 
risdiction, where  the  term  is  three  years,  it 
continues  so.  But  even  in  the  Supreme 
Council  of  the  Northern  Jurisdiction  fitness 
for  the  position  insures  continued  reelection 
at  every  triennial  meeting,  so  that  where 
nothing  transpires  to  make  a  change  desir- 
able, the  kingly  prerogative  of  life  tenure  in 
office  is  still  in  force. 

It  remains  to  be  related  that  there  are  two 


spurious  Supreme  Councils  "A.  A.  S.  R." 
in  the  United  States,  one  of  which  is 
founded  on  fraud  and  the  other  on  misrep- 
resentation and  personal  pique.  Neither 
numbers  many  adherents,  and  each  is  only 
nominally  or  locally  active.  Both  claim 
the  name,  authority  of,  and  regular  descent 
from  Cerneau,  and  the  founders  of  both 
know  that  their  claims  are  without  founda- 
tion. The  older  calls  itself  "the  Supreme 
Council  of  the  thirty-third  and  last  degree 
of  A.  A.  S.  R.  Masonry,  organized  by  T.  I. 
Joseph  Cerneau,  M.  P.  S.  G.  C,  October 
27,  1807,  for  the  U.  S.  A.,  its  Territories 
and  Dependencies."  Its  real  founder  was 
Harry  J.  Seymour,  who  was  expelled  from 
the  Cerneau-Raymond  Council  in  1865,  for 
reasons  which  should  have  caused  his  name 
to  be  struck  from  the  list  of  acquaintances 
of  every  self-respecting  Master  Mason.  Sey- 
mour was  once  well-to-do,  but  afterward  felt 
compelled  to  follow  in  the  footsteps  of  Abra- 
ham Jacobs,  whose  name  is  on  the  chart  of 
filiated  powers  accompanying  this  sketch.* 
Jacobs  was  a  notorious  peddler  of  degrees, 
who  was  expelled  for  illegal  assumption  of 
Masonic  authority.  Seymour  was  initiated 
into  the  Rite  of  Memphis  in  Paris  in  1862, 
and  after  being  expelled  from  the  Scottish 
Rite  in  the  United  States  in  1865,  started 
out  for  himself  by  organizing  alleged  Scot- 
tish Rite  bodies  in  New  York  city,  into 
which  well-meaning  Master  Masons  were 
inducted,  at  so  much  apiece,  by  himself  as 
hierophant  and  purveyor  of  regalia  and  para- 
phernalia at  cent-per-cent  prices.  Some 
who  were  duped  by  him,  who  have  since 
joined  regular  Scottish  Rite  bodies,  vouch 
for  this  statement,  and  for  the  fact  that  at 
one  time  he  used  a  condensation  of  the  Rite 
of  Memphis  as  his  "Cerneau  Rite."  In 
1879  he  organized  a  Supreme  Council,  claim- 
ing to  have  been  constituted  the  head  of  the 
Cerneau  Rite  by  Hays,  who  died  in  1874 
member  of  the  consolidated  Northern  Su- 

*  See  footnote  to  chronological  events  in  the 
career  of  the  Southern,  Northern,  and  Cerneau 
Supreme  Councils. 


FREEMASONRY 


55 


preme  Council.  So  transparent  a  fraud 
would  seem  to  have  been  apparent  to  an)^ 
sane  man  over  twenty-one  years  of  age. 
Cagliostro  found  his  victims,  Jacobs  his, 
and  Seymour  evidently  had  several  of  his 
own.  The  descent  is  precipitant  but  mani- 
fest. Enough  material  in  the  way  of  new 
members  has  been  secured  by  Peckham, 
Gorgas,  Hibbs,  and  other  successors  of  Sey- 
mour to  enable  them  to  go  through  the  mo- 
tions of  maintaining  so-called  Consistories 
in  New  York  city  and  Jersey  City,  and,  in 
former  years,  at  a  few  other  cities,  and  to 
report  having  held  annual  sessions  of  a  Su- 
preme Council.  The  only  regret  is  that  a 
few  hundred  innocent  and  honest  Master 
Masons  have  been  taken  advantage  of  and 
induced  to  part  with  their  money  and  inter- 
est— for  nothing.  This  Seymour-Cerneau 
organization  is  repudiated  by  Supreme  Coun- 
cils throughout  the  world,  and  its  adherents 
must  place  themselves  in  the  category  with 
those  who  find  themselves  deceived  becaiise 
they  failed  to  examine  before  buying.  A 
large  precentage  of  the  Grand  Masters  of 
Grand  Lodges,  Grand  High  Priests  of  Grand 
Chapters,  Very  Eminent  Commanders  of 
Grand  Coramanderies  of  Knights  Templars, 
their  asoociate  officers,  past  and  present, 
and  thousands  of  other  members  of  the  Craft 
throughout  the  United  States  are  members 
of  Scottish  Rite  bodies  holding  obedience  to 
the  legitimate  Supreme  Councils,  the  North- 
ern and  Southern  Jurisdictions.  The  unin- 
formed Master  Mason  has  only  to  inquire  to 
learn. 

Not  until  1881  was  the  second  existing 
spurious  Supreme  Council  "A.  A.  S.  R. " 
formed,  fourteen  years  after  the  union  of 
18f)T.  It  was  organized  at  New  York  by 
Hopkins  Thompson  (an  emeritus  thirty- 
third  of  the  Northern  Supreme  Council, 
who  was  not  ji resent  at  Boston  when  Rob- 
inson reorganized  the  Cerneau-Raymond 
Council,  but  who  was  present  at  and  swore 
fealty  to  the  consolidated  Council  in  1867). 
He  was  aided  by  a  few  honorary  thirty- 
third,  and  one  thirty-second  degree  mem- 


ber on  whom  the  consolidated  Northern 
Supreme  Council  had  refused  to  confer  the 
thirty-third  degree,  eleven  in  all.  When 
the  full  proceedings  of  the  action  of  the 
Cerneau-Raymond  Council  leading  up  to 
the  consolidation  of  1807  were  published  in 
1881,  all  of  which  had  been  known  at  the 
time,  these  men  claimed  to  have  just  dis- 
covered that  when  Robinson  dissolved  the 
Cerneau-Raymond  Council  at  Boston  in 
18G6,  and  reorganized  it  under  the  name 
Northern  Jurisdiction,  that  they  were  there- 
by absolved  from  their  oaths  of  fealty  to  the 
union  Council  of  1863.  They,  therefore, 
with  Hopkins  Thompson  as  the  alleged  suc- 
cessor of  Cerneau,  et  ah,  claimed  to  revive 
the  old  Cerneau  body,  that  which  united 
with  the  Raymond  Supreme  Council  in  1863. 
Their  oaths  of  fealty  to  the  consolidated  Su- 
preme Council  of  1867  Avere  repudiated  be- 
cause, as  alleged,  they  were  obtained  by 
keeping  them  in  ignorance  of  all  the  facts. 
Their  antagonism  to  the  Seymour  organi- 
zation is  bitter.  Naturally  the  Thompson 
party  repiidiates  the  Southern  as  well  as  the 
Northern  Supreme  Councils,  and  continues 
an  existence  on  jiaper,  isolated  from  all  other 
Supreme  Councils  in  the  Avorld.  Its  total 
active  membership  does  not  number  more 
than  a  few  hundred.  Many  who  have  joined 
it  have  discovered  they  were  deceived  and 
have  retired.  Its  centres  of  activity  are 
at  New  York  city,  Columbus,  0.,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  and  ]\Iiuneapolis,  Minn.  In 
Massachusetts,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Iowa, 
and  Nebraska,  Master  Masons  render  them- 
selves liable  to  suspension  by  joining  Cer- 
neau Scottish  Rite  bodies,  and  the  Grand 
Lodge  in  Ohio  has  been  sustained  by  the 
courts  in  its  position  on  this  point. 

MASONIC   DIRECTOllY. 

Secretaries  of  Sovereign  Grand  Lodges  of  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons  in  the  Uiiited  States. 

Alabama H.  C.  Armstrong.  .Montgomery. 

Arizona G.  J.  Roskruge  . .  .Tucson. 

Arkansas F.  II.  Hempstead  .Little  Rock. 

California G.  Johnson Sau  Francisco. 


56 


FREEMASONRY 


Colorado 

(Connecticut 

Delaware 

District  of  Golum. 

Florida 

Georgia 

Idaho 

Illinois 

Indiana 

Indian  Territory. 

Iowa 

Kansas 

Kentucky  

Louisiana 

Maine 

Maryland 

Massachusetts . . . 

Michigan 

Minnesota 

Mississippi 

Missouri 

Montana 

Nebraska 

Nevada 

New  Hampshire  . 

New  Jersey 

New  Mexico 

New  York 

North  Carolina . . 
North  Dakota  . . . 

Ohio 

Oklahoma 

Oregon 

Pennsylvania. . .  . 
Rhode  Island. . . . 
South  Carolina  . . 
South  Dakota. . . . 

Tennessee 

Texas 

Utah 

Vermont 

Virginia 

Washington 

West  Virginia . . . 

Wisconsin 

Wyoming 


Ed,  C.  Parraalee. 
John  II.  Barlow.. 

B.  F.  Bartram  . . . 
W.  R.  Singleton  . 
W.  P.  Webster  . . 
A.  M.  Wolihin. . . 
Theop.W.  Randall 

J.  H.  C.  Dill 

W.  H.  Smythe. . . . 

J.  S.  Murrow 

T.  S.  Parvin 

Albert  K.  Wilson. . 

H.  B.  Grant 

R.  Lambert 

Stephen  Berry  . .  .  . 
J.  H.  Medairy  .  . .  . 
S.  D.  Nickerson . . . 

J.  S.  Conover 

T.  Montgomery . . . 

J.  L.  Power    

J.  D.  Vincil 

Cornelius  Hedges  . 
W.  R.  Bowen 

C.  N.  Noteware. . . 
G.  P.  Cleaves.... 
T.  H.  R.  Redway 
A.  A.  Keen 

E.  M.  L.  Ehlers. . 
John  C.  Drewry... . 

F.  J.  Thompson  .  . 
J.  H.  Bromwell.  . . 

J.  S.  Hunt 

James  F.  Robinson 
William  A.  Sinn  . 

E.  Baker 

C.  Inglesby 

G.  A.  Pettigrew. . 
John  B.  Garrett. . 
John  Watson  .... 

C.  Diehl 

W.  G.  Reynolds.. 
G.  W.  Carrington 

T.  M.  Reed 

G.  W.  Atkinson.. 

J.  W.  Laflin 

W.  L.  Kuykendall 


Denver. 
Hartford. 
•  Wilmington. 
Washington. 
Jacksonville. 
.Macon. 
.Boise  City. 
Bloomington. 
Indianapolis. 
Atoka. 

Cedar  Rapids. 
Topeka. 
Louisville. 
New  Orleans. 
Portland. 
Baltimore. 
Boston. 
Coldwater. 
St.  Paul. 
Jackson. 
St.  Louis. 
Helena. 
Omaha. 
Carson  City. 
Concord. 
Trenton. 
.Albuquerque. 
New  York. 
.Raleigh. 
Fargo. 
Cincinnati. 
Stillwater. 
.Eugene  City. 
Philadelphia. 
Providence. 
Charleston. 
Flandreau. 
Nashville. 
Houston. 
Salt  Lake  City. 
Burlington. 
Richmond. 
Olympia. 
Wheeling. 
Milwaukee. 
Saratoga. 


General  Grand  Chapter,  Royal  Arch  Masons, 
U.  S.  A.,  General  Grand  Secretary,  Christopher 
G.  Fox,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

General  Grand  Council  of  Royal  and  Select 
Masters,  U.  S.  A.,  General  Grand  Recorder,  Henry 
W.  Mordhurst,  Fort  Wayne,  Ind.     • 

General  Encampment  of  Knights  Templars, 
U.  S.  A.,  Grand  Recorder,  Wm.  H.  Mayo,  St. 
Louis,  Mo. 


Ancient,  Accepted  Scottish  Rite. 

Supreme  Council,  Sovereign  Grand  Inspectors 
General,  33°,  Southern  Jurisdiction  (south  of  Mason 
and  Dixon  line  and  west  of  the  Mississippi  River), 
U.  S.  A. 

Thomas  H.  Caswell,  33°,  Most  Puissant  Sover- 
eign Grand  Commander,  San  Francisco,  Cal. 

Frederick  Webber,  Illustrious  Grand  Secretary 
General,  33°,  No.  433  North  3d  Street,  Washing- 
ton, D.  C. 

The  complete  list  of  active  thirty-third  degree 
members  of  the  Supreme  Council,  Sovereign  Grand 
Inspectors  General,  Southern  Jurisdiction,  1897,  is 
as  follows  : 

Adams,  Samuel  E Minneapolis,  Minn. 

Carr,  Erasmus  T Miles  City,  Mont. 

Caswell,  Thomas  H San  Francisco,  Cal. 

Chamberlain,  Austin  B Galveston,  Tex. 

Collins,  Martin St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Cortland,  J.  Wakefield Asheville,  N.  C. 

Fellows,  John  Q.  A New  Orleans,  La. 

Fitzgerald,  Adolphus  L Eureka,  Nev. 

Fleming,  Rufus  E Fargo,  N.  D. 

Foote,  Frank  M Evanston,  Wyo. 

Hayden,  James  R Seattle,  Wash. 

Henry,  James  A Little  Rock,  Ark. 

Levin,  Nathaniel Charleston,  S.  C. 

Long,  Odel  S Charleston,  W.  Va. 

McLean,  William  A Jacksonville,  Fla. 

Mayer,  John  F Richmond,  Va. 

Meredith,  Gilmor Baltimore,  Md. 

Moore,  George  F Montgomery,  Ala. 

Nun,  Richard  J : Savannah,  Ga. 

Parvin,  Theodore  S .Cedar  Rapids,  la. 

Pierce,  William  F Oakland,  Cal. 

Pratt,  Irving  W Portland,  Ore. 

Richardson,  James  D Murfreesboro,  Tenn. 

Sherman,  Buren  R Vinton,  la. 

Teller,  Henry  M Central  City,  Colo. 

Todd,  Samuel  M New  Orleans,  La. 

Webber,  Frederick Washington,  D.  C. 

The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  honorary 
thirty-third  degree  members  of  the  Supreme  Coun- 
cil, A.  A.  S.  R.,  Southern  Jurisdiction  of  the  United 
States,  for  1897  : 

Alabama. 
Billing,  Fay  McC Montgomery. 

Arkansas. 

Kramer,  Frederick Little  Rock. 

Rosenbaum,  Charles  E Little  Rock. 

Rickon,  Frederick  J.  H Little  Rock. 

Arizona. 

Freeman,  Merrill  P Tucson. 

Kales,  Martin  W Phoenix. 

Roskruge,  George  J Tucson. 


FREEMASONRY 


57 


California. 

Hobe,  George  J San  Francisco. 

Goodman,  'J'heodore  II San  Francisco. 

Sherman,  Edwin  A Oakland. 

Spaulding,  Nathan  W Oakland. 

Daugherty,  Charles  M Oakland. 

Buck,  Silas  M Eureka. 

Stone,  Charles  E Marysville. 

Merritt,  James  B Oakland. 

Gillctt,  Charles  E Oakland. 

Petrie,  Williain  M Sacramento. 

Davies.  William  A San  Francisco. 

Waterhouse,  Columbus San  Francisco. 

De  Clairmont,  Ralph San  Francisco. 

Rosenstock,  Samuel  W San  Francisco. 

Lloyd,  Reuben  H San  Francisco. 

Levy,  Samuel  W San  Francisco. 

Patterson,  George Oakland. 

Crocker,  Charles  F San  Francisco. 

Daniell,  William  H  Northampton,  Mass. 

Cline,  Henry  A San  F'rancisco. 

Rader,   Frank Los  Angeles. 

Lee,  James  G.  C San  Francisco. 

Fletcher,  LeRoy  D Oakland. 

Pallon,  Charles  L San  Francisco. 

Pierce,  Charles  L.  J.  W Oakland. 

Davis,  Jacob  Z San  Francisco. 

Wagner,  Charles  W.  A. San  Francisco. 

Lask,  Harry  J San  Francisco. 

Jones,  Florin  L Pasadena. 

Langdon,  Frederick  S Los  Angeles. 

Colorado. 

Greenleaf,  Lawrence  N Denver. 

Parmalce.  Edward  C Denver. 

Pomeroy,  Richard  A New  Iberia,  La. 

Orahood,  Harper  M Denver. 

Gove,  Aaron Denver. 

Hill,  Frank  B Denver. 

District  of  Columbia. 

Ingle,  Christopher Washington. 

Brown,  Joseph  T New  Roehelle,  N.  Y. 

Bennett,  Clement  W Washington. 

Singleton.  William  R Washington. 

^lacGrotty,  Edwin  B Washington. 

Schmid,  John  E.  C Wa.shington. 

Somerville,  Thomas Washington. 

Roome,  William  Oscar Washington. 

Taylor,  Joseph  C Washington. 

Roose,  William  S Washington. 

Loockerman,  Thomas  G Georgetown. 

Lansburgh.  James Washington. 

Duiicanson,  Charles  C Washington. 

Taylor,  Leroy  M Washington. 

Balloch,  George  W Washington. 

No  yes,  Isaac  P Washington. 


Baldwin,  Aaron Washington. 

Woodman,  Francis  J Washington. 

Goldsmith,  Louis Washnigton. 

Naylor,  Allison,  Jr Washington. 

Ball,  Robert Washington. 

Willis,  Edward  M Washington. 

Florida. 
Perry,  Robert  J Key  West. 

Georgia. 

Blackshear,  James  E Savannah. 

Wolihin,  Andrew  M Macon. 

Stockdell,  Ileniy  C Atlanta. 

Cavanaugh,  John  H Savannah. 

Hawaiian  Islands. 

Williams,  Henry  II Honolulu. 

West,  Gideon 

Lidian  Territory. 
Hill.  Robert  W Muscogee. 

Iowa. 

Ashton,  George  W Lyons. 

Cotton,  Aylett  R San  Francisco,  Cal. 

Parker,  George  W Lyons. 

Morton,  James Cedar  Rapids. 

Van  Deventer,  James  T Knoxville,  Tenn. 

Lamb,  Artemus Clinton. 

Bever,  George  W Cedar  Rapids. 

Ellis,  Lyman  A Lyons. 

Fidlar,  Wilbur  F Davenport. 

Curtis,  Charles  F Clinton. 

Woodward,  Benjamin  S Clinton. 

Blakely,  Frederick  L Lyons. 

Gardiner,  Silas  Wright Lyons. 

Wadleigh,  Leroy  B .Clinton. 

Watson,  William  P Vinton. 

Macy,  John  C Des  Moines. 

Percival,  Frederick  A Des  Moines. 

Park,  William  A Des  Moines. 

Head,  Albert Des  Moines. 

Gage,  Elbridge  F Cedar  Rapids. 

Ray,  Frank  G Vinton. 

Parvin,  Newton  R Cedar  Rapids. 

Lacey,  Thomas  B Council  Bluffs. 

Japan. 

Langfelt,  August Yokohama. 

Keil,  Oscar Yokohama. 

Kansas. 

Sherman,  Adrian  C Rossville. 

Freeling,  Peter  J Leavenworth. 

Miller,  Matthew  M Topcka. 

Carpenter,  John  C Leavenworth. 

Langdon,  Burton  E Louisville,  Ky. 

Emmons,  Alonzo  C Leavenworth. 

Davis.  Evan Lawrence. 


58 


FREEMASONRY 


Kansas. — Continued. 

Cole,  Jeremiah  S Freeport,  111. 

Smith,  Jeremiah  G Wichita. 

Cunningham,  Harper  S Oklahoma,  Okl. 

Seilz,  John  G.  0 Salina. 

Liepman,  Joseph  H Fort  Scott. 

McDermott,  Fcnton  L Fort  Scott. 

Jones,  Charles  M Wichita. 

Goldberg,  Edward Wichita. 

Loomis,  Henry  C Winfield. 

Norton,  Jonathan  D Topeka. 

Passon,  David Lawrence. 

Hass,  James  H Topeka. 

Kentucky. 

■Gray,  Henry  W Louisville. 

Freeman,  Ambrose  W St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Reinecke,  William Louisville. 

Hall,  Edwin  G West  Side,  Cal. 

Ryan,  William Louisville. 

Sloss,  Levi Louisville. 

Smith,  Kilbourn  W Louisville. 

Vogt,  Charles  C Louisville. 

Fisk,  Charles  H Covington. 

Miller,  Robert  T Covington. 

Dudley,  Thomas  U Louisville. 

Johnson,  Frank  H Louisville. 

Thomas,  Warren  La  Rue. . .  .Maysville. 

Livezey,  Thomas  E Covington. 

Wilson,  David  H Louisville. 

Johnson,  William  R Louisville. 

Kopmeier,  George Louisville. 

Staton,  James  W Brooksville. 

Pruett,  John  W Frankfort. 

Witt,  Bernard  G Henderson. 

Ranshaw,  Henry Covington. 

Robinson,  Eugene  A Maysville. 

Louisiana. 

Craig,  Emmett  DeW New  Orleans. 

Isaacson,  Alfred  H New  Orleans. 

Brice,  Albert  G New  Orleans. 

Soule,  George New  Orleans. 

Hero,  Andrew,  Jr New  Orleans. 

Kells,  Charles  Edmund 

Norwood.  Abel  J 

Quayle,  Mark New  Orleans. 

Buck,  Charles  F New  Orleans. 

Lambert,  Richard New  Orleans. 

Schneiden.  Paul  M New  Orleans. 

Pinckard,  George  J New  Orleans. 

Collins,  William  J New  Orleans. 

Coulter,  Henry  W New  Orleans. 

Pratts,  Jose  Alaban  y New  Orleans. 

Maryland. 
Jenkins,  Benjamin  W  .....  .  .Baltimore. 

Cisco,  Charles  T Baltimore. 


Wiesenfeld,  David Baltimore. 

Shryock,  Thomas  J Baltimore. 

Larrabee,  Henry  C Baltimore. 

3Iinnesota. 

Hayden,  Francis  A Chicago,  111. 

Nash,  Charles  W St.  Paul. 

Hotchkiss,  Edward  A Minneapolis. 

Williams,  James  M Minneapolis. 

Whitman,  Ozias Red  Wing. 

Merrill,  Giles  W St.  Paul. 

Thompson,  Joseph  H Minneapolis. 

Ferry,  John  C St.  Paul. 

Metcalf,  George  R St.  Paul. 

Wright,  William  H.  S St.  Paul. 

Hugo,  Trevanion  W Duluth. 

Schlener,  John  A Minneapolis. 

Jewett,  William  P St.  Paul. 

Levering,  Anthony  Z Minneapolis. 

Metcalf,  Oscar  M St.  Paul. 

Powell,  Milton  E Redwood  Falls. 

Dobbin,  Joseph  L Minneapolis. 

Randall,  John  H Minneapolis. 

Higbee,  Albert  E Minneapolis. 

Kilvington,  Samuel  S Minneapolis. 

Richardson,  William  E Duluth. 

3Iisso%iri. 

Loker,  William  N St.  Louis. 

Garrett,  Thomas  E St.  Louis. 

Thacher,  Stejjhen  D Kansas  City. 

Parsons,  John  R St.  Louis. 

Morrow,  Thomas  R Kansas  City. 

Altheimer,  Benjamin St.  Louis. 

Stowe,  James  G Kansas  City. 

Harvey,  William Kansas  City. 

Stewart,  Alphonse  C St.  Louis. 

Mayo,  William  H St.  Louis. 

Nelson,  Benjamin  F St.  Louis. 

Mississipjii. 
Speed,  Frederic Vicksburg. 

Montana. 

Hedges,  Cornelius Helena. 

Major,  John  C Helena. 

Guthrie,  Henry  H Helena. 

Frank,  Henry  L    Butte. 

Fowler,  William  C Genesee,  Ida. 

Hitman,  Cyrus  W Livingston. 

Lashorn,  Millard  H Livingston. 

Nebraska. 

Furnas,  Robert  W Brownsville. 

Betts,  George  C New  Jersey. 

Deuel,  Harry  P Omaha. 

Monell,  John  J.,  Jr Omaha. 

Fulleys,  James  A Red  Cloud. 

Oaklev.  Roland  H Lincoln. 


FREEMASONRY 


59 


Nebraska. — Continued. 

Rawalt,  Benjamin  F Dubois,  Colo. 

Young,  Frank  II.  0 Broken  Bow. 

Duke,  Elbert  T Omaha. 

Warren,  Edwin  F Nebraska  City. 

Cleburne,  William Omaha. 

Sewell,  Thomas Lincoln. 

Huntington,  Charles  S Omaha. 

Webster,  Edward  C Hastings. 

Akin,  Henry  C Omaha. 

France,  George  B 

Mercer,  John  J Omaha. 

Sudborough,  Thomas  K Omaha. 

Kenyon,  William  J.  C Omaha. 

Anderson,  Leverett  M Omaha. 

Wheeler,  Daniel  H Omaha. 

Korty,  Lewis  H Omaha. 

Newell,  Henry Omaha. 

Hall,  Frank  M Lincoln. 

Keene,  Louis  McL Freemont. 

Nevada. 

Laughton,  Charles  E Carson  City. 

Buttlar,  Charles  J.   R Oakland,  Cal. 

Harmon,  Fletcher  H Eureka. 

Hall.  David  H Eureka. 

Torre,  Giovanni Eureka. 

North  Dakota. 

Burke,  Andrew  H Duluth,  Minn. 

Paxton,  Thomas  C Minneapolis,  Minn. 

Thompson,  Frank  J Fargo. 

Twamley,  James Grand  Forks. 

Darrow,  Edward  McL Fargo. 

Plumley,  Horatio  C Fargo. 

Kneisley,  Charles  C Davenport,  la. 

Schwellenbach,  Ernest  J Jamestown. 

Guptil,  Albert  B Fargo. 

Knowlton,  Roswell  W Fargo. 

Nash,  Francis  B Fargo. 

Scott,  William  A Fargo. 

Oregon. 

Dolph,  Joseph  N Portland. 

Foster,  John  R Portland. 

Shurtliff,  Ferdinand  N Portland. 

Pope,  Seth  L Portland. 

Roberts,  Andrew Portland. 

Malcolm,  Philip  S Portland. 

Whitehouse,   Benjamin  G. ..  .Portland. 

Withington,  George  E Portland. 

Clark,  Louis  G Portland. 

Tuthill,  David  S Portland. 

Mayer,  Jacob Portland. 

Chance,  George  H.   Portland. 

Hoyt,  Henry  L Portland. 

cook,  James  W Portland. 


South  Dakota. 

Blatt,  William Yankton. 

Huntington,  Eugene Webster. 

Cummingg,  Daniel  E Dead  wood. 

Leroy,  Lewis  G Webster. 

Maloney,  Richard  M Deadwood. 

South  Carolina. 

Buist,  John  S Charleston. 

Ficken,  John  F Charleston. 

Mordecai,  Thomas  M Charleston. 

Buist,  Samuel  S Charleston. 

Pankin,  Charles  F Charleston. 

Tennessee. 

Eastman,  Charles  H Nashville. 

Plumacher,  Eugene  H Maracaibo,  Venez'la. 

Wright,  Pitkin  C Memphis. 

Sears,  John  McK Memphis. 

Weller,  John  J Memphis. 

Texas. 

Gunner,  Rudolph Dallas. 

Openheimer,  Louis  M Austin. 

Morst,  Charles  S Corsicana. 

Ashby,  Joseph  K Fort  Worth. 

Martin,  Sidney Fort  Worth. 

Hotchkiss,  Charles  A Dallas. 

Hamilton,  Benjamin  0 Galveston. 

Gelbough,  Frederick  M Galveston. 

Hunter,  Craig Temple. 

United  States  Army. 

Head,  John  F Washington,  D.  C. 

Bailey,  Elisha  I San  Francisco,  Cal. 

Wood,  Marshall  W Boise  Barracks,  Ida. 

Hall,  Robert  11 

Dudley,  Edgar  S. Columbus,  0. 

Woodruff,  Carle  A Fort  Warren,  Mass. 

Page,  Charles Baltimore,  Md. 

Lee,  James  G.  C San  Francisco,  Cal. 

Rockefeller,  Charles  M.   Alliance,  O. 

Sanno,  James  M.  J Ft.  Snelling,  Minn. 

McConihe,  Samuel Ft.  Leavenw'th.Kan. 

Virginia. 

Olney,  Uervey  A Tilbury,  Can. 

Craighill,  Edward  A  Lynchburg. 

Greenwood,  Frederick Norfolk. 

Turner,  Daniel  J.,  Jr Portsmouth. 

Nesbitt,  Charles  A Richmond. 

Ryan,  William Riciiniond. 

Carmichael,  Hartley Riclimond. 

Williams,  Richard  P Montgomery,  Ala. 

Washirigton. 

O'Brien,  Rossell  G Olympia. 

Reed.  Thomas  M Olympia. 

Zeigler,  Louis Spokane. 


60 


FREEMASONRY 


Washington. — Continued. 

Rundle,  Nathan  B Spokane. 

Gowey,  John  F Olympia, 

Thompson,  Walter  J. Tacoma. 

Hare,  Edward  R Tacouia. 

Snodgrass,  Furman  E Spokane. 

West  Virginia. 

Walker,  Kephart  D Fairmount. 

Applegate,   William  J Wellsburg. 

^Morris,  John  W Wheeling. 

Parrah,  Thomas  M Wheeling. 

Birch,  John  M Wheeling. 

McCahon,  James Wheeling. 

Wyoming. 

Knight,  Jesse .Evanston. 

Dickinson,  Edward Laramie. 

Supreme  Council,  Sovereign  Grand  Inspectors 
General,  33°,  Northern  Jurisdiction  (north  of  Mason 
and  Dixon  line  and  east  of  the  Mississippi  River): 

Henry  L.  Palmer,  33°,  Most  Puissant  Sovereign 
Grand  Commander,  Milwaukee,  Wis. 

Clinton  F.  Paige,  33°,  Illustrious  Grand  Secre- 
tary General,  Stewart  Building,  New  York. 

The  list  of  active  thirty-third  degree  members  of 
the  Supi'eme  Council,  Northern  Jui'isdietion,  is  as 
follows: 

Arnold,  Newton  D Providence,  R.  I. 

Babcock,  Brenton  D Cleveland,  0. 

Balding,  Thomas  E Milwaukee,  Wis. 

Barnard,  Gilbert  W Chicago,  111. 

Bentley,  George  W Brooklyn  N.  Y. 

Buchanan,  James  I Pittsburgh,  Pa.  (Deputy.) 

Burnham,  Edward  P Saco,  Me. 

Caven,  John Indianapolis,  Ind. 

Carson,  Enoch  T Cincinnati,  0.     (Deputy.) 

Carter,  Charles  W Norwich,  Conn.  (Deputy.) 

Codding,  James  H Towanda,  Penn. 

Cottrill,  Charles  M Milwaukee, Wis.  (Deputy.) 

Currier,  George  W Nashua,  N.  H.    (Deputy.) 

Daine,  Charles  C Newburyport,  Mass. 

Drummond,  JosiahH. . .  .Portland,  Me. 

Frazee,  Andrew  B Camden,  N.  J. 

Guthrie,  George  W Pittsburg,  Pa. 

Hawley,  James  H.  . .    . .  .Dixon.  111. 

Higby,  William  R Bridgeport,  Conn. 

Highly,   Francis  M Philadelphia,  Penn. 

Homan,  William New  York  City,  N.  Y. 

Hutchinson,  Charles  C.  ..Lowell,  Mass. 

Ide,  Charles  E Syracuse,  N.  Y.  (Deputy.) 

Kenyon,  George  H Providence,R.I.  (Deputy.) 

King,  INIarquis  F Portland,  Me.     (Deputy.) 

Kinsman,  David  N Columbus,  0. 

Lawrence,  Samuel  C Boston,  Mass. 

McCurdy,   Hugh Corunna,  Mich.  (Deputy.) 

Metcalf,  A.  T Kalamazoo,  j\Iich. 


Paige,  Clinton  F Bingham  ton,  N.  Y. 

Palmer,   Henry  L Milwaukee,  Wis. 

Patterson,  Robert  E Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Perkins,  Marsh  0 Windsor,  Vt.      (Deputy.) 

Pettibone,  Amos Chicago,  111. 

Quinby,  Henry  B  Lakeport,  N.  H. 

Ruckle,  Nicholas  R Indianapolis,  Ind. 

Shirrefs,  Robert  A  Elizabeth,  N.  J.  ^Deputy.) 

Siekels,  Daniel Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Smith,  Barton Toledo,  0. 

Smith,  John  Corson Chicago,  111.        (Deputy.) 

Smith,  Joseph  W Indianapolis,  Ind. 

Stettinius,  John  L Cincinnati,  0. 

Stevens,  Walter  A Chicago,  111. 

Tracy,  David  B Detroit,  Mich. 

Tyler,  George  0 Burlington,  Vt. 

Ward,  J.  H.  Hobart Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Wells,  Samuel Boston,  Mass. 

Woodbury,  Charles  Levi..  Boston,  Mass.  (Deceased.) 

The  following  is  a  complete  list  of  honorary 
thirty-third  degree  members,  Sovereign  Grand  In- 
spectors General  of  the  Supreme  Council  A.  A.  S. 
R.,  Northern  Jurisdiction  of  the  United  States,  for 
1898  : 

3Iaine. 

Locke,  Joseph  A Portland. 

Waite,  Almon  C Portland. 

Hinkley,  Ruf  us  H Portland. 

Marston,  Arlington  B Bangor. 

Berry,  Stephen Portland. 

Russell,  John  S Portland. 

Chase,  Albro  E Portland. 

Shaw,  George  R Portland. 

Bearce,  Samuel  F Portland. 

Mallet,  Edmund  B.,  Jr Preeport. 

Farnham,  Augustus  B Bangor. 

Penley,  Albert  M   Auburn. 

Burnham,  William  J Lewiston. 

Merrill,  Jonathan  A Portland. 

Hastings,  Moses  M Bangor. 

Mason,  Wm.  Castein Bangor. 

Harris,  Herbert East  Machias 

Day,  Fessenden  I Lewiston. 

Heath,  Elbridge  G Auburn. 

Hicks,  Millard  F Portland. 

Raymond,  George  E Portland. 

Burr,  Thomas  W Bangor. 

Treby,  Johnson Augusta. 

New  Hampshire. 

Atherton,  Henry  B Nashua. 

Fellows,  Joseph  W Manchester. 

Cleaves,  George  P Concord. 

Webster,  John  F Concord. 

Shattuck,  Joseph Nashua. 

Webster,  Charles  H Nashua. 


FREEMASONRY 


61 


New  Hampshire, — Contitmed. 

Danforth,  Charles  C Concord. 

Smith,  Henry  B Nashua. 

Sanders,  Frank  L Concord. 

Hunt,  Nathan  P Manchester. 

Hatch,  John Greenland. 

Kent,  Henry  0 Lancaster. 

Hatch,  Oscar  C Littleton. 

Clark,  John  H Nashua. 

Towle,  Charles  N Concord. 

Hayes,  Charles  C Manchester. 

Marsh,  Henry  A Nashua. 

Fletcher,  Thomas  M Alder  Brook. 

Wait,  Albert  S Newport. 

Vermont. 

Underwood,  Levi Burlington. 

Paine,  Milton  K Windsor. 

Heaton,  Charles  H Montpelier. 

Johnson,  IMiron  W Burlington. 

Hill,  Howard  F Concord,  N.  H. 

Fisher,  Frederick  S Deposit,  N.  Y. 

Nichols,  Albro  F St.  Johnsbury. 

Reynolds,  Warren  G Burlington. 

Kinsley,  George  H Burlington. 

Jackson,  J.  Henry Barre. 

Cummings,  Silas  W St.  Albans. 

Nichols,  Sayles Burlington. 

Hall  Alfred  A St.  Albans. 

Wing,  George  W Montpelier. 

Whitcomb,  Charles  W Cavendish. 

Wright,  Robert  J Newport. 

Nicholson,  Daniel  N Burlington. 

Calderwood,  Charles  A St.  Johnsbury, 

Thompson,  Jesse  E Rutland. 

Whipple,  John  H Manchester. 

Taf t,  Elihu  B Burlington. 

Babbitt,  George  H Bellows  Falls. 

Webster,  Daniel    P Brattleboro. 

Massachusetts. 

Hathaway,  Nicholas Fall  River. 

Lawrence,  Daniel  W Medford. 

Marshall,  Wyzeman Boston. 

Kelsey,  Albert  H . .  .North  Cambridge. 

P'reeland,  James  H Boston. 

Hall,  John  K Boston. 

Smith,  William  A Worcester. 

Richardson,  William  A Washington,  D.  C. 

Fo.x,  James  A Boston. 

Everett,  Percival  L Boston. 

Niekerson,  Sereno  D Boston. 

^Nfullikcn,  Henry Boston. 

Carpenter,  George  0 Boston. 

Gould,  Benjamin  A Cambridge. 

Endicott,   Henry Cambridgeport. 

Chessman,  William  H Boston. 

Guild,  William  H Boston. 


Perkins,  Henry  P Lowell. 

Welch,  Charles  A Boston. 

Weld,  Otis  E Boston. 

Alger,  William  R Boston. 

Walbridge,  Frederick  G Boston. 

Wright,  Edwin Boston. 

Waterman,  Thomas Boston. 

Smith,  Albert  C Boston. 

Spellman,  Charles  C Springfield. 

Spooner,  Samuel  B Springfield. 

Stevens,  William  J Kingston,  N.  H. 

Carpenter,  George  S Boston. 

Doolittle,  Erastus  H Boston. 

Young,  E.  Bentley Boston. 

Seward,  Josiah  L Lowell. 

Lakin,  John  II Boston. 

Buckingham,  George  B Worcester. 

Rowell,  Benjamin  W Boston. 

Savage,  Mi  not  J Boston. 

Work,  Joseph  W Boston. 

Richardson,  Albert  L. ..... .  .Boston. 

Spring,  Frederick  H Boston. 

Richards,  Eugene  II Boston. 

Allen,  George  H Lynn. 

Livingston,  William  E Lowell. 

Cutting,  Walter Pittsfield. 

Hersey,  Freeman  C Salem. 

Stickney,  Horace  W Boston. 

Young,  James  H Boston. 

Collamore,'\Iohn  H Boston. 

Emmons,  Theodore  H Boston. 

Kendrick,  Edmund  P Springfield. 

Welch,  Albion  F Danvers. 

Hubbard,  Samuel  F Boston. 

Temple,  Thomas  F Boston. 

Fitts,  Edward  A Haverhill'. 

Pollard,  Arthur  G Lowell. 

Gates,  Albert  F Worcester. 

Holton,  Eugene  A Boston. 

Kellough,  Thomas East  Boston. 

Plummer,  j\Ioses  C Boston. 

Holmes,  Edwin  B Boston. 

Nichols,  Edward  W.  L Boston. 

Lawrence,  William  B Medford. 

Bowen,  Seranus Roxbury. 

Raymond,  John  M Salem. 

Trefry,  William  D.  T Marblehead. 

Flanders,  Dana  J jMalden. 

Bush,  John  S.  F Boston. 

Gleason,  James  M Boston. 

Rhodes.  George  H Taunton. 

Thorndike,  Samuel  L Cambridge. 

Young,  Cliarles  F Lowell. 

Rhode  Island. 

Chaffee,  Albert  II Worcester,  Mass. 

Bra>-ton,  James  B Newport. 


62 


FREEMASONRY 


Rhode  Island. — Continued. 

Burt,  Eugene  D Providence. 

White,  Stillman Providence. 

Earle,  Josepli  0 Providence. 

Underwood,  William  J Newport. 

Shepley,  George  L Providence. 

Field,  Henry  C Providence. 

White,  Hunter  C Providence. 

Ilusband,  William  E Providence. 

Eddy,  Andrew  B Providence. 

Newhall,  Charles  C Providence. 

Mumford,  Charles  C Pi-ovidenee. 

Vincent,  Walter  B Providence. 

Burnham,  George  H Providence. 

Studley,  J.  Edward Providence. 

Connecticut. 

Allen,  Marciis  C Bridgeport. 

Parker,  Henry  L Norwich. 

Gould,  James  L Bridgeport. 

Baldwin,  Nathan  A Milford. 

Billings,  Charles  E Hartford. 

Skiff,  Charles  W Danbury. 

Kirker,  James. .    Norwich. 

Waldron,  Frederick  H New  Haven. 

Seeley,  William  E Bridgeport. 

Bronson,  Samuel  M Hartford. 

Brewer,  Arthur  H Norwich. 

Bronson,  Horatio  G New  Haven. 

Quintard,  Eli  S New  Haven. 

Button,  Alpheus  D Bridgeport. 

Sevin,  Nathan  D Norwich. 

Knowlton,  Julius  W Bridgeport. 

Lines,  H.  Wales Meriden. 

Hubbard,  Charles  L Norwich. 

Root,  John  G Hartford. 

Woodward,  Henry JMiddletown. 

Spencer,  Frederick  A Waterbury. 

Porter,  George  L Bridgeport. 

Chapman,  Silas,  Jr Hartford. 

Lippitt,  Costello Norwich. 

Neiv  York. 

Woodhara,  Alfred Brooklyn. 

Jennings,  Joseph  J Brooklyn. 

Vining,  Harrison  S Brooklyn. 

Cole,  Otis Rochester. 

Anderson,  John  R Le  Roy. 

Gardner,  George  J Syracuse. 

Stone,  Seymour  H Syracuse. 

Loomis,  Edwin  J Norwich. 

Williams,  John  D Elmira. 

Fleming,  Walter  M New  York. 

Northrup,  Aaron  L New  York. 

Sage,  John  L Rochester. 

Anthony,  Jesse  B Troy. 

Stiles,  Benjamin  F Skaneateles. 


Robinson,  John  C Binghamton. 

Bartlett,  John  S Buffalo. 

Cook,  Abel  G Syracuse. 

Ten  Eyck,  James Albany. 

Gilbert,  George  W New  York. 

Telfair,  Jacob  R Staten  Island. 

Ehlers,  Edward  M.  L New  York. 

Sage,  William  L  Boston,  Mass. 

Paterson,  William  S New  York. 

Macomb,  John  N Lawrence,  Kan. 

Peters,  Augustus  W New  York. 

Russ,   Herman  H Albany. 

Torrey,  Charles  W Staten  Island. 

Eakins,  Joseph  B New  York. 

Heyzer,  Charles  H New  York. 

Wood,  Austin  C Syracuse. 

Steele,  Samuel  C Rochester. 

Clark,  Charles  P Syracuse. 

Thacher,  John  Boyd Albany. 

Berry,  Hiram  B.    .* Warwick, 

Fuller,  George  W Corning. 

Pearce,  Willard  A New  York. 

Simmons,  J.  Edward New  York. 

Flagler,  Benjamin Suspension  Bridge. 

Brodie,  William  A Geneseo. 

Millar,  George  W New  York. 

Lawless,  William  J New  York. 

Becker,  Albert,  Jr Syracuse. 

Ely,  Foster Ridgefield,  Conn. 

Trask.  Wayland Brooklyn. 

Ward,  Charles  S New  York. 

Richardson,  John  W Brooklyn. 

Abel,  Joseph  P Brooklyn. 

Parker,  Richard  H Syracuse. 

Lawrence,  Frank  R New  York. 

Plumb,  Hiram  W Syracuse. 

Ferguson,  James  F Central  Valley. 

Fitch,  William  E Albany. 

McGown,  George Palmyra. 

McDowell,  Simon  V Rochester. 

Thrall,  Edwin  A Brooklyn. 

Walker,  Sidney  F Brooklyn. 

McGee,  James Brooklyn. 

Clarke,  Geoi'ge  H Rochester. 

Hubbard,  Warren  C Rochester. 

Jones,  Edward  F Binghamton. 

Frisbie,  Byron  S LTtica. 

Benson,  Frederic  A Binghamton. 

MacLellan,  Daniel  M New  York. 

Shafer,  John  F Menands,  Albany. 

Lombard,  Thomas  R New  York. 

Lorillard,  Pierre New  York. 

Knowles,  Edwin Brooklyn. 

MacArthur,  Arthur .   Troy. 

Story,  William  Albany. 

Affleck,  Stephen  D New  York. 


FREEMASONRY 


63 


New  York. — Continued. 

Griffith,  Charles  T New  York. 

Moore,  Thomas New  York. 

Washburne,  Pldwin  D New  York. 

Lambert,  J.  Leavitt    Hoosick  Falls. 

Day,  David  F Buffalo. 

Sherer,  William Brooklyn. 

Tallcott,  Edwin  0 Syracuse. 

Hinc,  Omar  A Canton. 

Wright.  Alfred  G Rochester. 

White,  William  II New  York. 

Van  Buskirk,  George  W  . . .  .New  York. 

Ellison,  Saruni  R New  York. 

Duncan,  W^illiam  J New  York. 

Burdgc,  Dwight Brooklyn. 

Rowell,  George  A Brooklyn, 

Quantin,  Edward  11 Brooklyn. 

Brown,  Elon  G Utica. 

Duncan,  John  II Syracuse. 

Sutherland,  William  A Rochester. 

Sturtevant,  Stephen  Y West  Troy. 

Crawford,  Charles    New  York. 

Armatage,  Charles  II Albany. 

Goble,  Frank  B Rochester. 

Cushman,  Charles  W Buffalo. 

Edwards,  Amos  S Syracuse. 

Williams,  Robert  D Albany. 

Stewart,  John New  York. 

Wood,  George New  York. 

Matthews,  William  J New  York. 

Stiles,  Robert  B Lansingburg. 

Hall,  Edwin  C Syracuse. 

Stone,  Horace  G Syracuse. 

Griimniond,  Fred  W Binghamton. 

Moore,  Joseph  C Corning. 

Kendall,  Hugh  H Corning. 

Noble,  Horace  A Buffalo. 

Brothers,  John  L Buffalo. 

Brown,  George  L Buffalo. 

Titus,  Robert  C Buffalo. 

Newell,  George  A ^Medina. 

Vick,  Frank  H Rochester. 

Beatty,  Claudius  F New  York. 

Sisson,  John  W New  York. 

Stevens,  T.  Jefferson Brooklyn. 

Sloan,  Augustus  K Brooklyn. 

Weaver,  William  II Albany. 

Smith,  J.  Hungerford Rochester, 

Hatch,  Edward  W Buffalo. 

Woodward,  Clarence  L Syracuse. 

Delavan,  Erastus  C Binghamton, 

Pritchard,  Truman  S Corning. 

Lloyd,  James  II Troy. 

McKee,  J.  Frank Gloversville. 

Bingham,  Charles  D Watertown. 

Greenwood,  Marvin  I Newark. 


Potter,  Henry  C New  York. 

Dunwell,  Charles  T Brooklyn. 

Dumary,  T.  Henry Albany. 

Ward,  Francis  G Buffalo. 

Prescott,  Joel  H.,  Jr Buffalo. 

Anderson,  Jolin Binghamton. 

Johnson,  David   M Binghamton. 

Sisson,  William  W Binghamton. 

Hand,  Walter  M Binghamton. 

Sickels,  f 'harles  E Brooklyn 

Luscomb,  (^harles  II Brooklyn. 

Demarest,  William  E New  York. 

Barker,  George  T Brooklyn. 

Eaton,  Calvin  W Albany. 

Hayes,  Charles  E Buffalo. 

Newell,  John  T Ogdensburg, 

Curtis,  Dexter  D Elmira. 

Brooke,  Thomas Rochester, 

Stowell,  Henry Troy. 

Neiv  Jersey. 

Edwards,  George  B Jersey  City, 

Goodwin,  William  W Camden, 

Bechtel,  Charles Trenton. 

Higginbotham,  Marcus Jersey  City. 

Scott,  George Paterson. 

Borden,  Jerome  B Somerset,  Mass, 

Steed,  George  W Camden. 

Mills,   Edward Camden. 

Winfield,  Albert  D Paterson. 

Tice,  Josiah New  Brunswick. 

Smith,  Stephen Jersey  City. 

Watson,  Thomas  F Jersey  City. 

Roome,  Henry  C Jersey  City. 

Schoder,  Anthony Woodbridge. 

Stevens,  Albert  C Pater.son. 

Durand,  James  II Railway. 

Tillou,  Edward  L Elizabeth. 

Tilden,  Thonuis  W Jerst>y  City, 

Pennsylvania. 

Vallerchamj),  John Harrisburg. 

Knapp,  Christian  F Bloomsburg. 

Lutz,  Isaac  D Harrisburg. 

Ilunn,  Townsend  S New  York. 

Earley.  Charles  R Ridgeway. 

Egle,  William  II Ilarri.'^burg. 

Muckle,  Mark  R Phihulelphia, 

Patton,  Thomas  R Philadelphia, 

Sartain,   John Philadoljjhia. 

Wyckoff,  Edward  S Philadelphia. 

Hopkins,  James  H Washington.   D.  C. 

Barber,  James  S Philadelphia. 

Carroll,  De\Vitt  C Pittsburg. 

Garrigues,  Franklin Philadelphia. 

Balmain,  George  P Pittsburg. 

Eichbaum,  Joseph Pittsburg. 


64 


FREEMASONRY 


Pennsylvania. — Continued. 

Meredith,   William  B Kittanning. 

Clapp,  John  M Tidioute. 

Lyte,  Eliphalct  0 Millersville. 

Francis,  Charles  K Philadelphia. 

Ciimniiugs.  Charles  11 Maiieh  Chunk. 

Shaffer,   Vosburgh  N Pha^iixville. 

Lyte,  Joshna  L Lancaster. 

Wray,  Samuel  W Philadelphia. 

Henderson,  Matthias  H New  Castle. 

Slack,  William  H Allegheny  City. 

Kerr,  James,  Jr Pittsburg. 

Arnold,  John  B Aurora,  111. 

Eaby,  Joel  S Lancaster. 

Kennedy,  Samuel  B Erie. 

Thompson,  Caleb  C Warren. 

Smith,  Lee  S Pittsburg. 

Himrod,  William Erie. 

Gary,  Charles Philadelphia. 

Dunnell,  Henry  N Scranton. 

Kendrick,  George  W.,  Jr. . .  .Philadelphia. 

Bates,  Stockton Philadelphia. 

Sprenkel,  Peter  K Harrisburg. 

Holmes,  Americus  Y Pittsburg. 

Kuhn,  Henry  H Somerset. 

McClees,   Levi  B Germantown,  Phila. 

Steffe,  Christian  G Reading. 

Linden,  Robert  J Philadelphia. 

Wigley,   Arthur  B Pittsburg. 

Stevenson,  David  A Pittsburg. 

Barkey,  Peter Erie. 

Hall,   Amos  H Philadelphia. 

Smith,  Edgar  F Philadeljihia. 

Gilroy,  John  J Philadelphia. 

McKillip,  Harvey  A Bloomsburg. 

Williams,  J.  H Philadelphia. 

Johnstone,  George  C Allegheny. 

Sweigard,  Isaac  A Philadelphia. 

Boone,  Edwin Reading. 

Brown,  James  W Pittsburg. 

Bishop,  Alfred  S Pittsburg. 

Hale,  George Philadelphia. 

Ohio. 
Cunningham,  William  M. . .  .Newark. 

Hoadley,  George Cincinnati. 

Woodward,  Charles  A Cleveland. 

Keifer,  Charles  C Urbana. 

Totten,  James  S Lebanon. 

Ross,  ApoUos  M Cincinnati. 

Huston,  Alexander  B Cincinnati. 

Urner,  Henry  C Cincinnati. 

Mack,  Max  J Cincinnati. 

Parsons,  J.  B Cleveland. 

Sickels,  Sheldon Cleveland. 

Collins,  Charles  A Akron. 


Buechner,  William  L Youngstown. 

Gordon,  Theodore  P Columbus. 

Ncmbach,  Andrew Cincinnati. 

Sage,  George  R Cincinnati. 

Whitaker,  Ej)hraim  S Garretsville. 

Fasold,  Eli Dayton. 

Caldwell,  John  D  ........ .  .Cincinnati. 

Patton,  Alexander  G Columbus. 

Houck,  Martin  J Dayton. 

Chambei'lin,  John  W Tiflfin. 

Yance,  Alexander  F.,  Jr Urbana. 

Hauipson,  Robert  Y Salem. 

Halladay,  Calvin Lima. 

Goodspeed,  Josei^h  McK Athens. 

Melish,  William  B Cincinnati. 

Briggs,  Sam Cleveland. 

Wiiiegarner,  David  C Newark. 

Shepard,  William Columbus. 

Cutler,  Eben  J Cleveland. 

Page,  Edward  D Cleveland. 

Gwyini,  Robert Cincinnati. 

Pelton,  Frederick  W Cleveland. 

Akers,  W^illiam  J Cleveland. 

King,  David  L Akron. 

Brown,  Huntington Mansfield. 

Moore,  Sidney Delaware. 

Dunn,  Joseph  H Columbus. 

Harris,  John  T Columbus. 

Chamberlain,  Charles  W  . . .  .Dayton. 

Matthews,  Edward  W Cambridge. 

Armstrong,  Clax'ence  E Toledo. 

Stipp,  Joseph  A Toledo. 

Flach,  Charles  H Cincinnati. 

Michie,  William Cincinnati. 

Tucker,  Charles  H Cleveland. 

Williams,  Samuel  S Newark. 

Hays,  Otho  L Gallon. 

Parsons,  John  W Springfield. 

Jeffers,  Allen Dayton. 

Senter,  Orestes  A.  B Columbus. 

Collins,  ^ames  A Cincinnati. 

Morse,  Fred  A Cleveland. 

Lyttle,  La  Fayette Toledo. 

Bell,  John  N Dayton. 

Goodale,  Levi  C Cincinnati. 

Lemmon,  Reuben  C Toledo. 

Avery,  William  R Cincinnati. 

Rickley,  R.  R Columbus. 

Spencer,  Joseph  M Toledo. 

Walden,  John  M Cincinnati. 

Morris,  Evan Girrard. 

Melish,  Thomas  J Cincinnati. 

Andrews,  Allen Hamilton. 

Baldwin,  Charles  F Mt.  Yernon. 

Burdick,  Leander Toledo. 

Sands,  Stephen  P Cincinnati. 


FREEMASONRY 


65 


Ohio. — Continued. 

Perkins,  Henry Akron. 

Cotterall,  Joseph  W.,  Jr Cincinnati. 

Buchwalter,  ^Morris  L Cincinnati. 

Butler,  Charles  R Cleveland. 

Squire,  Andrew Cleveland. 

Mcintosh,  Henry  P Cleveland. 

Blyth.  John Bucyrus. 

Boone,  William  K Lima. 

Schaus,  Lewis  P Newark. 

Pfafflin,  Herman  C Cincinnati. 

Irvin,  Horace  A Dayton. 

Jackson,  Mervin Toledo. 

Stull.  John  M Warren. 

Bromwell,  Jacob  H Cincinnati. 

Keiniedy,  Henry  A Canton. 

Sater,  John  E Columbus. 

McCune,  John  P Columbus. 

King,  Edmund  B Sandusky. 

Johnston,  J.  Russell Dayton. 

Bushnell,  Asa  S Springfield. 

Lewis,  Charles  T Toledo. 

Bates,  William  L Dayton. 

Kite,  Thomas Cincinnati. 

Michigan. 

Brown,  Charles  H Grand  Rapids. 

Tabor,  Augustus  B Detroit. 

Kellogg,  Andrew  J Detroit. 

Bury,  Richard  A Adrian. 

Hills,  Charles  T Muskegon. 

Shipman.  Ozias  W Detroit. 

Fox,  Perrin  V Grand  Rapids. 

Haxton,  Benjamin  F Detroit. 

Thorp,  Darius  D Detroit. 

Baxter,  William  H Detroit. 

Striker,  Daniel Hastings. 

Henderson,  Frank Kalannizoo. 

Pomeroy,  Charles  H East  Saginaw. 

Swart  out,  Richard  D Grand  Rapids. 

Corljss,  John  B Detroit. 

Coulson,  Nicholas Detroit. 

Chamberlain,  M.  Howard. . .  .Detroit. 

Gilbert,  Frank  0 Bay  City. 

Moore,  Francis  M Marquette. 

Sharp,  Edgar  M Bay  City. 

Maybury.  William  C Detroit. 

Steerc,  Joseph  H Sault  Ste.  Marie. 

Emery,  Temple P^ast  Tawas. 

Dunham,  William Grand  Rapids. 

Ellis,  Waring  H Detroit. 

Conover,  Jefferson  H Coldwater. 

Hudson,  William  G Ludington. 

Wlieeler,  Edward  D Manistee. 

Palmer,  Thomas  W Detroit. 

Stephenson,  Samuel  M Menominee. 

5 


Davis,  James  E Detroit. 

Livingstone,  William,  Jr Detroit. 

Findlater,  James Detroit. 

Smith,  George  D Muskegon. 

Fifield,  Eugene Bay  City. 

May  worm,  Joseph Detroit. 

Fowle,  George  W Detroit. 

Meigs,  Alfred  E Detroit. 

Bolton,  Henry Alj)ena. 

Duncan,  John Calumet. 

Gerow,  John  A Detroit. 

Williams,  Thomas  H Jackson. 

Stiles,  Albert JacLson. 

McGee,  Michael  B.   Crystal  Falls. 

Munroe,  Thomas Muskegon. 

Winsor,  Lou  B Reed  City. 

Montross,  Richard  W Galien. 

Jewott,  William  E Adrian. 

Heald,  Charles  M Grand  Rapids. 

Harris,  L.  D Grand  Rapids. 

Osborn,  James  W Kalamazoo. 

Indiana. 

Hess,  .James  W Indianapolis. 

Fish,  George  H New  York  City. 

Bonsall.  Nathaniel  F New  Albany. 

Thayer,  Henry  G Plymouth. 

Davis,  Gilbert  W Indianapolis. 

Rice,  Martin  II Indianapolis. 

Douglas,  Sydney  W Evansville. 

Smith,  Jacob  W Indianapolis. 

Vail,  Walter Michigan  City. 

Butler,  John  L Vincennes. 

Robie ,  William  J Richmond. 

Brown.  Austin  II Indianapolis. 

Elliott,  Byron  K Indianapolis. 

Brush,  John  T Indianajwlis. 

Adams,  Henry  C Indianapolis. 

McKinley,  Thomas  S Terre  Haute. 

Sweet,  Samuel  B Fort  Wayne. 

Smythe,  William  H Indianapolis. 

Cole,  Cyrill  B Seymour. 

Cruft,  John  W Terre  Haute. 

Smith,  Joseph  L Richmond. 

Safford,  James  B Craflou,  Pa. 

Hawkins,  Roscoc  0 Indianapolis. 

Nye,  Mortimer La  Porte. 

Long,  Thomas  B Terre  Haute. 

Moycr,  Henry  A Kendall ville. 

Manning,  Jo.seph  A ^lichigan  City. 

Pixley,  George  W Fort  Wayne. 

Geake,  William Fort  Wayne. 

Farrington,  George  E Terre  Haute. 

Leighty,  Jacob  D St.  Joe. 

Ilutciiinson,  Charles  L Indianapolis. 

White,  Ahira  R Indianapolis. 


66 


FREEMASONRY 


Jndiana. — CotiHnued. 

McKee,  William  J Indianapolis. 

Niblack,  Mason  J Vincennes. 

Butler,  ]\Ijih]on  D Indianapolis. 

Lancaster,  Ilcnrv  H Lafayette. 

Sciiinidt,  W.  II Indianapolis. 

Sloan,  George  White Indianapolis. 

Ilulliday,  J.  11 Indianapolis. 

Elliott,  Nathan  Kelley Terre  Haute. 

Coulter,  James  P Aurora. 

Bass,  John  H Fort  Wayne. 

Wood,  Julius  C Muncie. 

Nichols,  Alonzo  S JMiehigan  City. 

Gillett,  Simeon  P Evansville. 

Mordhurst,  II.  W. Fort  Wayne. 

Marshall,  Thomas  R Columbia  City. 

Illinois. 

Turner,  William  H  Chicago. 

Ranney,  Ilenry  C Chicago. 

Gale,  William  H Chicago. 

Patrick,  Benjamin  F Boston,  Mass. 

Munn,  Loyal  L Freeport. 

Myers,  Eugene  B Chicago. 

Egan,  Wiley  M Chicago. 

Purdy,  Warren  G Chicago. 

Getty,  Ilenry  PI Chicago. 

Pond,  Ilenry  11 Chicago. 

Cregier,  DeWitt  C Chicago. 

Skinkle,  Jacob  W Chicago. 

O'Neil,  John Chicago. 

Brad  well,  James  B Chicago. 

Clarke,  Haswell  C Kankakee. 

McLaren,  John Chicago. 

Russell,  Alfred Chicago. 

Church,  James  E Chicago. 

Bannister,  James Peoria. 

Johnson,  Robert  M Chicago. 

Poulson,  W^illiam  E Chicago. 

Pace,  Edward  Coleman Ashley. 

Pearson,  John  Mills Godfrey. 

Hitchcock,  Charles  Freeman.  .Peoria. 

Miller,  De  Laskie Chicago. 

Milligan,  William  Lee  Roy. .  .Ottawa. 

Moulton,  George  M Chicago. 

Bliss,  Eliakim  R Chicago. 

Edwards,  Isaac  C Peoria. 

Warvelle,  George  W Chicago. 

Herrick.  Charles  K Chicago. 

Gunther,  Charles  F Chicago. 

MuUiner,  Edward  S Quincy. 

Stoskopf,   Michael Freeport. 

Stoker,  Eugene  Le  C Centralia. 

Spies,  Joseph Chicago. 

Curtis,  George  W Peoria. 

McLean,  Alexander Macomb. 

Luce,  Frank  M Chicago. 


McLellan,  Archibald Chicago. 

Works,  Charles  A Rockford. 

Walshe,  Robert  J Chicago. 

Lorimer,  George  C Boston,  Mass. 

Wiltse,  Hiram  L Chicago. 

Spring,  Sylvester  O Peoria. 

Smith,  Robert  A Chicago. 

May,  John  A Chicago, 

Norton,  John  E Chicago. 

Blocki,  William  F Chicago. 

Knight,  William  M Chicago. 

McFatrich,  James  B Chicago. 

Drake,  Chester  T Chicago. 

Goddard,  Leroy  A Chicago. 

Rhodes,  Henry  L Centralia. 

Rankin,  Charles  S Chicago. 

Roundy,  Frank  C Chicago. 

Ramsay,  Frederic  M Chicago. 

Montgomery,  Isaac  S Rockford. 

Haskins,  Seth  F Peoria. 

Wisconsin. 

Youngs,  Melvin  L Milwaukee. 

Palmer,  William  T Milwaukee. 

Greeley,  Samuel  F Chicago,  111. 

Wilkinson,  Francis  M Milwaukee. 

Haisler,  Michael  J Milwaukee. 

Suessmilch,  Frederick  L.  von  Delavan. 

Rogers,  Charles  D Milwaukee. 

Bracken,  Henry  S Milwaukee. 

Benzenberg,  George  H Milwaukee. 

Brazier,  William  H Milwaukee. 

Libbey,  Oliver Green  Bay. 

Crosby,  Francis  J Milwaukee. 

Watrous,  Jerome  A Milwaukee. 

Cole,  Sidney  H Milwaukee. 

Stark,  Edwards  J Milwaukee. 

Jackson,  E.  Gilbert Oshkosh. 

Fifield,  Samuel  S Ashland. 

Bingham,  Joel  W Milwaukee. 

Storke,  Eugene  F Milwaukee. 

Laflin,  John  W .Milwaukee. 

Golley,  Frank  B Milwaukee. 

Miller,  Daniel  McL Oconomowoc. 

Caufy,  Luther  L Milwaukee. 

Daniels,  Norman  C Milwaukee. 

Leuzarder,  Benjamin  T Milwaukee. 

Wagner,  Adolph  H Milwaidcee. 

Hooley,  George  T Milwaiikee. 

Wechselberg,  Julius Milwaukee. 

Littlejohn,  Newton  M Whitewater. 

Whitney,  LeRoy  C Milwaukee. 

Kenny,  William  P Milwaukee. 

Non-resident  Honorary  Ilembers. 

Wadsworth,  James  C.  L San  Francisco,  Cal. 

Filmer,  William San  Francisco,  CaL 

Stevens,  Enoch  B Southport,  N.  C. 


FREEMASONRY"   AMONG   THE   CHINESE 


67 


Millard,  Alden  C Iiulej)oiulcnce,  Mo. 

Wheeler,  Frederick  A Baltimore,  Md. 

Brown,  Edward  H Grass  Valley,  Cal. 

Richardson,  Lloyd  D Hot  Springs,  Ark. 

Concordant  Orders. 

Royal  Order  of  Scotland.  Provincial  Grand 
Lodge,  U.  S.  A.,  W.  Oscar  Roome,  Washington, 
D.  C. 

Knights  of  the  Red  Cross  of  Constantine.  Chap- 
ter General,  U.  S.  A. ;  Secretary  General,  Chas.  K. 
Francis,  425  Walnut  Street,  Philadelphia,  Pa. 

Knights  of  the  Red  Cross  of  Rome  and  Constan- 
tine, Sovereign  Grand  Council  ;  Registrar  General, 
Thomas  Leahy,  Rochester,  N.  Y. 

Non-Masonic  Bodies  to  which  only  Freemasons 
ARE  Eligible. 

Modern  Socieli/  of  Rosicrucians.  Thomas  J. 
Shryock,  Treasurer  General,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Ancient  Arabic  Order  of  Xohles  of  the  Mystic 
Shrine.  Imperial  Recorder,  Benj.  W.  Rowell,  28 
School  Street,  Boston,  ^lass. 

Sovereign  College  Allied  Manonic  Degrees.  Grand 
Recorder  General, Charles  A.  Xesbitt,Richmond,  Va. 

Mystic  Order,  Veiled  Projihets  of  the  KncJianted 
Realm.  Grand  Secretary,  Sydney  D.  Smith,  Ham- 
ilton, X.  Y. 

Independent  International  Order  of  Owls.  Ad- 
dress John  M.  Sears,  Xashville,  Tenn. 

Irregular  or  Spurious  Masonic  Bodies. 

Various  Grand  and  Subordinate  Lodges,  "An- 
cient and  Honorable  Order,  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons'';  Grand  and  Subordinate  Chapters  of 
Royal  Arch  Masons,  and  Grand  and  Subordinate 
Encampments  of  Knights  Templars.  (See  Free- 
masonry among  Xegroes.)  Enoch  R.  Spaulding, 
Most  Worshipful  Grand  Master,  Oswego,  X.  Y. ; 
Edward  B.  Irving,  Past  Grand  Master  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  the  State  of  Xew  York,  and  John 
H.  Deyo,  Grand  Secretary,  Albany. 

Supreme  Council,  A.  A.  S.  R..  ^^  Northern  Juris- 
diction," U.  S.  A.  (Xegro).  S.  C.  Scottron,  Grand 
Commander,  Brooklyn,  X.  Y. 

Supreme  Council,  A.  A.  S.  R.,  for  the  U.  S.  A., 
its  Territories  and  Dependencies  (Seymour-Cerneau 
rite).  Charles  II.  Benson,  Grand  Commander, 
Jersey  City,  X.  J. 

Supreme  Council,  A.  A.  S.  R.,  U.  S.  A.,  its  Ter- 
ritories and  Dependencies  (Thompson-Cerneau).  J. 
G.  Barker,  Grand  Secretary  General,  63  Bleeeker 
Street,  Xew  York. 

Supreme  Council,  A.  A.  S.  R.,  U.  S.  A.,  Southern 
and  Western  Jurisdiction  (Xegro).  Thornton  A. 
Jackson,  Grand  Commander.  Washington,  D.  C. 


Supreme  Council,  A.  A.  S.  R.,  U.  S.  A.,  North- 
ivestern  Jurisdiction  (Xegro).  M.  F.  Fields,  Grand 
Commander,  St.  Louis,  Mo. 

Ancient  Arabic  Order  of  Nobles  of  the  Mystic 
Shrine  of  North  and  South  America  (Xegro).  Ad- 
dress Robert  Hncless,  Xew  York  ;  John  G.  Jones, 
Chicago. 

"  Freemasonry  "  among  the  Chinese. 

— There  is  no  such  thing  as  Freema.sonry 
among  the  Chinese,  although  there  are  Chi- 
nese secret  societies  in  the  United  States 
which  have  been  described  as  organizations 
of  Chinese  "  Freemasons."  This  is  because 
the  word  Freemasonry  has  been  associated  so 
many  years  in  the  minds  of  the  public  with 
a  particular  secret  society  that  it  has  become 
almost  generic  or  descriptive  of  all  things 
regarded  as  similar.  !Mauy  terms  and 
j^hrases  have  crept  out  of  Masonic  Lodges 
and  into  the  American  vernacular,  of  which 
"On  the  square,"  "A  square  man,"  and 
"  On  the  level,"  are  perhaps  the  best  illus- 
trations. Even  the  word  Freemasonry  itself 
has  acquired  a  specialized  meaning,  and  is 
frequentl}^  iised  to  characterize  associations 
which  are  secret,  members  of  which  have 
private  means  of  making  themselves  known 
to  each  other,  and  to  explain  why  those 
engaged  in  a  similar  work  or  profession,  or 
those  having  like  training  or  sympathetic 
temperaments,  are  so  quick  to  recognize  the 
fact.  Thus  it  is  that  whether  referring  to  a 
Russian,  Hottentot,  or  Arabic  secret  society 
one  finds  the  average  essayist  describing  them 
as  Masonic.  There  are  Masonic  Lodges  in 
China,  but  they  Avork  under  foreign  war- 
rants, and  are  made  up  almost  exclusively, 
if  not  entirely,  of  others  than  Chinese. 
There  is,  however,  a  shadow  of  an  excuse 
for  referring  to  some  Chinese  secret  societies 
as  Chinese  "Freemasonry,"  owing  to  the 
striking  resemblances  between  their  rites 
and  ceremonies  and  those  of  the  Freema- 
sons. This  is  the  more  remarkable  when 
one  recalls  the  antiquity  of  both,  and  the 
lack  of  opportunity  for  either  to  have  pat- 
terned after  the  other.  The  Chinese  Em- 
pire is  honeycombed  with  secret  societies, 
nearlv  all  of  which  are  revolutionarv.  hav- 


68 


FREEMASONRY "  AMONG   THE   CHINESE 


iag  in  view  the  downfall  of  the  T'sing  dyn- 
asty, a  most  efficient  incentive  to  secrecy. 
There  is  generally  present  a  nominally  ben- 
evolent or  philanthropic  object,  veiling  the 
political  ends  of  these  organizations,  the 
names  of  the  best  known  of  which  are  the 
Hung  League,  from  which  came  the  Kolao 
Hui,  the  White  Lily,  or  White  Lotns,  or 
"Do  Nothing"  Association;  the  Society  of 
Heaven,  Earth,  and  Man  ;  the  Triad  Soci- 
ety ;  the  Yellow  Caps  ;  and  the  Golden  Lily 
Hui,  which  are  arranged  in  military  form 
under  four  flags,  whence  they  have  come  to 
be  known  as  the  "White  Flags,  "  "Black 
Flags,"  "'  Eed  Flags,"  and  "  Yellow  Flags. " 
It  was  due  to  the  action  of  the  Hung  League 
that  the  Mongol  dynasty  of  Genjhiz  Khan 
was  overthrown,  and  without  British  aid  the 
present  or  Manchu  dynasty  would  probably 
have  come  to  an  end  at  the  time  of  the  strug- 
gle with  the  T'ai  Pings.  The  most  power- 
ful of  these  societies  is  the  Kolao  Hui,  which 
numbers  more  than  1,000,000  members,  as 
related  by  a  writer  in  "  Blackwood's  Maga- 
zine "  in  1896,  recruited  from  the  dregs  of 
society,  "  time  expired  soldiers,"  unem- 
ployed laboring  people,  and  professional 
thieves.  This  accounts  for  the  disorder, 
crime,  and  violence  for  which  it  is  noted. 
The  sect  known  as  the  Vegetarians,  with 
rites  and  ceremonies  showing  traces  of 
"some  early  and  debased  form  of  Christian- 
ity," is  responsible  for  several  massacres  of 
Christian  missionaries.  It  was  after  being 
hard  jsressed  by  the  authorities  that  it  en- 
deavored to  sink  its  identity  under  the  name 
of  the  "Do-Nothing  Party."  The  Kolao 
Hui  is  governed  by  three  chiefs,  and  mock- 
ingly inscribes  the  words  "Faith"  and 
"  Eighteousness  "  upon  its  banners.  The 
religious  claims  of  this  and  like  societies 
have  induced  the  Chinese  Government  from 
time  to  time  to  proscribe  as  dangerous  or- 
ganizations all  religious  sects  (except  Con- 
fucianism, Buddhism,  and  Taoism),  notably 
the  Roman  Catholics,  by  the  Emperor  Yung 
Ch'eng. 

Lodges  of   the  Hung  League  and  of  its 


offspring,  the  Kolao  Hui,  meet  in  remote 
and  heavily  wooded  mountain  districts.  On 
entering,  members  proceed  to  the  first,  or 
Heaven-screen  Pass,  next  to  the  Earth-net, 
and  thence  to  the  Sun-moon  Pass,  after 
which  they  cross  a  bridge  to  the  Hall  of 
Fidelity  and  Loyalty,  to  the  shrines  of  the 
five  ancestors,  on  the  right  a  council  room 
and  on  the  left  a  court.  This  account,  con- 
densed from  the  one  "discovered  by  Pro- 
fessor Schlegel,"  adds  that  from  the  court 
extends  a  long  road,  between  mountain  and 
sea,  leading  to  the  Moss  Pass,  or  Pavilion  of 
the  Black  River,  and  thirteen  Chinese  miles 
farther  is  the  Golden  Sparrow  frontier, 
where  there  are  four  buildings,  the  last  of 
which  is  "  the  Lodge,"  or  "  city  of  willows. " 
Recruits,  sometimes  secured  under  threats 
to  kill  for  refusal  to  join  the  society,  are 
received  into  the  Lodge  by  "passing  the 
bridge,"  marching  under  an  arch,  or  bridge, 
formed  by  the  swords  of  the  brethren,  when 
they  are  addressed  as  to  the  objects  of  the 
association  and  listen  to  a  lengthy  catechism, 
in  Avhich  they  are  supposed  to  make  the  re- 
plies. The  questions  and  answers  are  sig- 
nificant of  the  aims  of  the  society,  abound- 
ing in  acrostics  and  Kabbalistic  meanings 
which  are  employed  as  passwords.  The 
candidates  wash  their  faces,  and  after  being 
divested  of  their  ordinary  clothing  are  at- 
tired in  white  robes.  Then  follows  a  long 
oath,  in  which  are  invoked  Father  Heaven, 
Mother  Earth,  the  three  lights — sun,  moon, 
and  stars — the  gods,  saints,  genii,  Buddhas, 
and  all  the  star  jirinces,  to  keep  and  per- 
form which  the  candidates  bind  themselves 
under  a  series  of  "dire  pains  and  penal- 
ties." The  oath  is  confirmed  by  drinking 
tea  and  wine  from  a  bowl  in  which  are 
mixed  a  few  drops  of  blood  pricked  from 
the  middle  fingers  of  the  candidates.  The 
oath  is  registered  by  burning  a  copy  of  it 
that  the  smoke  may  ascend  to  the  gods  as 
testimony.  Each  newly-made  member  re- 
ceives a  cryptographical  certificate  of  mem- 
bershiiJ  which  is  held  to  possess  talismanic 
powers,  and  is  enjoined  to  "  learn  the  secret 


"FREEMASONRY"  AMONG   THE   CHINESE 


69 


signs  and  mystic  sayings  by  whicli  the  breth- 
ren are  known  to  one  another — how  to  lift 
his  tea-ciip  witli  tliree  fingers,  place  his  feet 
in  certain  positions,  liow  to  wind  his  hand- 
kerchief round  the  end  of  his  umbrella,  to 
ask  and  answer  mysterious  catch  questions, 
to  speak  of  the  government  as  "  the  en- 
emy," of  government  soldiers  as  "  a  storm," 
of  men  as  "horses,"  and  of  other  common 
objects  in  Hui  slang.  The  Triad  Society 
claims  to  be  the  oldest  existing  Chinese 
secret  organization,  dating  "  back  to  16G4 
A.D,"  It  Avas  the  cause  of  the  T'ai  Ping 
rebellion,  which  was  suppressed  by  Li  Hung 
Chang  aided  by  ''Chinese"  Gordon.  Its 
secret  ceremonies  are  similar  to  those  of  the 
Hung  League,  and  among  the  penalties  for 
treason,  one  is  to  have  the  ears  lopped  ofE, 
and  another  the  head  cut  off.  Members  al- 
ways halt  on  entering  a  house,  and  then 
proceed  with  the  left  foot  first.  When  sit- 
ting, they  place  their  toes  together  and  spread 
their  heels  apart.  They  also  recognize  one 
another  by  the  way  they  place  their  tea- 
cups on  the  table  and  the  manner  in  which 
they  hitch  their  trousers.  Their  motto  is, 
"Drive  out  the  Tartar."  The  "Black- 
wood" article  on  "Secret  Societies  in 
China,"  reprinted  in  the  St.  Louis  "Globe 
Democrat,"  .January  17,  1897,  says  further: 

It  is  impossible  to  study  these  rites  and  cere- 
monies without  recognizing  a  strong  resembhmce 
between  them  and  some  of  those  of  the  Freemasons. 
"  The  Bridge  of  Swords  "  is  common  to  both  socie- 
ties, as  are  also  the  formation  of  Lodges  and  their 
Orientation.  In  both  societies  the  members  are 
entitled  brothers,  and  confirm  their  oatli  with 
blood.  During  the  ceremony  of  affiliation  the 
recruits,  both  among  the  Freemasons  and  the  Hung 
League,  attire  themselves  in  white  garments  and  go 
through  the  form  of  purification  l)y  washing.  In 
the  Cliinese  Lodges  the  triangle  is  a  favorite  emblem, 
and  lamj)s,  steelyards,  and  scales  form  part  of  the 
ordinary  paraphernalia.  It  is  curious  to  observe, 
also,  that  the  three  degrees  of  Apprentice,  Fellow- 
craft,  and  Master  among  the  Freemasons  find  their 
analogues  in  the  Sworn-Brother,  Adopted-Brother, 
and  Righteous  L^ncle  in  use  in  the  Chinese  Society. 

AVith  the  foregoing  outline  of  secret  soci- 
eties in  China,  it  becomes  easier  to  arrive  at 


an  intelligible  idea  of  secret  societies  of  Chi- 
nese in  the  United  States,  members  of  which 
have  been  refen-ed  to  as  Chinese  Freema- 
sons. An  Associated  Press  despatch  from 
San  Francisco,  November  14,  1894,  read  in 
part  as  follows : 

The  police  have  obtained  evidence  of  the  exis- 
tence of  a  lawless  and  strongly  organized  band  of 
Chinese  Highbinders,  said  to  be  3,000  in  number, 
in  this  city.  This  society  is  not  only  an  organiza- 
tion of  blackmailers,  murderers,  and  thieved,  but 
also  has  for  its  purpose  the  overthrow  of  the  present 
Tartar  dynasty. 

This  suggests  what  is  well  known  to  many 
on  the  Pacific  Coast,  that  whether  the  High- 
binders, as  they  are  called,  are  members  of 
the  Kolao  Hui  or  of  the  Triad  Societies  or 
not^  they  are  gradtiates  of  the  same  school, 
and  many  members  of  the  Triad  Society  and 
Kolao  Hui  are  evidently  associated  with  the 
Highbinders.  The  different  associations  of 
the  latter  are  knoAvn  as  Tongs,  and  it  is  said 
that  some  reputable  Chinese  belong  to  them 
in  order  to  secure  protection  from  "  levies  " 
by  rival  Tongs.  Business  disputes  and  jeal- 
ousy lead  to  fights  between  Tongs,  in  which 
blued  (never  nickeled)  44-caliber  Colt  re- 
volvers, carried  in  the  ample  sleeves  of  the 
Highbinders,  are  the  almost  universal  weap- 
ons. Evidence  to  convict  those  guilty  of 
assaults  or  murder  is  not  easy  to  obtain,  and 
when  cases  do  get  into  the  courts,  perjury 
is  the  rule  and  difficult  to  detect.  One  of 
the  bitterest  feuds  between  these  organiza- 
tions in  San  Francisco  is  that  which  has 
raged  for  years  between  the  Suey  Sing  Tong 
and  the  Suey  on  Tong,  causing  much  blood- 
shed and  work  for  the  courts. 

The  Spokane  "  Peview,"  August  21, 
1897,  outlined  an  imitation  ceremony  at  a 
Chinese  "  Masonic  "  Lodge  in  that  city,  at 
which  it  was  said  four  white  men.  Free- 
masons, were  present  by  invitation.  The 
ceremonies  seemed  to  parallel  those  of  the 
Hung  League  and  Kolao  Hui,  already  re- 
ferred to,  from  which  it  nuiy  be  inferred  the 
Spokane  Chinese  Lodge  represents  a  benevo- 
lent branch  of  the  Kolao  Hui,  of  which  less 


70 


FREEMASONRY   AMONG   THE   MORMONS 


is  heard  in  China  than  of  the  main  or  revo- 
hitionary  and  violent  section  of  that  society. 
There  Avere  references  to  "the  immortal 
three,"  circumambulation,  four  stations  at 
Avhich  questions  were  asked  and  answers 
returned,  kneeling  on  crossed  swords,  tea- 
drinking,  burning  incense,  a  "  traditional  " 
season  of  refreshment,  and  signs  in  which 
the  head  and  hands  Avere  used ;  yet  the  "  oc- 
cidental Masons  present  Avere  unable  to  de- 
tect anything  that  resembled  the  Masonry 
with  Avhich  they  Avere  familiar." 

Chinese  secret  societies  in  the  United 
States  originated  in  one  or  more  of  those  in 
China,  and  are  found  at  almost  all  Ameri- 
can centres  of  jiopulation  Avliere  there  are  a 
considerable  number  of  Chinese,  more  par- 
ticularly at  NcAV  York  city  and  at  cities  on 
the  Pacific  Coast.  ISTearly  all  of  them  east 
of  the  Eocky  Mountains  are  rather  more 
reputable  than  the  Tongs  of  San  Francisco, 
but  none  of  them  is  Masonic  in  character  or 
has  any  affiliation  Avith  Masonic  bodies. 

Freemasonry  among  the  Mormons. — 
Whether  the  so-called  t\velve  Mormon  apos- 
tles were  Freemasons  or  not,  and  Avhether 
or  not  the  Mormon  hierarchy  utilized  vari- 
ous Masonic  forms  in  their  endowment 
house  ceremonies  at  Salt  Lake  City,  have 
long  been  matters  of  controversy;  but  the 
following  extracts  from  replies  to  letters  of 
inquiry  on  these  points  leave  them  no  longer 
in  doubt. 

From  Christopher  Diehl,  Salt  Lake  City, 
Utah,  Grand  Secretary  of  the  Grand  Lodge, 
A.  F.  and  A.  M.,  of  Utah,  May  4,  1896: 

I  have  been  a  resident  of  this  city  since  186G,  and 
a  Mason  since  1868.  ...  In  the  early  days 
much  was  said  about  Mormon  Masonry  in  Nauvoo 
(Illinois),  but  whether  there  was  any  such  thing,  I 
could  never  tell.  We  never  admitted  Mormons  to 
our  Lodges  in  those  days.  ...  It  was,  however, 
reported  that  there  were  Masons  among  them,  more 
especially  B.  Young,  who  was  then  alive,  and  I 
doubt  not  he  was,  but  could  not  swear  to  it.  .  .  . 
In  the  early  days  I  made  a  study  of  Mormon  Ma- 
sonry, and  wrote  considerably  about  it  in  my  reports 
on  correspondence,  because  the  stand  of  Utah  Ma- 
sons was  attacked  for  refusing  Mormons  admission 
to  our  Lodges. 


From  J.  H.  C.  Dill,  Bloomington,  Illi- 
nois, Grand  Secretary  of  the  Grand  Lodge, 
F.  and  A.  M.,  of  Illinois,  May  11,  1806  : 

I  have  no  way  of  telling  whether  or  not  any  of 
the  twelve  Mormon  apostles  were  members  of  the 
(Masonic)  Lodge  at  Nauvoo.  Possibly  returns  were 
made,  but  this  office  has  twice  been  burned  out, 
and  all  records  destroyed.  I  can  give  the  names 
and  addresses  of  two  old  and  prominent  Masons 
who  know  a  great  deal  about  the  Mormon  troubles, 
and  were  present  when  "  old  Joe  Smith  "  was  killed: 
B.  Mendenhall,  Dallas  City,  and  William  R.  Hamil- 
ton, Carthage,  111. 

From  Theodore  S.  Parvin,  Cedar  Kapids, 
Grand  Secretary  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  F.  and 
A.  M.,  of  Iowa,  May  6,  1896  : 

I  personally  and  officially  know  that  the  Mormons 
had  a  (Masonic)  Lodge  at  Nauvoo  (Illinois)  in  the 
years  1840  to  the  period  they  removed  from  Illinois 
to  Kanesville,  Council  Bluffs,  la.,  and  later  to  Salt 
Lake  City.  I  know,  further,  that  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  Illinois  revoked  the  charter  of  that  Lodge,  but 
the  Mormons  refused  to  surrender  it  .  .  .  and 
took  it  with  them,  and  worked  a  Lodge  in  Salt  Lake 
City  under  that  charter.  I  know  very  well,  also, 
from  attendance  upon  the  Grand  Lodge,  that  it  was 
distinctly  stated  then  and  there  .  .  .  that  Jo- 
seph Smith  was  a  Mason  ;  and  I  have  no  doubt,  also, 
that  Brigham  Young  was  a  member  of  the  same 
Lodge. 

From  William  E.  Hamilton,  Past  Master 
of  Hancock  Lodge,  ?fo.  20,  F.  and  A.  M., 
Carthage,  111.,  May  26,  1896  : 

At  the  time  of  the  Mormon  era  in  this  county  I 
was  but  a  boy  of  eleven  years,  and  could  only  know 
about  Masonry  by  hearing  men  that  I  knew  to  be 
Masons  talk  about  it.  It  was  claimed  and  believed 
that  spurious  Masons  were  being  made  (at  Nauvoo) 
about  1842-43,  and  the  Lodge  at  this  place  ceased  to 
work  on  that  account.  .  .  .  Brother  Edmunds 
resided  at  Nauvoo  for  many  years,  .  .  .  and,  in 
all  probability,  is  the  only  man  in  this  county  who 
was  a  Mason  at  that  time. 

From  G.  Edmunds,  attorney,  Carthage, 
111.,  to  W.  K.  Hamilton  of  the  same  place. 
May  25, 1896  : 

The  charter  of  what  was  known  as  the  Mormon 
Masonic  Lodge  at  Nauvoo  had  been  surrendered 
before  I  settled  there,  in  1845,  and  I  only  know 
from  hearsay  and  talk  with  members  of  that  Lodge, 
who  afterwards  became  members  of  Reclamation 
Lodge,  No.  54  (where  I  was  made  a  Mason),  who 


FREEMASONRY  AMONG  THE  MORMONS 


71 


were  members  of  the  original  Lodge  at  Nauvoo. 
Dr.  John  P.  Weld,  a  member  of  Reclamation 
Lodge,  No.  54,  informed  me  he  was  a  member  of  the 
original  Nauvoo  Lodge;  also  that  Brigham  Young, 
Orson  Hyde,  Wilford  WoodruiT,  IleberC.  Kimball, 
William  Smith,  and  others  of  the  "  Twelve 
Apostles"  were  members  of  the  said  original 
(Nauvoo)  Masonic  Lodge,  as  were  also  Joseph  the 
prophet,  and  Iliram  Smitli,  his  brother.  There 
was  no  connection  between  the  IMormon  endow- 
ment house  and  Masonry,  none  whatever. 

Contributed  by  B.  Mendenbiill,  Dallas 
City,  111.  (District  Deputy  Grand  Master  of 
the  Grand  Lodge,  F.  and  A.  M.,  of  Illinois 
in  1882),  May  23,  1896  : 

In  the  year  1839-40  the  Mormons  began  to 
gather  at  Nauvoo,  111.,  and  build  a  town,  or,  as 
they  religiously  called  it,  the  "Zion."  Among  so 
large  a  number  of  men  from  all  parts  of  the  world, 
there  were  some  who  were  Freemasons,  and  natur- 
ally they  conceived  the  idea  of  instituting  a  Lodge 
at  Nauvoo.  Accordingly,  they  applied  to  the 
Grand  Master  for  a  dispensation  to  form  and  work 
a  Lodge  to  be  called  Nauvoo  Lodge,  U.  D.  On  the 
loth  day  of  October,  1841,  a  petition  signed  by 
the  requisite  number  of  Master  Masons  at  Nauvoo 
was  sent  to  Grand  Master  A.  Jonas,  residing  at 
Quincy,  for  a  dispensation  to  form  a  lodge  at 
Nauvoo.  The  prayer  of  the  petition  was  granted, 
and  the  dispensation  was  duly  forwarded  to  the 
brethren.  They  went  to  work  during  the  winter 
following  and  did  a  wholesale  business.  Li  Octo- 
ber, 1842,  when  the  Grand  Lodge  met,  the  Commit- 
tee on  Lodges,  U.  D.,  reported  that  the  returns  of 
Nauvoo  Lodge  were  not  as  required,  but  it  was 
thought  best  to  continue  the  dispensation  for  an- 
other year.  At  the  meeting  of  the  Grand  Lodge 
in  1843,  the  committee  found  many  complaints 
against  the  Lodge  at  Nauvoo.  As  no  returns  had 
been  sent  in,  the  Grand  Master  sent  a  committee  to 
Nauvoo  to  examine  into  the  work  and  doings  of  the 
Lodge.  Grand  Master  Meradith  Helm  wascr  officio 
chairman  of  the  committee,  and  went  to  Nauvcxj 
and  attempted  to  make  an  investigation,  but  both 
he  and  the  committee  were  treated  with  contempt 
by  the  Mormons  and  their  leaders.  Why  the 
Grand  Master  did  not  take  the  dispensation  away 
with  him  has  been  a  matter  of  comment  ever  since. 
When  the  Grand  Lodge  met  in  October,  1844,  it  ex- 
pelled all  the  members  of  Nauvoo  Lodge,  decla'red 
the  Lodge  irregular  and  clandestine,  and  annulled 
the  dispensation.  No  charter  was  ever  granted 
them.  Some  of  the  irregularities  were  in  voting 
on  eight  or  ten  candidates  at  one  ballot,  holding 
clandestine    meetings,    and    initiating    candidates 


who  were  notorious  outlaws  or  men  of  bail  ri'puto. 
After  expulsion  the  Nauvoo  Lodge  continued  to 
hold  clandestine  meetings  and  to  make  innovations 
to  conform  to  Mormon  teachings. 

When  the  Temple  was  mostly  finished  at  Nauvoo, 
the  Mormons  instituted  the  endowment  ceremonies 
and  incorporated  tlierein  some  of  tlie  ritual  of  Ma- 
.sonry.  To-day,  at  Salt  Lake  City,  they  still  prac- 
tise these  eeremoi\ies.  A  visitor  to  the  old  town 
of  Nauvoo  to-day  will  see  a  three-story  brick  build- 
ing standing  on  the  low  land  adjoining  the  sliores 
of  the  Mississippi  River.  It  is  a  quaint,  old-style 
building,  with  the  gable  end  to  the  east  and  a  rep- 
resentation of  the  All-Seeing  Eye  painted  on  the 
eastern  end.  The  foundation,  which  is  of  stone,  is 
graced  by  a  square-cut  stone,  aljout  three  feet  each 
way,  in  which  is  cut,  in  well-defined  letters,  the 
words,  "Grand  Master  A,  Helm,  1843."  It  is  at 
the  northeast  corner.  The  building,  which  was 
always  known  as  the  Masonic  Temple,  is  fast  falling 
into  ruins. 

The  witnesses  to  the  "Book  of  Mormon"  were 
three,  to-wit:  P.  P.  Pratt,  or  Parley  P.  Pratt,  an 
Englishman  by  birth,  and  one  of  the  twelve  ; 
Martin  Harris,  afterwards  an  apostate,  and  Oliver 
Cowdery,  also  one  of  the  twelve.  The  first  or 
original  twelve  apostles  of  the  Mormon  Church 
were:  Sidney  Rigden,  who  was  president  ;  Parley 
P.  Pratt,  Oliver  Cowdery,  Orson  Hyde,  John  Tay- 
lor, William  Richards,  Amasa  Lyman,  Daniel 
Wells,  Hyrum  Smith,  William  Smitli,  Brigham 
Young,  Orson  Pratt,  and  David  A.  Wyman.  After 
the  death  of  Joe  Smith  the  propiu't,  Brigham 
Young  succeeded  as  Chief  of  the  Twelve  Apostles, 
and  finally  to  the  head  of  the  Churcli  at  Salt  Lake 
City.  All  the  leaders  of  the  Mormon  Church  were 
Masons,  that  is,  according  to  their  own  peculiar 
views,  which,  of  course,  meant  under  the  control 
and  direction  of  the  Mormon  Church.  It  seems 
that  Masonry  was  not  to  flourisli  in  Nauvoo,  for 
when  another  Lodge  was  chartered  by  our  Grand 
Lodge,  in  1848,  founded  on  the  ruins  of  the 
Nauvoo  Lodge,  Reclamation,  No.  54,  althougli 
appearing  prosperous  at  first,  and  doing  a  fair 
amount  of  work,  yet  the  reputation  and  associations 
of  the  first  Nauvoo  Lodge  clung  to  it  ;  and  the 
writer  hereof,  in  the  year  1882.  being  then  Deputy 
Grand  Master  of  the  district,  was  ordered  by  the 
Grand  Master  to  take  up  its  charter  for  unmasonic 
conduct.  That  was  done,  and  tliere  has  been  no 
Masonic  Lodge  at  Nauvoo  since.  Tlie  Grand  Lodge 
of  Utah  of  A.  F.  and  A.  M.  never  would  admit 
Mormons  to  membership  in  any  of  the  Lodges  in  its 
territory. 

Kevelations  of  the  inuer  religious  cere- 
monial   life    of    the    Mormons,    jniblished 


72 


FREEMASONRY   AMONG   NEGROES 


years  ago,  stated  that  the  Mormon  leaders 
were  violently  anti-Mason  in  their  preach- 
ings and  teachings  prior  to  their  hegira  from 
New  York  State,  which  may  be  explained 
by  the  fact  that  the  sect  was  founded  not 
only  during  the  period  of  anti-Masonic 
excitement,  but  in  the  very  region  from 
Avhich  Morgan,  the  apostate  Freemason, 
disappeared.  When  the  Mormons  went 
West,  it  is  singular,  but  perhaps  not  signifi- 
cant, that  Morgan's  wife  (widow?)  went  with 
them;  and  in  an  interview  between  the  first 
wife  of  Orson  Pratt  and  Kate  Fields,  pub- 
lished in  the  St.  Louis  "  Globe  Democrat," 
December  4,  1892,  Mrs.  Pratt  tells  of  the 
presence  at  Nauvoo,  111.,  18-40-46,  of  the 
widow  of  Morgan,  where  she  had  married  a 
Mormon.  From  what  has  been  made  pub- 
lic concerning  Mormon  endowment  house 
ceremonies  by  such  apostate  Mormons  as 
Mrs.  Pratt,  and  others,  there  would  appear 
to  be  no  Freemasonry  in  them.  Those  who 
invented  them  drew  heavily  on  "Paradise 
Lost''  and  the  Old  Testament  for  a  ritual, 
and,  by  paralleling  certain  forms  and  situa- 
tions in  Craft  Masonry,  succeeded  in  con- 
structing what  proved  to  most  of  their 
followers  to  be  an  impressive,  if  not  in- 
spired, ceremonial. 

Freemasonry  among  Negroes.  — 
Among  more  than  1,300,000  affiliated  and 
unaffiliated  white  Freemasons  in  the  United 
States,  comparatively  few  have  familiarized 
themselves  with  the  details  of  the  history 
of  the  Fraternity,  and  to  such  it  will  j)rove 
in  the  nature  of  a  surprise  to  learn  that  there 
are  probably  60,000  negro  Freemasons  in 
the  country,  whose  Freemasonry  comes  from 
the  same  source  as  their  own,  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  England.  The  average  white 
Freemason  knows  there  are  so-called  negro 
Freemasons,  but  has  generally  regarded 
their  Freemasonry  as  a  spurious  variety, 
and  the  possessors,  at  best,  as  clandestine. 
As  to  the  first  inference  he  is  mistaken,  and 
as  to  the  second  he  might  substitute  the 
word  irregular.  Early  in  1775  Prince  Hall, 
an   educated  negro,  twenty-seven  years   of 


age,  was  made  a  Freemason  at  Boston,  in  an 
English  army  Lodge  connected  with  Gen- 
eral Gage's  command,  and  on  March  6th, 
the  same  year,  fourteen  other  Boston  negroes 
were  made  Freemasons  in  the  same  Lodge, 
at  Castle  William,  Boston  Harbor,  now  Fort 
Independence.  Each  is  declared  to  have 
paid  a  fee  of  twenty-five  guineas  for  the 
three  degrees.  The  motive  of  the  members 
of  the  army  Lodge  in  initiating,  passing, 
and  raising  these  fifteen  negroes  may  best 
be  conjectured.  If  it  was  to  secure  the 
cooperation  of  negroes  in  the  prospective 
struggle  with  the  colonists,  it  failed  so  far  as 
Prince  Hall  is  concerned;  for  the  latter  sided 
with  the  colonists,  shouldered  a  musket,  and 
remained  a  useful  and  prominent  citizen  of 
Massachusetts  until  his  death  in  1807. 

At  the  annual  session  of  the  (white) 
Grand  Lodge  of  Freemasons  of  Ohio,  in 
1875,  the  following  conclusions  were  re- 
l^orted  by  a  committee  of  eminent  members 
(among  them  Enoch  T.  Carson)  on  that 
portion  of  the  address  of  the  Grand  Master 
which  referred  to  ''colored  Masonry": 

Your  Committee  deem  it  sufficient  to  say  that  they 
are  satisfied  beyond  all  question  that  colored  Free- 
masonry had  a  legitimate  begimiing  in  this  coun- 
try, as  much  so  as  any  other  Freemasonry ;  in  fact, 
it  came  from  the  same  source. 

Your  Committee  have  the  most  satisfactory  and 
conclusive  evidence  that  these  colored  Freemasons 
practise  the  very  same  rites  and  ceremonies  and 
have  substantially  the  same  esoteric  or  secret  modes 
of  recognition  as  are  practised  by  ourselves  and  by 
the  universal  family  of  Freemasons  throughout  the 
world. 

Prince  Hall  and  his  brother  (negro)  Free- 
masons continued  to  meet  socially  and  other- 
Avise,  and  (as  declared  and  not  disproved)  as 
a  Lodge,  although  they  did  no  Masonic 
work,  until  some  time  between  1781  and 
1783,  when  they  applied  to  the  Massachu- 
setts Grand  Lodge  for  a  warrant.  The  re- 
quest was  refused.  Application  for  a  war- 
rant was  made  to  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Eng- 
land, March  7,  1784,  and  on  September  29, 
1784  (shortly  after  the  close  of  the  War  of 
the  Eevolution),  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Eng- 


FREEMASONRY  AMONG   NEGROES 


73 


land  issued  a  warrant  to  Prince  Hall  and  his 
fourteen  associates  at  Boston,  constituting 
African  Lodge,  No.  454,  of  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Masons.  But  it  was  not  until  1787 
that  the  fee  for  the  warrant  was  received 
in  England,  the  Avarrant  delivered,  and  tlie 
Lodge  name  entered  on  the  roll  of  Lodges 
holding  obedience  to  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
England.  Tt  will  be  borne  in  mind  tli,at 
the  present  American  Masonic  doctrine  of 
exclusive  territorial  jurisdiction  was  not  rec- 
ognized abroad  at  that  time,  and  was  not 
being  enforced  here.  African  Lodge  con- 
tinued a  regular,  working  Lodge  of  the 
Cirand  Lodge  of  England  as  late  as  ]797, 
making  anuual  or  other  returns,  with  con- 
tributions to  the  charity  fund  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  England,  as  required  by  its  war- 
rant. That  it  was  really  active  is  shown 
by  its  establishing  a  Lodge  at  Philadelphia 
in  1797,  and  one  at  Providence,  concerning 
Avhicli  the  late  Albert  Pike  wrote,  September 
13,  1875,  to  the  Grand  Secretary  of  the 
(white)  Grand  Lodge  of  Ohio: 

Prince  Hall  Lodge  was  as  regular  a  Lodge  as  any 
Lodge  created  by  a  competent  aulhoilty,  and  had  a 
perfect  right  (as  other  Lodges  in  Eiu'opc  did)  to  es- 
tablish other  Lodges,  making  itself  a  mother  Lodge. 
That's  the  way  tlie  Berlin  Lodges,  Three  Globes  and 
Itoyal  York  became  Grand  Lodges. 

As  to  the  question  of  the  strict  Masonic 
legality  of  all  that  African  Lodge  and  some 
of  its  successors  did,  T.  S.  Parvin,  Grand 
Secretary  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Iowa  wrote 
to  the  Grand  Secretary  of  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  Ohio : 

The  negroes  can  make  as  good  a  show  for  the 
legality  of  their  Grand  Lodges  as  the  whites  can. 
It's  only  a  matter  of  taste,  not  laws.  I  am  satisfied 
that  all  the  world  outside  the  United  States  will, 
ere  long,  recognize  them. 

Upon  the  union  of  the  Grand  Lodges  of 
England,  in  1813,  African  Lodge  was  re- 
moved from  the  list,  and  has  iicver  been 
recognized  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  England 
since.  African  Lodge,  however,  must  have 
ignored  this  treatment,  for  its  records  are 
declared  to  show  that  eighty  candidates  were 


initiated  between  1807  and  1826.  In  1808 
delegates  from  the  negro  Lodges  at  Boston, 
Providence,  and  Philadelphia  met  at  Bos- 
ton and  formed  African  (frequently  called 
"  Prince  Hall  ")  (J rand  Lodge  (referred  to 
by  Pike  in  a  preceding  quotation),  which 
body  is  the  source  of  all  .Masonic  authority 
among  negro  Freemasons  in  the  United 
States  to-day.  In  1827  African  Lodge  de- 
clared itself  indepemlent  of  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  England.  In  1847  there  were 
three  negro  (J rand  Lodges:  one  in  Massa- 
chusetts, and  two  in  Pennsylvania,  delegates 
from  which  met  at  Boston  that  year  and  or- 
ganized the  "  National  Grand  Lodge  of  the 
United  States  of  North  America,"  to  be 
the  Supreme  Masonic  power  in  the  United 
States.  Grand  Lodges  were  formed  in  New 
York,  New  Jersey,  Maryland,  and  the  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia  in  1848,  in  Ohio  and 
Delaware  in  1849,  in  Indiana,  Ehodc  Island, 
and  the  Province  of  Ontario  in  1850,  in 
Louisiana  in  1863,  and  Liberia  in  1867. 
Louisiana  refused  allegiance  to  the  National 
Grand  Lodge,  and  three  years  later  Ohio 
Avithdrew  from  it,  followed  by  the  Grand 
Lodge  of  the  District  of  Columbia.  By 
1880  all  the  Grand  Lodges  except  Missis- 
sippi had  withdrawn,  and  not  long  after  the 
National  Grand  Lodge  practically  ceased  to 
exist.  In  1890  there  were  Sovereign  Grand 
Lodges  of  Free  and  Accepted  negro  Ma- 
sons in  thirty-two  States,  and  one  each  in 
the  District  of  Columbia,  the  Province  of 
Ontario,  and  in  Liberia. 

S.  R.  Scottron,  Brooklyn,  writes,  July  27, 
1897,  that  the  National  (irand  Lodge  "  still 
exists,"  with  subordinate  Lodges  '*in  sev- 
eral States,"  but  it  is  doubtful  whether  this 
is  anything  more  than  an  attempt  of  former 
officials  to  revive  it.  One  of  the  best  known 
negroes  formerly  connected  with  the  Na- 
tional Grand  Lodge  is  Richard  Gleaves, 
of  Washington,  D.  C,  Lieutenant-Governor 
of  South  Carolina  during  the  reconstruc- 
tion period,  and  National  Grand  blaster  of 
negro  Freemasons  for  many  years.  The 
"negro   question"   in    American   Masonic 


74 


FREEMASONRY  AMONG  NEGROES 


Grand  Lodges  has  naturally  been  promi- 
nent during  the  latter  half  of  the  century. 
In  New  Jersey  it  took  a  crucial  form  when 
Alpha  Lodge,  No.  16,  at  Newark,  made  a 
number  of  negroes  Freemasons.  The  re- 
sult, for  a  time,  was  no  inconsiderable  dis- 
satisfaction among  the  Craft,  but  the  Lodge 
continues  to  this  day  on  the  roll  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  New  Jersey,  the  only  in- 
stance in  the  United  States  of  a  regular 
Masonic  Lodge  of  negroes  attached  to  a 
white  Grand  Lodge.  In  1875  the  white 
Grand  Lodge  of  Ohio  became  interested 
in  the  subject  of  the  universality  of  Free- 
masonry, and  an  eifort  was  made  to  recog- 
nize the  negro  Grand  Lodge  of  that  State. 
The  matter  was  referred  to  a  committee, 
and  a  report  was  made  in  favor  of  the 
project.  When  it  came  to  voting  on  the 
adoption  of  the  report,  a  point  of  order  was 
raised,  which  the  Grand  Master  decided  not 
well  taken.  On  appeal,  the  Grand  Master's 
decision  was  reversed  by  a  vote  of  390  to  332, 
and  so  the  whole  matter  came  to  naught. 
E.  B.  Irving,  Grand  Master  of  "the  Most 
"Worshipful  Grand  Lodge  of  the  Most  -An- 
cient and  Honorable  Fraternity  of  Free  and 
Accepted  (negro)  Masons,  State  of  New 
York,"  writes  from  Albany,  March  16, 
1896,  that  "the  Prince  Hall  Grand  Lodge 
of  Massachusetts,  from  which  all  negro 
Grand  Lodges  obtain  their  authority,  is  in 
fraternal  relations  with  white  Grand  Lodges 
in  Germany  and  Hungary,"  and  that  "in 
foreign  countries  colored  Masons  are  received 
and  accorded  all  the  rights  of  a  brother  in 
Masonic  Lodges,  although  (even  though  ?) 
he  may  hail  from  the  United  States,"  and 
that  he  has  "yet  to  learn  of  one  who  has 
been  refused."  S.  W.  Clark,  Grand  Mas- 
ter of  (negro)  Free  Masons  in  Ohio  in  1886, 
whose  pamphlet,  "The  Negro  Mason  in 
Equity,"  is  well  worth  careful  reading,  adds 
that  in  France,  Italy,  Germany,  Hungary, 
Peru,  and  Dominica  "our  representatives" 
are  "received,  and  accredited  as  such." 
Mr.  Clark  makes  an  able  plea  for  the  recog- 
nition of  the  regularity  of  negro  Masonic 


Lodges  in  America,  and,  while  he  seems  to 
have  demolished  those  of  his  adversaries 
who  rely  upon  the  American  Masonic  doc- 
trine of  "  exclusive  territorial  jurisdiction," 
he  appears  to  rely  too  much  upon  proving 
irregularity  on  the  part  of  early  white  Grand 
bodies,  to  excuse  the  irregularity  of  like 
negro  organizations,  overlooking  the  fact 
that  the  irregularity  of  the  former  was 
subsequently  healed.  His  argument  is,  of 
course,  that  the  faults  of  the  early  grand  and 
subordinate  negro  bodies  could  be  healed  by 
competent  Masonic  authority  with  quite  as 
much  propriety;  the  only  reply  to  which  is 
that  it  has  not  been  done.  Yet,  when  all 
else  is  said,  the  quoted  comment  by  the  late 
Albert  Pike  cannot  be  ignored,  that  the  first 
African  Grand  Lodge,  formed  by  represent- 
atives of  three  subordinate  Lodges,  two  of 
which  Lodges  were  created  by  the  first,  was 
no  more  irregular  than  were  the  Berlin 
Grand  bodies,  the  Three  Globes,  and  the 
Royal  York,  which  were  formed  in  a  similar 
manner. 

In  1898  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  State 
of  Washington  took  an  advanced  view  of 
this  subject,  going  so  far  as  to  suggest  the 
propriety  of  the  recognition  of  the  legiti- 
macy of  colored  Freemasons,  the  origin  of 
the  charters  of  whose  Lodges  is  found,  of 
course,  in  the  charter  granted  to  African 
Lodge  of  Boston  by  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
England,  in  the  last  century.  As  a  conse- 
quence the  Grand  Lodge  of  Kentucky  has 
adopted  a  resolution  declaring  non-inter- 
course with  Washington  ;  the  Grand  Lodges 
of  Arkansas,  New  Jersey,  and  South  Caro- 
lina have  also  severed  relations  with  Wash- 
ingbon,  and  the  Grand  Master  of  New  York 
has  requested  the  Grand  Eepresentative 
of  Washington  to  resign  his  commission. 
Maryland  and  Rhode  Island  contented  them- 
selves by  expressing  the  hope  that  Wash- 
ington will  reconsider  its  action. 

There  are,  therefore,  two  streams  of  Free- 
masonry coursing  through  the  United 
States.  Each  started  from  the  same  source 
and  both  are  running  in  the  same  direction.- 


FREEMASONRY   AMONG    NECJROES 


75 


One  forms  a  mighty  torrent,  while  the  other 
is  only  a  brook.  But  their  routes  to  the 
great  sea  of  universal  brotherhood  are  paral- 
lel, divided  only  by  the  embankment  of  con- 
ditions and  race  prejudice. 

Negro  Freemasons  in  America  have  flat- 
tered white  possessors  of  various  jMasonic 
rites  and  ceremonials  by  imitating  or  paral- 
leling all  of  them.  Thus  we  find  among 
the  negroes  symbolic  Lodges,  Koyal  Arch 
Chapters,  and  Commanderies  of  Knights 
Templars,  corresponding  to  the  American 
system,  as  well  as  five  or  more  so-called  Su- 
preme Councils  of  a  "thirty-third  degree 
Ancient,  Accepted  Scottish  Eite,"  each 
claiming  exclusive  jurisdiction  and  the  ab- 
solute lack  of  authority  on  the  part  of  rival 
Supreme  Councils. 

The  Most  Puissant  Sovereign  Grand  Com- 
mander of  the  Philadelphia  Negro  Supreme 
Council,  George  W.  Koper,  wrote  John  H. 
Deyo,  Grand  Master  of  negro  Freemasons 
in  New  York,  in  1895,  that  the  first  negro 
Chapter  of  Royal  Arch  Masons  was  organ- 
ized at  Philadelphia  in  1819  or  1830,  by  the 
aid  of  the  white  Koyal  Arch  Chapter  of  the 
State  of  Pennsylvania,  and  that  the  first 
negro  Grand  Royal  Arch  Chapter  was  formed 
in  Pennsylvania  in  or  about  1826.  Little 
more  was  done  in  this  direction  until  long 
after  the  anti-Masonic  agitation  died  out 
(1836),  and  it  was  not  until  1879,  according 
to  Macoy,  that  a  Grand  Royal  Arch  Chapter 
was  organized  in  New  York.  Statistics  re- 
garding '■  Chapter  Masonry  "among  negroes 
are  difficult  to  obtain,  but  from  inquiry 
among  a  number  of  those  best  informed  it 
seems  probable  that  negro  Royal  Arch  Chap- 
ters number  more  than  5,000  members. 
The  statement  is  also  made  that  the  first 
Commandery  of  negro  Knights  Templars 
was  formed  at  Philadelphia  (some  time,  but 
not  long  after  the  first  Royal  Arch  Cha])- 
ter)  by  the  white  Grand  Encampment  of 
Knights  Templars  of  Pennsylvania  (1816- 
25).  Whether  it  was  the  Grand  Chajiter 
and  the  Grand  Encampment  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, or  merely  white  Royal  Arch  Masons 


and  Knights  Templars  who  were  responsi- 
ble for  these  acts  may  never  be  known.  In 
fact,  this  explanation  of  the  origin  of 
Capitular  and  Templar  Freemasonry  among 
negroes  seems  to  rest  on  the  declarations  of 
the  men  named.  Negro  Knights  Templars 
were  not  known  out  of  Pennsylvania  for 
many  years,  when  they  appeared  in  Balti- 
more and  Washington.  The  first  negro  En- 
campment in  New  York  was  organized,  ac- 
cording to  Macoy,  as  late  as  1872,  and  the 
Grand  Encampment  there  in  1875.  The 
writer  is  informed  by  those  who  should 
know  that  there  were  nineteen  negro 
Grand  Encampments  in  the  L'nited  States 
in  1895,  with  nearly  3,000  Sir  Knights. 

African  Supreme  Council,  "  Ancient,  Ac- 
cepted Scottish  Rite  for  the  American 
Continent,"  is  declared  to  have  been  estab- 
lished at  Philadelphia  in  1820  by  authority 
of  the  Grand  Orient  of  France,  whicli  body, 
Masonic  students  will  recall,  did  not,  and 
does  not,  authorize  the  working  of  degrees 
of  that  rite.  It  is  of  interest  to  note,  how- 
ever, that  while  negro  Royal  Arch  Masons 
and  Knights  Templars  claim  that  the  first 
negro  Chapter  and  Encampment  were 
formed  at  Philadelphia  by  members  of  the 
Pennsylvania  white  Grand  Chapter  and 
Grand  Encampment,  respectively,  their  tra- 
ditions as  to  the  founding  of  the  first  negro 
Supreme  Council  (Scottish  Rite)  attribute 
it  to  a  foreign  supreme  body — strangely 
enough,  to  the  one  of  the  two  French  Ma- 
sonic supreme  bodies  which,  in  1820,  recog- 
nized only  the  French  Rite  of  seven  degrees. 
African  Supreme  Council  is  not  known  to 
have  done  much  more  than  to  exist  on  paper 
until  1850,  when  it  was  succeeded  by  the  so- 
called  David  Leary  Supreme  Council.  The 
latter  did  not  exhibit  much  activity  until 
after  the  Civil  War,  and  when  questioned  as 
to  tbe  warrant  for  its  authority,  presented  a 
document  purporting  to  have  been  issued 
by  the  (Jrand  Orient  of  France,  in  1850,  to 
David  Leary  of  Philadelphia,  through  its 
Deputy,  one  Larine,  and  signed  by  certain 
persons  as  officers.    On  comparing  the  names 


76 


FREEMASONRY  AMONG  NEGROES 


with  those  laid  down  in  the  aunual  calen- 
dars of  the  Grand  Orient  and  in  its  bulle- 
tins, it  was  found  that  no  such  men  had 
held  office  at  that  or  any  other  time,  nor  did 
the  name  of  Larine  appear  in  its  tableau  of 
membership,  nor  was  the  seal  appended 
thereto  the  seal  of  the  Grand  Orient.  T^liis 
warrant,  when  examined  by  representatives 
of  a  rival  negro  Supreme  Council,  was  found 
to  be  sealed  with  the  letters  "A.  Y.  M." 
and  ''  a  Good  Templar's  Seal."  It  may  be 
well  to  explain  that  the  Scottish  Rite  de- 
grees in  France  are  conferred  exclusively 
by  the  authority  of  the  Supreme  Council,  a 
body  having  no  connection  with  the  Grand 
Orient.  The  latter,  although  j)ossessing 
these  degrees,  discountenances  their  use,  as 
it  does  the  rites  of  Misraim,  Memphis,  and 
other  products  of  Masonic  degree-makers  of 
the  eighteenth  and  nineteenth  centuries. 

An  outgrowth  of  the  revival  of  this  so- 
called  Scottish  Rite  Freemasonry  at  Philadel- 
phia was  the  formation  of  a  rival  known  as 
King  David  Supreme  Council.  It  claimed 
direct  descent  from  African  Supreme  Coun- 
cil, which  died  in  1850.  There  was  also 
a  King  Frederick  Supreme  Council  there, 
twenty  years  ago,  established  by  the  founder 
of  the  Baltimore  Supreme  Council,  who 
claimed  to  have  authority  for  that  purpose 
from  the  negro  Supreme  Council  for  the 
United  States,  its  Territories  and  Dependen- 
cies, established  at  New  York  city  in  1864  by 
Baron  Auguste  Hugo  de  Bulow,  a  member 
of  the  Supreme  Council  of  France.  As  that 
New  York  Supreme  Council  repudiated  the 
placing  of  Supreme  Councils  at  Baltimore 
and  at  Philadelphia,  little  remains  to  be  said 
in  reference  to  them.  So  far  as  learned,  the 
only  existing  negro  Supreme  Councils  are 
the  David  Leary  of  Philadelphia,  with  which 
the  King  Frederick  Supreme  Council  united 
in  1881  under  the  title  S.  C,  etc..  Northern 
Jurisdiction,  U.  S.  A.;  that  referred  to  at 
New  York  city;  the  "  Supreme  Council  for 
the  Southern  Jurisdiction  of  the  TJ.  S.  A.," 
with  headquarters  at  Washington,  Thornton 
A.  Jackson,  M.  P.  S.  G.  C,  which  bases  its 


authority  on  "a  charter  for  a  Council  of 
Princes  of  Jerusalem,  purporting  to  have 
been  issued  by  the  African  Council,"  Phila- 
delphia, and  is  in  affiliation  with  the  Phila- 
delphia consolidated  (Northern)  Supreme 
Council,  and  the  "  Supreme  Council  for  the 
Northwestern  Jurisdiction  of  the  United 
States,"  with  its  "Grand  East"  at  St. 
Louis,  an  organization  of  schismatic  origin. 
The  Washington  Supreme  Council  (South- 
ern Jurisdiction)  was  formed  in  1869,  and 
soon  became  dormant,  but  was  revived  in 
1879.  There  are,  therefore,  four  negro  Su- 
preme Councils  professing  to  confer  Scottish 
Rite  degrees  in  the  United  States.  They 
are  spasmodically  active,  usually  dormant, 
exhibitions  of  life,  being  usually  confined  to 
a  gathering  of  officers  to  reelect  each  other, 
or  to  make  a  few  "thirty-seconds"  and 
"thirty-thirds."  The  St.  Louis  Supreme 
Council,  which  claims  Northwestern  Juris- 
diction, has  about  150  members,  but  noth- 
ing in  the  nature  of  what,  by  even  a  stretch 
of  courtesy,  conld  be  called  authority  for 
existence.  The  Washington  Supreme  Coun- 
cil's existence  rests,  it  is  declared,  on  a  char- 
ter for  a  Council  of  Princes  of  Jerusalem 
(a  subordinate  Scottish  Rite  body),  granted 
by  African  Supreme  Council  years  before 
the  Washington  organization  appeared.  Its 
own  claim  to  a  warrant  from  the  Grand 
Orient  of  France  refers,  probably,  to  the  bare 
allegation  that  the  African  Supreme  Coun- 
cil was  chartered  by  the  Grand  Orient,  a 
statement  which  is  its  own  refutation.  The 
spurious  character  of  the  warrant  of  the 
Philadelphia  Supreme  Council  has  been  re- 
ferred to.  This  leaves  only  the  New  York 
Supreme  Council  to  deal  with — that  of 
Avhich  Peter  W.  Ray,  M.D.,  and  S.  R.  Scot- 
tron  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  are  leaders.  The 
Baron  de  Bulow,  33°,  a  member  of  the 
Supreme  Council  of  France,  came  to  New 
York  in  1862,  accredited  as  a  Representa- 
tive to  the  Supreme  Council  of  the  United 
States,  Northern  Jurisdiction  (white) — as 
related  by  negro  Freemasons,  members  of 
the  negro  Supreme  Council  of  New  York, 


FREEMASONRY  AMONG   NEGROES 


77 


and,  as  also  admitted,  he  returned  to  France 
accredited  b}-  the  (white)  Supreme  Council 
named,  as  Representative  to  the  Supreme 
Council  of  France — the  body  controlling 
Scottish  Eite  grades  or  degrees  in  France. 
On  a  second  visit  to  this  country,  in  18G4, 
the  Baron,  finding  no  Scottish  Kite  Masonry 
among  negro  Freemasons  here,  declared  the 
(that  ?)  territory  vacant,  and  by  his  claimed 
prerogative,  as  Sovereign  Grand  Inspector 
General  of  the  Supreme  Council  of  France, 
he  organized  a  Supreme  Council  of  negroes 
who  had  been  created  thirty-third  degree 
Freemasons  by  himself  for  that  purpose. 
The  first  to  receive  the  degree  was  Patrick 
H.  Reason,  then  Most  Worshipful  Grand 
Master  of  the  negro  Grand  Lodge  of  Free- 
masons of  the  State  of  New  York.  De 
Bulow  never  returned  to  France,  but  re- 
mained until  his  death,  in  the  endeavor  to 
firmly  establish  Scottish  Rite  Freemasonry 
among  colored  men.  In  vieAV  of  the  Baron's 
action,  it  is  proper  to  jioint  out  that  by 
the  law  of  all  recognized  Supreme  Coun- 
cils of  the  Ancient,  Accepted  Scottish  Rite 
(of  which  the  Sujoreme  Council  of  France  is 
one),  no  Inspector  General  is  permitted  to 
establish  a  Supreme  Council  of  the  rite  in 
any  country  where  such  a  body  already  ex- 
ists, except  by  special  patent  issued  for  the 
2)urpose.  The  question,  then,  is,  did  De 
Bulow  know  of  the  existence  of  a  Supreme 
Council  in  the  United  States  at  the  time  he 
took  this  step — one  recognized  by  the  Su- 
preme Council  of  France  ?  The  answer  is, 
of  course,  that  as  he  had  visited  such  a 
Council  here — that  for  the  Northern  Juris- 
diction— and  had  beeii  appointed  by  it  a 
Representative  to  the  Supreme  Council  of 
France;  one,  therefore,  did  exist,  and  un- 
less he  had  a  special  patent  from  France 
empowering  him  to  do  what  he  did  in  18G4 
— which  he  never  had  or  claimed  to  have — 
his  action  in  establishing  a  negro  Supreme 
Council  was,  Masonically,  illegal  and  void. 
De  Bulow  was  evidently  a  visionary,  un- 
doubtedly a  philanthropist,  and  on  what  he 
conceived  to  be  the  ethics  of  a  situation,  a 


law  unto  himself.  He  showed  his  sincerity 
in  what  he  did  by  creating  his  son  and  ten 
negroes  "thirty-third  degree  Masons,"  who 
with  himself — nine  black  and  two  white 
men — were  the  original  members  of  the 
negro  Sujireme  Council  "for  the  United 
States,  its  Territories  and  Dependencies." 

All  the  negro  Supreme  Councils  men- 
tioned are,  for  reasons  given,  irregular; 
some  of  them  spurious,  and  none  of  tliem 
has  ever  been  accorded  recognition  by  any 
regular  Supreme  Council  in  the  world. 
Their  total  membership  is  about  1,000, 
of  which  about  600  belong  to  the  Philadel- 
phia and  Washington  bodies,  and  250 
to  the  New  York  Supreme  Council.  An 
effort  was  made,  in  1881,  to  unite  the 
negro  Supreme  Councils,  but,  with  the 
exception  noted,  it  failed,  and  the  strife 
for  office,  for  decorations,  and  for  recog- 
nition of  the  regularity  of  one  over  another 
is  likely  to  keep  them  apart. 

Little  remains  to  be  added  in  a  brief 
historical  sketch  of  Freemasonry  among 
negroes,  except  that  a  schismatic  Scot- 
tish Rite  body  existed  for  a  brief  period 
at  New  York,  a  few  years  ago,  known 
as  the  "Joe  Smith  "  Supreme  Council,  and 
that  nearly  twenty-five  years  ago  one  Robert 
Cowes  (negro)  claimed  to  have  received  the 
ritual  of  the  Rite  of  Memphis  from  the 
Grand  Orient  of  France  for  propagation 
among  negroes  in  the  LTnited  States.  It  is 
not  known  that  he  ever  received  authority 
to  do  that.  On  the  contrary,  there  is  good 
reason  to  believe  that  the  Grand  Orient  of 
France  did  nothing  of  the  kind.  (See  Free- 
masonry, Rite  of  Memphis.)  In  any  event 
no  bodies  of  that  rite  exist  here.  About 
twenty  years  ago  there  was  a  negro  Supreme 
Council  established  at  Baltimore  (not  the 
one  already  referred  to)  by  Charles  P.  Daly 
of  Ocala,  Fla.,  who  claimed  authority  from 
some  body  in  the  British  West  Indies.  The 
first  negro  Su])reme  Council  at  Baltimore  was 
established  by  Lemuel  G.  Griffin,  as  stated, 
an  Inspector  General  of  the  New  York  Su- 
preme  Council,   who   afterward    organized 


78 


FREEMASONRY :    RITE    OF   MEMPHIS,  ANCIENT   AND   PRIMITIVE 


King  Frederick  Supreme  Council  at  Phila- 
delphia. Nothing  is  known  of  these  organi- 
zations to-day. 

Freemasonry  :  Rite  of  Memphis,  An- 
cient and  Primitive. — No  account  of  this 
Masonic  rite  would  be  complete  which  ig- 
nored its  parent,  the  Rite  of  Misraim.  The 
latter  was  founded  at  j\rilan  in  1805.  Prom- 
inent among  its  members  were  Lechangeur, 
Joly,  and  Bedarride.  Lechangeur,  on  being 
refused  admission  into  the  Supreme  Council 
of  the  Ancient  and  Accepted  Scottish  Rite, 
compiled  and  organized  the  Rite  of  Misraim 
in  opposition  to  the  former.  It  consisted 
of  eighty-seven  degrees  at  first,  later  of 
ninety  degrees,  which  included  nearly  all 
the  numerous  Scottish  Rite  degrees  in  ex- 
istence— degrees  borrowed  from  other  rites, 
from  floating  material,  or  invented  for  the 
purpose.  It  was  introduced  into  France  in 
1814,  where  recognition  was  refused  it  by 
the  Grand  Orient.  In  1817  the  Supreme 
Council  of  the  Rite  of  Misraim  was  dis- 
solved, but  Lodges  continued  to  exist,  and 
finally,  in  1822,  the  Rite  became  dormant, 
although  it  has  been  practised  by  a  few  Eu- 
ropean Lodges  at  intervals  almost  ever  since. 
The  ninety  degrees  were  conferred  (most 
of  them,  probably,  communicated)  in  four 
series  and  seventeen  classes;  the  first  being 
entitled  Symbolic,  the  second  Philosophic, 
the  third  Mystical,  and  the  fourth  Kabbalis- 
tic.  This  Rite  claimed  the  privilege  of  con- 
trolling all  other  Masonic  rites,  which,  aside 
from  its  being  very  complicated,  was  enough 
to  condemn  it.  Some  of  its  degrees  were 
based  on  the  ancient  Egyptian  mysteries, 
hence  Misraim,  an  ancient  name  for  Egypt. 
It  differs  from  ail  other  Masonic  rites  in 
that  it  abolished  the  legend  of  the  third  de- 
gree, and  introduced  the  story  of  the  death 
of  a  son  of  Lamech,  who  was  killed  by  three 
ruffians.  An  attempt  to  revive  the  rite  in 
France  in  1856  failed,  and  Gould,  in  his 
"  History  of  Freemasonry,"  says  that  for 
several  years  after  its  few  Lodges  continued 
a  precarious  existence.  A  ponderous  ac- 
count of  the  Rite  was  published  by  Mark 


Bedarride  in  1835,  entitled  "  The  Order  of 
Misraim." 

Jacques  Etienne  Marconis  was  initiated 
into  the  Rite  of  Misraim  in  April,  1833,  and 
expelled  therefrom  in  June  following.  In 
1839,  in  association  with  Moullet  and  others, 
he  founded  the  Rite  of  Memphis  at  Paris, 
and  soon  after  established  Lodges  at  Mar- 
seilles and  Brussels.  It  consisted  of  ninety- 
one  degrees,  later  of  ninety-two  degrees,  and 
afterward  of  ninety-six  degrees,  with  a 
ninety-seventli  degree  for  the  official  head 
of  the  Rite.  It  should  require  little  special 
information  to  properly  infer  that  this  rite 
was  based  on  that  of  Misraim.  It  appro- 
priated bodily  degrees  of  the  Ancient  and 
Accepted  Scottish  Rite,  those  peculiar  to  the 
Rite  of  Misraim,  and  supplemented  them 
with  inventions.  Gould  states  that  Mar- 
conis, who  had  been  expelled  in  1833,  estab- 
lished a  Lodge  of  the  Rite  of  Misraim  in 
1836,  and  in  1838  was  again  expelled.  Then 
he  fabricated  the  Rite  of  Memphis,  the  first 
Lodge  of  which  was  formed  at  Paris  in  1838. 
In  1840  the  Paris  Lodges  of  the  Rite  were 
closed  by  the  police,  but  were  revived  in 
1849.  The  Rite  was  unrecognized  by  the 
Grand  Orient  of  France  during  all  that 
period,  and,  therefore,  was  irregular.  Late 
in  the  fifties  it  became  dormant.  Mackey 
states  that  in  1862  Marconis  applied  to  the 
Grand  Orienr  of  France  for  recognition  for 
the  Rite  of  Memphis,  and  got  it  by  divest- 
ing himself  of  all  authority  over  it  and  plac- 
ing it  entirely  in  the  hands  of  the  Grand 
Orient,  which  absorbed  and  shelved  it, 
where,  so  far  as  the  Grand  Orient  is  con- 
cerned, it  remains  to-day.  As  this  rite  util- 
ized the  third  degree  of  Craft  Masonry,  sev- 
eral of  its  Lodges  were  revived  after  1862, 
but  worked  only  the  symbolic  degrees. 

In  1873  one  Carence,  with  Marconis,  con- 
ferred the  Rose  Croix  (Memphis)  degree  on 
several  Freemasons  who  were  officially  in- 
formed that  no  power  or  authority  permitted 
such  an  act,  as  Marconis  had  divested  him- 
self of  all  claim  to  the  rite  in  May,  1862, 
and  again,  formally,  in  1863,  1864, 1865,  and 


FREEMASONRY:   RITE   OF  MEMPHIS,  ANCIENT   AND   PRIMITIVE 


79 


18G6.  In  reply  to  an  inquiry  from  tlie  Su- 
preme Council  of  the  Ancient  and  Accepted 
Scottish  Rite  of  England,  in  1872,  the  Grand 
Secretary  of  the  Grand  Orient  of  France  ex- 
plained the  foregoing,  and  stated  that  at  the 
time  the  treaty  was  negotiated  with  Mar- 
conis,  18G2,  II.  J.  Seymour  of  New  York 
city  was  at  Paris;  but  that  he,  the  latter, 
received  no  power  to  confer  degrees  of  the 
Rite  of  Memphis,  although,  owing  to  the 
bad  faith  of  ^larconis,  the  latter  pretended 
he  had  ceded  the  rite  to  the  Grand  Orient 
for  France  alone.  Seymour  assumed  the 
title  of  Grand  Master  of  the  Rite  of  Mem- 
phis for  America,  and  founded  a  Sovereign 
Sanctuary  in  New  York,  Avhich,  strangely 
enough,  in  18G7  appeared  on  the  Calendar 
of  the  Grand  Orient  of  France  for  that  year. 
The  Grand  Secretary  of  the  latter  body  adds 
that  after  learning  Seymour  was  conferring 
more  than  the  three  symbolic  degrees,  the 
Grand  Orient "'  broke  off  all  connection  with 
this  power  and  personally  with  Brother  Sey- 
mour," who  never  had  ''either  a  char- 
ter or  power  from  the  Grand  Orient  of 
France." 

On  the  other  hand,  Gould  says  that  in 
1850  and  1854  a  Chapter  and  a  Council  of 
the  Rite  of  Memphis  had  been  established 
in  New  York  city,  and  that  in  1860  Mar- 
conis  went  to  America  and  established  a 
Grand  Lodge  of  "  Discij^les  of  Memphis" 
at  Troy.  In  1857  the  rite  was  known  in 
New  York,  and  in  18G2  a  Sovereign  Sanc- 
tuary v.as  chartered.  It  was  taken  from 
America  to  England  in  1872,  where  the 
number  of  degrees  was  reduced  from  ninety- 
five  tp  thirty-three.  The  same  authority 
explains  that  in  1862  Marconis,  in  response 
to  a  circular  sent  out  by  the  Grand  Orient 
of  France,  demanded  recognition  for  "'one 
of  his  dormant  French  Lodges,"  which  was 
granted;  that  his  symbolic  Lodges  then  be- 
came a  part  of  the  Grand  Orient,  and  his 
Avhole  system  was  supposed  to  have  come 
under  the  supervision  of  that  Grand  body. 
According  to  this,  the  rite  had  been  estab- 
lished in  the  United  States  before  ^larconis 


ceded  anything  to  the  Grand  Orient  of 
France.  Robert  Morris,  in  the  "  Freema- 
sons' Almanac,"  January  1,  18G5,  says  that 
the  Rite  of  Memphis  has  a  beautiful  and  im- 
pressive ritual;  that  it  was  introduced  here 
November  9,  185G,  by  Marconis,  who  estab- 
lished a  Supreme  Council,  ninety  degrees, 
Avith  John  Mitchel  at  its  head,  and  a  Sover- 
eign Grand  Council,  ninety-four  degrees, 
with  David  McLellan  as  Grand  blaster. 
But  for  some  reason  the  system  did  not 
flourish,  not  even  after  Seymour  was  in- 
vested with  the  highest  degree  in  Paris  in 
1862,  and  Avith  authority  to  establish  a  Sov- 
ereign Grand  Sanctuary  of  Conservators 
General  of  the  Order  in  America.  A  Sov- 
ereign Council  General  was  established  in 
New  England,  but  that  and  the  various 
State  organizations  made  slow  headway,  and 
had  only  a  few  hundred  working  members. 
Seymour,  who  had  a  pyrotechnical,  but  un- 
enviable, career  in  several  Masonic  rites,  is 
declared  by  members  of  a  so-called  Scottish 
Rite  among  negroes  in  the  United  States 
to  have  received  the  ritual  of  the  Rite  of 
Memphis  from  Robert  Cowes,  a  negro,  to 
whom  it  was  committed  by  the  proper  au- 
thorities for  propagation  among  his  race, 
and  to  have  used  it  for  his  (Seymour's) 
benefit.  This  is  probably  an  error,  due  to 
Marconis's  having  been  nicknamed  "  De 
Negre,"  owing  to  his  dark  complexion. 
H.  C.  Goodale  of  Jamaica,  L.  I.,  for  sev- 
eral years  the  chief  secretarial  ofticer  of  the 
Rite  of  Memphis  in  America,  adds  that  Sey- 
mour did  not  condense  the  Rite  of  Memphis 
to  form  his  Cerneau  Rite.  Mr.  Goodale 
wrote,  in  1895,  that  the  Rite  of  Memphis 
still  existed,  but  that  it  was  "  very  inac- 
tive," practically  dormant,  "waiting  for 
better  times."  In  addition  to  the  Sover- 
eign Sanctuary  established  in  1862,  there 
had  been  formed  six  Mystic  Temples,  twelve 
Councils,  S.  M.  G.  W.,  twenty-three  Sen- 
ates of  n.  P..  and  forty-one  Chapters  of 
R.  C,  with  a  membership  in  1895,  which, 
while  not  large,  was  scattered  through  many 
States.     The  roll  of  Grand  Conservators  was 


80 


FREEMASONRY:   KNIGHTS   OF   ROME   AND    RED   CROSS   OF   CONSTANTINE 


declared  to  include  "  many  Past  Grand  Mas- 
ters and  high  dignitaries  in  Masonry." 
The  official  organ  of  the  Rite,  ''  The  Lybic 
Chain/'  was  published  at  New  York  in 
1883,  and  continued  to  appear  for  a  num- 
ber of  years.  S.  C.  Gould,  Manchester, 
N.  H.,  states  that  a  body  was  organized  at 
TJtica,  N".Y.,  in  1880,  under  the  title,  "  The 
Antient  and  Primitive  Oriental  Rite  of  Mis- 
raim,"  but  Goodale  says  the  Rite  of  Misraim 
was  represented  at  l^^ew  York  city  in  1895 
by  about  twenty-five  members  of  the  Rite 
of  Memphis,  who  "thought  of  obtaining 
a  charter  and  continuing  the  work."  Evi- 
dently .the  ''  Oriental  Rite  "  of  Misraim  was 
something  else. 

There  was  also  an  Egyptian  Masonic  Rite 
of  Memphis  for  the  Cosmos  in  Boston,  in 
1881,  which  was  not  long-lived,  and  there 
a,re  records  of  an  Antient  and  Primitive 
(Spanish)  Oriental  Rite  of  "Memphis  and 
Misraim  "  at  New  York,  Philadelphia,  and 
Chicago  in  recent  years,  which  had  no  con- 
nection with  the  Ancient  and  Primitive 
Rite  of  Memphis  established  here  by  ]\Iar- 
conis.  Sovereign  Sanctuaries  of  the  origi- 
nal Rite  of  Memphis  have  been  established 
in  America  (now  dead).  Great  Britain  (at 
"Withiugham,  Manchester,  address  .John 
Yarker,  editor  of  the  official  organ,  "The 
Knepli "),  Italy,  Roumania,  Egypt,  and  (it 
is  said)  in  India. 

Spanish  and  Roumanian  branches  have 
been  a  source  of  trouble  to  American  Free- 
masons, by  granting  permission  to  irrespon- 
sible or  other  persons  to  propagate  the  so- 
called  Oriental  Rite  of  "  Memphis  and  Mis- 
raim "  in  the  United  States,  a  hodge-podge 
of  those  Rites  and  of  the  vagaries  of  those 
disseminating  them. 

Jacques  Ochs,  a  Roumanian,  claimed  au- 
thority, between  1890  and  189G,  from  the 
National  Grand  Lodge  of  Roumania  to  es- 
tablish Masonic  Lodges  in  the  United  States. 
His  authority  was  revoked,  and  he  then  ap- 
peared as  a  Representative  of  the  Grand 
Orient  of  Spain  for  the  Rite  of  "'  Memphis 
and  Misraim,"  and  established  Lodges  of 


something  in  New  York,  which  he  told  the 
initiates  were  regular  Masonic  bodies  in 
which  they  could  get  all  the  degrees  at  low 
rates.  His  operations  extended  to  Philadel- 
phia and  Chicago,  where  he  found  many 
dupes  at  so  much  per  capita.  He  was  de- 
nounced by  regular  Masonic  authorities,  and 
soon  found  himself  under  arrest,  after  which 
the  bodies  created  by  him  died  out.  It  was 
the  old  story  of  a  clever  degree-peddler  prey- 
ing upon  credulity  and  ignorance.  The 
Ochs  Rite  of  "  Memj^his  and  Misraim  "  Avas 
not  the  Marconis  Rite,  which  became  dor- 
mant here  about  1895,  and  in  which  a  num- 
ber of  prominent  Masons  were  interested  for 
a  brief  period.  The  death  of  the  latter  was 
due  to  structural  weakness  and  dry  rot. 
Seymour,  who  was  something  of  a  degree- 
peddler  himself,  induced  many  acquaint- 
ances to  join  the  Rite  under  the  impression 
they  were  uniting  with  the  Ancient  and 
Accej^ted  Scottish  Rite,  and,  so  long  as  he 
could  sell  them  paraphernalia,  costumes, 
etc.,  he  was  willing  to  let  the  members  rule 
and  govern  the  Rite,  although  he  himself 
was  the  Grand  Hierophant.  Notwithstand- 
ing this,  which  is  learned  from  those  to 
whom  it  was  a  matter  of  personal  experi- 
ence, a  number  of  prominent  Freemasons  be- 
came identified  with  the  Ancient  and  Prim- 
itive Rite  of  Memphis,  only  to  lose  interest 
and  drop  out.  This  Rite  is  a  masquerad- 
ing Rite  of  Misraim,  originally  founded  as 
a  rival  degree-shoj),  and  was  very  properly 
smothered  by  the ,  Grand  Orient  of  France 
in  1SG2,  Avhich  body,  it  would  seem,  was 
deceived  into  believing  the  founder  had 
delivered  up  all  authority  over  it.  It  went 
from  the  L'nited  States  to  England  and 
elsewhere  abroad,  where  it  was  apparently 
dressed  up  or  down,  so  that  not  even  Mar- 
conis, its  own  father,  would  know  it  under 
such  a  title  as  an  "  Oriental,  Scottish  Rite 
of  Memphis  and  Misraim."  The  rituals  of 
the  Rites  of  Misraim  and  of  Memphis  prop- 
erly belong  in  a  library  of  Masonic  curios. 

Freemasonry  :    Order    of  Knights  of 
Rome  and  of  the  Red  Cross  of  Con- 


FREEMASONRY:    KNIGHTS   OF    ROME   AND    RED   CROSS   OF   COXSTANTINK 


SI 


stantine.* — Sometimes  called  the  Order  of 
the  Red  Cross  of  Constantine,  said  to  be  the 
oldest  Order  of  Knighthood  conferred  in 
connection  with  Freemasonr}'.  The  origin 
of  the  Order  is  attributed  to  Constantine  the 
Great,  who,  just  before  the  battle  of  Saxa 
Rubra,  October  28,  a.d.,  312,  beheld  a 
vision  of  the  Passion  Cross  in  the  heavens, 
with  the  inscription  (usually  given  in 
Greek)  :  "Hoc  Vince  "  (Conquer  by  This), 
genera,lly  rendered  :  "  In  Hoc  Signo 
Vinces,"  whereupon  he  vowed  that,  if  suc- 
cessful against  the  enemy  and  his  life  was 
spared,  he  would  create  an  Order  of 
Knighthood  to  champion  the  Christian 
religion  and  commemorate  his  victory. 
This  he  is  declared  to  have  done  at  Rome, 
December  25,  a.d.  312.  Constantine,  at 
the  time  of  the  vision,  was  not  a  believer 
in  the  Christian  religion,  and  he  and  his 
friends  believed  that  the  Cross  in  the 
heavens  was  a  divine  omen.  To  emphasize 
his  conversion  to  Christianity,  Constantine 
caused  each  of  his  officers  who  had  em- 
braced tiie  Christian  religion  and  received 
at  his  hands  the  new  Order  of  Christian 
Knighthood  to  wear  a  Red  Cross  on  the 
breast  or  on  the  right  arm,  and  on  the 
Roman  Imperial  standards  he  placed  golden 
wreaths,  and  within  them  monograms  com- 
posed of  the  Greek  letters  "  Chi  "  {X)  and 
''Rho"  (P),  the  first  of  the  two  letters  of 
the  name  Christ.  Constantine,  the  first 
Christian  Roman  Emperor,  was  further 
identified  with  the  cause  of  Christianity 
through  his  mother,  Helena,  who,  in  the 
year  32C,  discovered  and  brought  out  of  the 
Hoh'  Land  the  remains  of  the  true  Cross, 
and  by  reason  of  his  having  convened  the 
Council  of  Nice  in  325,  where  Constantine 
was  received  by  Bishop  Eusebius  with  a 
panegyrical  oration.  Thus  it  is  that  a  recent 
writer  describes  the  Order  as  commemo- 
rating "the  first  elevation  of  Christianity 

*  This  Christian  Order  is  not  to  be  confoinuk'il 
with  the  Jewish  and  Persian  degree,  known  as  the 
Order  of   the  Red  Cross,  conferred  in  American 
Commanderies  of  Knights  Templars, 
6 


from  the  position  of  a  despised  and  pro- 
scribed heresy  to  that  of  a  legally  recog- 
nized and  honored  religion."  One  of  the 
first  acts  of  the  Original  Knights  of  the 
Red  Cross  of  Constantine  was  to  replace 
the  heathen  vsymbols  on  the  public  build- 
ings in  Rome  with  representations  of  the 
Red  Cross.  In  326  Emperor  Constantine 
instituted  the  Order  of  Knight  of  the 
Grand  Cross,  to  be  conferred  only  on 
Knights  of  the  Red  Cross  who  had  become 
distinguished  in  the  sciences,  the  learned 
professions,  or  in  the  army.  The  number 
of  Knights  of  the  Grand  Cross  created  by 
Emperor  Constantine  was  fifty,  and  in  1119, 
at  a  Grand  Assembly  of  Knights  of  the 
Order  at  Rome,  it  was  made  a  statute  of 
the  Order  that  only  fifty  Knights  of  the 
Grand  Cross  should  be  created  in  any  king- 
dom or  independent  country.  After  the 
death  of  Constantine,  in  337,  the  Popes  of 
Rome  claimed  and  exercised  sovereign 
authority  over  the  Order  for  many  years. 
It  is  related  that  in  765  the  Order  had 
among  its  members  emperors,  kings,  and 
princes,  when  the  first  jiilgrimage  was  made 
to  the  Holy  Sepulchre  under  its  banners. 
This  was  in  accord  with  the  obligations  of 
its  members,  for  in  314,  when  Constantine 
instituted  the  Order  of  Knights  of  the  Holy 
Sepulchre  at  the  prayer  of  his  mother, 
Helena,  they  were  especially  commissioned 
to  protect  the  Holy  Sepulchre  from  the 
attacks  of  enemies  of  the  Christian  faith. 
During  the  Crusades,  the  Order  of  Knights 
of  Rome  and  of  the  Red  Cross  of  Constan- 
tine were  widely  known.  In  1119  Em- 
peror ^Michael  Angelos  Com  menus  was 
elected  Sovereign  Grand  Master  of  the 
Order,  and  that  title  was  retained  in  his 
family  until  1699.  The  Order  was  revived 
in  England  in  1688  by  the  Venetian  am- 
bassador at  the  Court  of  St.  James,  Lon- 
don, and  in  1692  the  Abbe  Giustiniani,  a 
learned  Italian  priest,  conferred  the  Orders 
of  Knights  of  the  Red  Cross  of  Constantine, 
Holy  Sepulchre,  and  of  St.  John  the  Evan- 
gelist on  several  members  of  the  English 


82 


FREEMASONRY:    KNIGHTS   OF   ROME   AND   RED   CROSS   OF   CONSTANTINE 


Court.  It  is  to  the  Abbe  that  the  Order  is 
indebted  for  the  preservation  of  its  tradi- 
tions, hmdmarks,  and  rituals,  and  it  was 
from  the  hitter  that  Walter  Rod  well  Wright, 
Provisional  Grand  Sovereign  of  the  Order 
in  England  in  1804,  doubtless  gained  ma- 
terial for  the  preparation  of  the  modern 
ritual.  Baron  Huude,  in  his  "  History 
of  tlie  Templar  System  of  Strict  Observ- 
ance,'*' 1750,  states  :  "  The  great  and  rapid 
progress  of  Freemasonry  on  the  European 
Continent  is  largely  due  to  the  efforts  of 
the  Knights  of  Eome  and  of  the  Red  Cross 
of  Constantine."  The  claim  is  made  that 
the  Order  was  conferred  in  England  as  a 
Masonic  degree  as  early  as  1783,  and  that 
in  1788  it  was  conferred  upon  a  number  of 
English  Freemasons,  among  others,  officers 
of  both  of  the  Grand  Lodges  of  England. 
That  well-known  Freemason,  Thomas 
Dunckerly,  was  created  a  Knight  of  Rome 
and  of  the  Red  Cross  of  Constantine  in 
1790,  and  was  afterwards  Sovereign  Grand 
Master  of  the  Order  in  England,  and  at 
the  head  of  the  Order  of  the  Temple  at  the 
same  period.  Three  succeeding  heads  of 
the  Order  of  Knights  of  Constantine  were 
likewise  Grand  Masters  of  the  Order  of  the 
Temple.  Hughan,  the  Masonic  historian, 
states  that  while  the  Orders  of  the  Red 
Cross  of  Constantine  and  of  the  Temple 
were  for  many  years  "  worked "  harmo- 
niously, side  by  side,  they  "  were  kept 
strictly  separate,"'  and  the  fact  that  the 
Constantine  Orders  of  Knighthood  have 
been  conferred  only  upon  Freemasons  ever 
since  the  middle  of  the  eighteenth  century 
is  probably  due  to  that  association.  In 
1807  there  was  quite  a  revival  of  the  Order 
in  Europe  and  in  the  English  colonies, 
and  the  Orders  of  this  Christian  Knight- 
hood were  conferred  upon  many  Freema- 
sons among  the  English  nobility.  The 
Grand  Imperial  Council  of  England  was 
organized  at  London  in  1808,  and  in  the 
following  year  it  claimed  and  exercised  sov- 
ereignty over  the  Order  throughout  the 
world.     In  1809  the  London  Encampment 


(Conclave)  conferred  the  Orders  of  Chris- 
tian Knighthood  on  a  class  of  "^ eight 
prominent  high  Freemasons,"'  in  the  pres- 
ence of  several  Knights  of  the  Grand 
Cross  of  the  Order.  Members  of  both  the 
so-called  Ancient  and  the  Modern  English 
Grand  Lodges  of  Freemasons,  who  were 
members  of  the  Constantine  Orders,  took 
active  part  in  the  negotiations  which  led  to 
the  union  of  the  two  Grand  Masonic  Lodges 
in  1813,  when  the  Duke  of  Sussex  was 
elected  Grand  Master  of  the  United  Grand 
Lodge  of  England,  and  also  Sovereign 
Grand  Master  of  the  Grand  Imperial  Coun- 
cil of  England  of  the  Order  ol  Knights  of 
Rome  and  of  the  Red  Cross  of  Constantine. 
During  the  period  1813-43  the  Order  again 
became  notable  as  "  the  first  Order  of 
Chivalry  in  Europe,"  some  of  its  chroni- 
clers adding  that  the  Grand  Cross  of  the 
Order  was  considered  as  great  an  honor  **as 
the  Order  of  the  Garter."  In  1862  the 
Knights  of  the  Grand  Cross  did  much  to 
attract  attention  to  the  Order  through  a 
ceremonial  commemorative  of  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Grand  Imperial  Council  more 
than  fifty  years  before,  in  which  the  Sir 
Knights  taking  part  included  members  of 
the  royal  family  and  many  other  gentle- 
men of  high  rank,  cabinet  officers,  members 
of  Parliament,  and  representatives  of  the 
army  and  navy. 

From  that  period  the  English  Grand  Im- 
perial Council  began  to  extend  the  Order, 
beginning  in  1866,  by  reviving  it  in  Ger- 
many, France,  Italy,  and  in  many  of  the 
English  colonies.  In  1869  it  was  introduced 
into  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  and  on  May 
19,  1870,  into  the  United  States,  at  Phila- 
delphia. In  1871  Conclaves  were  instituted 
in  New  York,  Massachusetts,  Kentucky, 
Indiana,  Vermont,  Maine,  New  Jersey, 
Michigan,  Virginia,  Delaware,  and  Mary- 
land, in  the  order  named.  The  Indepen- 
dent Grand  Council  of  Pennsylvania  was 
organized  in  1872,  the  Grand  Council  of 
New  York  and  Grand  Imperial  Councils 
of  Illinois,  Massachusetts,  and  Rhode  Island 


FREEMASONRY  :   KNIGHTS   OF   ROME   AXD   RED   CROSS   OF  COXSTANTINE 


83 


in  1872 ;  the  Imperial  Grand  Council  of 
Michigan  in  1874;  of  Kentucky,  Indiana, 
Vermont,  Maine,  andof  New  Jersey  in  1875; 
and  of  the  Dominion  of  Canada  in  187G.  In 
1875,  according  to  the  "  Memorabilia,"  etc., 
prepared,  in  1895,  by  Thomas  Leahy  of 
Kochester,  N.  Y.,  Grand  Registrar  General 
of  the  Sovereign  Grand  Council  of  the 
United  States,  the  Sovereign  Grand  Council 
of  the  United  States  was  organized  at  New 
York  city,  by  representatives  of  all  the  then 
existing  State  Grand  and  Imperial  Councils 
of  the  Order,  all  of  which  gave  i)ledges  of 
"fealty  and  allegiance"  to  the  new  Sover- 
eign Grand  Council,  and  each  State  Grand 
body  surrendered  ''all  sovereignty  within 
its  territory."  On  this  point  George  W. 
Warvelle  of  Chicago,  representing  the  Im- 
perial Grand  Council  of  Illinois,  declares 
that  " no  such  record  exists.''  The  "State- 
ment," published  by  the  Imperial  Grand 
Council  of  Illinois  in  1895,  describes  the 
Sovereign  Grand  body  of  1875  as  merely 
a  "confederation''  of  State  Grand  Councils 
formed  to  "curb  the  pretensions  of  the 
mother  Grand  Council  of  England,  who, 
thi'ough  her  Intendent  General,  was  assum- 
ing powers  which  were  deemed  inimical  to 
the  American  bodies."  In  support  of  this 
it  quotes  from  Section  6  of  the  Constitution 
of  the  Sovereign  Grand  Council,  United 
States  of  America,  in  part  as  follows:  **Ifc 
(the  latter  body)  can  exercise  no  doubtful 
powers  nor  any  powers  by  implication 
merely;"  .  .  .  tiiat  all  powers  not  ex- 
pressly delegated  "are  reserved  to  the 
Grand  Councils  and  subordinate  Con- 
claves," etc.  ;  it  should  have  jurisdiction 
over  "all  Conclaves  established  by  itself," 
.  .  .  "where  there  is  no  Grand  Council 
established;".  .  .  but  "no  power  of  dis- 
cipline," etc.,  "over  the  State  Grand 
Councils,"  .  .  .  "nor  any  authority  to 
suspend  the  proceedings  of  any  State  Grand 
Council,"  etc. 

Thomas  Leahy,  Registrar  General  of  the 
Sovereign  Grand  Council  of  the  United 
States,  writes  : 


This  statement  had  not  been  made  prior  to  1895, 
and  was  never  thought  of  until  we  had  taken  ac- 
tion to  abolish  the  State  Grand  bodies  in  the  inter- 
est of  the  general  good  of  the  Order.  The  first 
Article  of  the  Constitution,  Section  1,  as  presented 
by  the  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on  Revision  of 
the  Constitution.  Charles  K.  Francis  (now  the 
leader  of  the  opponents  to  the  Sovereign  Grand 
Council),  is  in  conflict  with  the  statement  by  the 
Illinois  people.  It  reads  :  "  Sec.  1.  The  Supreme 
Governing  Body  in  tlie  United  States  of  the  Red 
Cross  of  Con.stantine,  Knights,  etc.,  shall  be  styled, 
etc."  Is  this  section  intended  to  imply  a  confed- 
eration? It  recognizes  a  "Supreme  Governing 
Body  "  and  that  of  the  Sovereign  Grand  Council. 

The  importance  of  this  lies  in  tlie  fact  that 
the  Illinois,  Pennsylvania,  Massachusetts, 
Vermont,  and  Maine  Grand  Councils  con- 
tinue to  maintain  independent  sovereign- 
ties and  deny  the  right  of  the  Sovereign 
Grand  Council,  United  States  of  America, 
to  claim  or  exercise  sole,  sovereign  jurisdic- 
tion for  tlie  Constantine  Orders  of  Knight- 
hood  in  this  country.  The  independent 
Grand  Councils  explain  that  a  i)rimary  ob- 
ject of  the  confederation  of  State  Councils 
was  to  acquire  jurisdiction  over  the  "un- 
occupied" portions  of  the  United  States 
then  claimed  by  the  Grand  Council  of 
England,  and  that  the  right  of  the  Sover- 
eign Grand  Council,  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica, to  occupy  American  territory  not  under 
the  jurisdiction  of  State  Grand  bodies  was 
practically  all  that  was  made  over  to  the 
Sovereign  body.  The  "  Memorabilia  "  sets 
forth  that  the  Imperial  Grand  Council 
of  England  waived  its  right  of  sovereignty 
over  any  portion  of  the  United  States  in 
1877,  and  entered  into  "a  treaty  of  amity" 
with  the  Sovereign  Grand  Council,  United 
States  of  America,  in  which  it  recognized  the 
sovereign  authority  of  the  latter  throughout 
this  country.  "The  Statement"  replies 
that  when  the  Sovereign  Grand  Council  of 
the  United  States  was  organized  in  1875, 
"  it  was  repudiated  by  tlie  Grand  Imperial 
Council  of  England,"  but  that  in  1877  two 
men,  the  Sovereign  Grand  Master  of  the 
Sovereign  Grand  Council,  United  States  of 
America,  and  the  Chief  Intendent  General 


84 


FREEMASONRY:  KNIGHTS  OF  ROME  AND   RED  CROSS   OF  CONSTANTINE 


for  the  United  States,  for  England,  con- 
cluded a  treaty  with  the  English  (mother) 
Grand  Council,  "to  unite  into  one  Sui)renie 
Grand  body  all  Grand  and  subordinate 
bodies  in  the  United  States."  It  is  further 
declared  in  "The  Statement"  that  within 
a  year  the  treaty  was  "  repudiated  "  by  the 
English  Grand  Council,  notwithstanding 
which  the  Sovereign  Grand  Council,  United 
States  of  America,  continues  to  point  to  the 
treaty  as  the  basis  and  justification  of  its 
existence.  In  reply  to  this,  officials  of  the 
Sovereign  Grand  Council  deny  that  the 
treaty  has  been  repudiated.  The  records  of 
the  Sovereign  Grand  Council,  United  States 
of  America,  seem  to  confirm  "The  State- 
ment" in  its  charge  that  the  body  was 
practically  dormant  between  1880  and  1891, 
when,  as  explained  in  "The  Statement," 
"several  members"  met  at  Eochester, 
N".  Y.,  and  "assumed  to  open  a  Sovereign 
Grand  Council  and  transact  business." 
One  year  later  it  held  a  Conclave  at 
Bloomsburg,  Pa.,  and  claimed  exclusive 
authority  over  the  Constantine  Orders 
throughout  the  United  States,  basing  the 
claim  on  the  treaty  of  1877.  The  Sover- 
eign Grand  Council  has  continued  to  hold 
annual  sessions  ever  since,  but  Imperial 
Grand  Councils  in  Pennsylvania,  Illinois, 
Vermont,  Maine,  and  elsewhere  refuse  to 
recognize  it. 

All  of  the  State  Grand  Councils  named, 
and  the  Sovereign  body  as  well,  declare  that 
they  have  cordial  relations  with  the  English 
Grand  Council.  The  total  membership  of 
the  Sovereign  Grand  Council,  it  is  claimed, 
exceeds  1,600.  Including  the  five  indepen- 
dent Imperial  Grand  Councils  and  those  in 
Canada  and  the  United  Kingdom,  it  is  esti- 
mated there  are  5,000  American  and  foreign 
Knights  of  Rome  and  of  the  Red  Cross  of 
Constantine.  On  the  introduction  of  the 
Order  into  the  United  States,  Knights  Tem- 
plars and  thirty-second  degree  Scottish  Rite 
Freemasons  alone  were  admitted  to  it,  but 
some  years  later  Royal  Arch  Masons  were 
rendered  eligible.     The    Sovereign   Grand 


Council  changed  its  rules  in  1897  so  that 
Master  Masons  may  become  members,  thus 
apparently  seeking  to  popularize  the  Order. 
The  view  taken  by  the  independent  Grand 
Councils  seems  to  be  that  there  are  enough 
popular  Masonic  Orders,  and  that  this  one 
should  constitute  "  a  purely  intellectual 
branch  of  Freemasonry  .  .  .  devoted 
wholly  to  the  cultivation  of  the  higher  fac- 
ulties," rather  than  to  gaining  recruits. 

Four  Orders  are  conferred  by  Grand 
Councils  of  Knights  of  the  Red  Cross  of 
Rome  and  Constantine — the  first,  the  one 
having  that  title  ;  the  second,  the  Order  of 
Knights  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre  ;  the  third, 
the  Order  of  Knights  of  St.  John  the  Evan- 
gelist, and,  finally,  as  a  mark  of  especial 
honor  for  high  Masonic  ofiicials  or  for  zeal 
in  Masonic  work,  the  Order  of  Knight  of 
the  Grand  Cross,  membership  in  which  is 
limited  to  fifty  in  each  country.  In  addi- 
tion to  these,  the  Order  of  Holy  Wisdom,  or 
Knight  Templar  Priest,  is  conferred  by 
some  Grand  Councils.  It  is  said  to  have 
been  instituted  in  1686,  and  when  conferred 
in  "old  Encampments  which  practised  the 
seven  steps  of  chivalry  "  was  the  ceremony 
for  constituting  chaplains.  After  the  re- 
organization of  the  Chivalric  Orders  it  be- 
came an  appendant  to  the  Order  of  Con- 
stantine. The  "seven  steps  of  chivalry" 
are  classified  in  "  Masonry  in  Europe,"  by 
Witter,  Berlin,  1832,  as  follows:  "1st, 
Knights  of  Rome  and  of  the  Red  Cross  of 
Constantine  and  Knight  of  the  Grand  Cross, 
the  oldest  Order  of  Chivalry ;  2d,  Knights 
Templars ;  3d,  Knights  of  Malta  ;  4th, 
Knights  of  the  Holy  Sepulchre,  appended 
to  which  is  the  Order  of  Knights  of  St. 
John  of  Palestine,  or  St.  John  the  Evangel- 
ist ;  5th,  Rose  Croix ;  6th,  Templar  Priest- 
hood ;  and  7th,  Commander  Elect,  Knight 
of  Kadosch.  No  one  American  Masonic 
body  confers  all  of  these  Orders.  The  sec- 
ond and  third  are  under  the  jurisdiction  of 
the  Grand  Encampment  of  Knights  Tem- 
plars of  the  United  States ;  the  fifth  and 
seventh  are  controlled  by  the  Supreme  Coun- 


FREEMASONRY:   KNIGHTS   OF   ROME   AND   RED   CROSS   OF   CONSTANTINE 


85 


cils  of  the  Ancient,  Accepted  Scottish  Rite 
of  Freemasonry  for  the  Southern  and  North- 
ern Masonic  Jurisdictions,  United  States  of 
America,  respectively;  the  fourth  and  sixtli 
by  Imperial  Grand  Councils  and  by  the  Sov- 
ereign Grand  Council  of  Knights  of  Rome 
and  of  the  Red  Cross  of  Constantino  ;  and 
the  first  by  the  Supreme  Grand  Chapter  of 
the  Grand  Cross  of  Constantino,  United 
States  of  America,  composed  of  representa- 
tives of  the  independent  Sovereign  Grand 
Councils,  and  also  by  the  Sovereign  Grand 
Council,  United  States  of  America. 

The  Supreme  Grand  Chapter  of  the 
Grand  Cross  of  Constantino,  of  which 
Charles  K.  Francis,  Philadelphia,  is  Regis- 
trar General,  is  the  highest  body  of  the 
Order  in  the  country  recognized  by  the 
independent  Sovereign  Grand  Councils.  It 
was  organized  June  21,  1877,  under  au- 
thority granted  the  late  Colonel  W.  J.  B. 
McLeod  Moore,  33°,  Grand  Prior  of  Knights 
Templars  of  Canada,  who  established  the 
Order  of  Coustantine  in  America  by  author- 
ity received  from  the  Earl  of  Bective,  then 
Grand  Sovereign  of  the  Grand  Imperial 
Council  of  England.  The  Supreme  Grand 
Chapter  is  to  the  independent  State  Im- 
perial Councils  what  the  Supreme  Council, 
Ancient,  Accepted  Scottish  Rite  is  to  the 
bodies  holding  allegiance  to  it,  retaining 
exclusive  right  to  confer  the  Order  of  the 
Grand  Cross,  as  does  the  latter  the  right  to 
confer  the  thirty-third  degree.  Among  the 
officers  and  members  of  the  Supreme  Grand 
Chapter  of  the  Grand  Cross  of  Constantino 
are  :  John  Corson  Smith,  33°,  of  Illinois, 
its  Grand  Sovereign  (Past  Grand  Master  of 
Masons.  Past  Grand  Higli  Priest  of  Royal 
Arch  Masons,  Past  Grand  Commander  of 
Knights  Templars);  Josiah  H.  Drummond, 
33°,  of  Maine,  its  Grand  Viceroy  (Past 
Grand  Master  of  Masons,  Past  General 
Grand  High  Priest  of  the  General  Grand 
Chai^tcr,  Past  Grand  Commander  of  Knights 
Tem])lars, Past  Sovereign  Grand  Commander 
of  the  Supreme  Council,  33°,  A.  A.  S.  R., 
Northern  Jurisdiction);  Gilbert "W.  Barnard, 


33°,  of  Illinois  (Grand  Secretary  of  the 
various  Masonic  Grand  Bodies  in  Illinois); 
Marquis  F.  King,  33°,  of  Maine  (Past 
Grand  Master  of  Masons);  Hugh  McCurdy, 
33°,  of  Miciiigan  (Past  Grand  Master  of 
Masons,  Past  Grand  High  Priest  of  Royal 
Arch  Masons,  Past  Grand  Master  of  the 
Grand  Encampment  of  Knights  Templars); 
Abraliam  T.  Metcalf,  33°,  of  Michigan 
(Past  Grand  Master  of  Masons);  Francis 
A.  Blades,  33°,D.  Burnham  Tracy,  33°,  and 
Nicholas  Coulson,  33",  of  Miciiigan;  Marsh 
0.  Perkins,  33°,  of  Vermont  (Past  Grand 
Master  of  Masons);  George  0.  Tyler,  33°, 
of  Vermont  (Past  Grand  Commander  of 
Knights  Templars);  Silas  W.  Cummings, 
33°,  of  Vermont  (Past  Grand  Commander 
of  Knights  Templars);  D.  N.Nicholson,  33^, 
of  Vermont  ;  Millard  F.  Hicks,  33°,  and 
Edward  P.  Burnham,  33°,  of  Maine  ; 
Seranus  Bowen,  33°,  of  Massachusetts 
(Grand  Secretary  of  the  Grand  Chapter  of 
Royal  Arch  Masons);  Benjamin  W.  Rowell, 
33°,  of  Massachusetts  (Grand  Recorder  of 
Grand  Commandery  of  Knigiits  Templars); 
Caleb  Saunders,  33°,  Massachusetts  (Past 
Grand  Commander  of  Knights  Templars); 
Frederick  Webber,  33°,  Washington,  D.  C. 
(Grand  Secretary  General  of  Supreme 
Council,  33°,  A.  A.  S.  R.,  Southern  Juris- 
diction); Edward  T.  Schultz  of  Maryland 
(Masonic  Historian,  Past  Grand  High  Priest 
of  Royal  Arcii  Masons,  Past  Grand  Com- 
mander of  Knights  Templars);  Thomas  R. 
Patton,  33°,  of  Pennsylvania  (Grand  Treas- 
urer of  Grand  Lodge  and  Grand  Chapter); 
Charles  Cary,  33^,  of  Pennsylvania  (Grand 
Secretary  of  Grand  Chapter  of  Royal  Arch 
Masons  and  Grand  Master  of  Royal  aiul 
Select  Masters);  John  Sartaiu,  33°,  Penn- 
sylvania ;  Edward  S.  Wyckofif,  33°,  Penn- 
sylvania ;  Edward  B.  S])cncer.  Pennsylvania 
(Grand  Scribe  of  Grand  Ciiapter  of  Royal 
Arch  Masons  and  Past  Grand  Commander 
of  Knights  Temi)lar8)  ;  Andrew  J.  Kaufif- 
man,  Pennsylvania  (Past  Grand  Commander 
of  Knights  Templars);  Harvey  A.  McKillip, 
33°,    Pennsylvania    (Past  Grand  Master  of 


86 


FREEMASONRY:   SOCIETY   OF  MODERN   ROSICRUCIANS 


Eoyal  and  Select  Masters);  Charles  K. 
Francis,  33°,  Pennsylvania  (Past  Grand 
Master  of  Royal  and  Select  Masters).  Charles 
F.  Matier  is  Grand  Representative  of  the 
Supreme  Grand  Chapter  of  the  Grand  Cross, 
United  States  of  America,  near  the  Grand 
Imperial  Council  of  England,  and  Lord 
Saltsun  is  Grand  Representative  near  the 
Grand  Imperial  Council  of  Scotland. 
At  the  meeting  of  the  Supreme  Grand 
Chapter  at  Boston,  September  21,  1897, 
apjDropriate  tributes  were  paid  the  mem- 
ories of  deceased  members,  Charles  T. 
McClenachan,  33°,  Masonic  Historian 
of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  New  York ; 
Anthony  E.  Stocker,  33°,  Pennsylvania 
(Past  Grand  Commander  of  Knights  Tem- 
plars); and  Daniel  Spry,  33°,  Grand  Repre- 
sentative near  the  Grand  Imperial  Council 
of  Canada  ;  and  the  Registrar  General  read 
the  following  letter  from  the  Masonic  His- 
torian, W.  J.  Hughan,  Torquay,  England, 
himself  a  Knight  of  the  Grand  Cross  : 

Your  invitation  to  attend  the  Supreme  Grand 
Chapter  of  the  United  States  of  America  j  ust  at  hand. 
I  cannot  attend,  but  wish  it  were  possible,  so  as  to  grip 
you  by  the  hand,  and  others  of  my  valued  brethren. 

These  personal  references  would  seem  to 
indicate  that  many  of  the  more  distinguished 
Freemasons  in  the  country  oppose  the 
claim  of  the  Sovereign  Grand  Council  to 
exclusive  jurisdiction  over  the  Constantine 
Orders  in  the  United  States.  In  reply  to 
an  inquiry  as  to  the  status  of  the  Order  of 
Rome  and  the  Red  Cross  of  Constantine  in 
the  United  States,  C.  F.  Matier,  Registrar 
General  of  the  English  (mother)  Imperial 
Grand  Council,  wrote  as  follows,  September 
15,  1897  : 

I  am  directed  and  have  the  honor  to  say  that  a 
conference  of  the  Imperial  Grand  Councils  of  Eng- 
land and  Scotland  will  be  held  in  Edinburgh  in 
April,  1898,  and  that  the  whole  question  of  the 
position  of  the  bodies  claiming  to  be  the  supreme 
governing  bodies  in  America  will  be  fully  con- 
sidered. As  it  is  believed  that  representatives 
from  the  U.  S.  A.  will  be  present,  it  is  sincerely 
hoped  that  the  conference  will  settle  the  cause  of 
disagreement  in  the  Order  forever. 


Freemasonry:  Society  of  Modern  Ros- 
icrucians. — Founded  more  than  a  score  of 
years  ago,  according  to  the  account  pub- 
lished by  the  High  Council  of  the  Societatis 
Rosicruciana^,  United  States  of  America,  by 
Robert  Wentworth  Little,  of  England,  upon 
"  the  remains  of  an  old  German  association 
which  had  come  under  his  observation  dur- 
ing some  of  his  researches."  The  Angli- 
cized organization  was  created  as  a  literary 
society,  to  collect  ' "  archgeological  and  his- 
torical subjects  pertaining  to  Freemasonry  ' ' 
and  secret  societies  in  general;  to  stimulate 
search  for  historical  truth,  particularly  with 
reference  to  Freemasonry;  and  to  revive  in- 
terest in  the  work  of  certain  scientists  and 
scholars.  In  this  effort  Mr.  Little,  a  dis- 
tinguished Freemason,  was  assisted  by  such 
well-known  members  of  the  Craft  as  William 
Robert  Woodman,  Thomas  B.  Whytehead, 
AYilliam  James  Hughan,  and  Cuthbert  E. 
Peck  in  England,  the  Earl  of  Kintore  and 
Robert  Smith  Brown  in  Scotland,  Prince 
Rhodokanakis  and  Professor  Emmanuel 
Gellanis  in  Greece;  and  Colonel  W.  J.  B. 
Moore  in  the  Dominion  of  Canada.  Rosi- 
crucian  societies  were  promptly  established 
in  England,  Scotland,  Greece,  and,  later, 
in  the  Dominion  of  Canada.  Like  or- 
ganizations may  also  be  found  in  Ireland, 
India,  China,  and  in  Tunis.  In  1879  the 
High  Council  of  Scotland  established  a 
Rosicrucian  Society  at  Philadelphia,  and 
in  1880  one  each  at  New  York,  Boston, 
and  Baltimore,  representatives  from  which 
met  at  Boston  on  September  21  the  same 
year,  and  established  a  High  Council  for  the 
United  States,  to  hold  jurisdiction  within 
the  same  and  regulate  the  relations  of  the 
society  here  with  other  independent  jurisdic- 
tions. The  constitution  adopted  provides 
that  no  aspirants  shall  be  admitted  except 
Master  Masons  of  good  moral  character,  in- 
telligent, ''  free  from  prejudice,  and  anxious 
for  instruction."  Every  f rater  is  required 
to  choose  a  Latin  motto,  which  is  to  be  ap- 
pended to  his  signature  in  all  communica- 
tions to  the  Society,  which  shall  be  registered 


FREEMASONRY:    ROYAL   ORDER   OF   SCOTLAND 


87 


and  never  be  changed,  and  no  two  fraters 
are  permitted  to  have  the  same  motto.  The 
Society,  wliich  is  secret  in  form,  confers  four 
grades  composing  the  first  order,  and  three 
in  tlie  second,  in  colleges;  and  two  grades  in 
the  third  order,  in  High  Council  only.  The 
grades  are  as  follows:  First,  Zelator;  sec- 
ond, Theoricus;  third,  Practicus;  fourth, 
Philosophus;  fifth,  Adeptus  Junior;  sixth, 
Adeptus  Senior;  seventh,  Adeptus  Exemp- 
tus;  eighth,  Magister  Templi  (official); and, 
ninth,  Chief  Adept,  held  by  appointment. 
Colleges  are  limited  to  seventy-two  active 
members.  In  the  publication  referred  to, 
Charles  E.  Meyer  of  Philadelphia  is  named 
as  Supreme  Magus ;  Albert  G,  Goodale, 
New  York,  Senior  Substitute  Magus;  Al- 
fred F.  Chapman,  Boston,  Junior  Substitute 
Magus;  Thomas  J.  Shryock,  Baltimore, 
Treasurer  General;  and  Charles  T.  McClena- 
chan.  New  York,  Secretary  General.  These 
gentlemen,  some  of  whom  are  dead,  may  be 
regarded  as  the  founders  of  the  Modern 
Eosicrucian  Society  in  the  United  States. 

The  work  and  purposes  of  modern  Eosi- 
crucian Societies  only  faintly  resemble  an- 
cient Eosicrucianism,  as  the  latter  is  often 
understood.  Neither,  so  far  as  learned,  do 
they  claim  any  connection  with  the  latter 
beyond  what  may  be  inferred  from  the  state- 
ment that  the  English  Society  was  founded 
on  the  ""remains  of  an  old  German  asso- 
ciation." 

The  Eosicrucian  Society  of  the  seven- 
teenth century  was  supposed  to  be  in  some 
way  related  to  Freemasonry,  Avhich  was  prob- 
ably an  error,  as  the  former  embodied  a  sys- 
tem of  hermetic  philosophy,  while  the  Free- 
masons at  that  time  were  nearly  all  operative 
masons  and  builders.  There  is  no  relation 
whatever  between  the  rose  and  the  cross  of 
the  Eosicrucians  and  like  emblems  in  the 
Masonic  degree  of  the  Eose  Croix,  which 
was  invented  about  the  middle  of  the  eigh- 
teenth century.  The  Eosicrucians  employed 
a  number  of  so-called  Masonic  emblems,  but 
they  interpreted  them  differently.  The 
ancient   philosophic   sect   took    its    rise   in 


Germany  shortly  after  the  appearance  of  the 
religious,  mystical,  and  philosophic  works, 
"  Fama  Fraternis,"  '"Chemical  Nuptials," 
and  other  books  by  John  Valentine  Andrae, 
in  which  he  recounted  the  adventures  of 
"Christian  Eosenkreuz,"  a  fictitious  per- 
sonage, whom  he  makes  the  founder  of  the 
pretended  Society  of  Eosicrucians.  It  is 
pointed  out  by  Mackey  that  so  great  was 
the  effect  of  these  publications  that  a  secret 
philosophic  sect  of  Eosicrucians  was  formed, 
many  members  of  which  were  found  in  Ger- 
many, France,  and  England  in  the  seven- 
teenth century.  The  publication  by  the 
American  Eosicrucian  Society  refers  the 
origin  of  its  ancient  prototype  to  the  thir- 
teenth century,  which  is  manifestly  an  error. 
No  association  by  the  name  has  been  traced 
back  of  Andrae's  account  of  a  fictitious  so- 
ciety of  that  title.  It  was  not  strange  that 
the  general  public  of  the  seventeenth  cen- 
tury and  later  should  have  attributed  sor- 
cery, alchemy,  and  other  occult  gifts  to  the 
Eosicrucians,  but  at  this  day  the  names  of 
such  Eosicrucians  as  John  Baptist  von  Ilel- 
mont,  physician;  Eobert  Fludd,  i)hysician 
and  philosopher,  who  died  in  1637,  and 
Elias  Ashmole,  the  English  antiquary, 
among  many  others  who  were  j)i"ominent, 
would  suggest  that  they  were  leaders  among 
mystical  and  iihilosophic  thinkers  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  years  ago. 

Freemasonry  :  Royal  Order  of  Scot- 
land.— A  ]\Iasonic  Order  of  Knighthood 
conferred  upon  Eoyal  Arch  ]\rasons.  It 
consists  of  two  degrees  or  orders,  the  Eoyal 
Orders  of  Herodem  and  of  the  Eosy  Cross. 
The  Eoyal  Order  of  Ilerodem  of  Kilwinning, 
Scotland,  which  by  its  own  legend  is  said 
to  have  taken  its  rise  in  the  time  of  David 
I.,  King  of  Scotland,  presents  the  sacrifice 
of  the  Messiah,  whereupon  the  candidate  is 
sent  into  the  world  to  search  for  the  lost 
word.  Its  traditions  state  that  it  was  estab- 
lished at  Icomkill.  Scotland,  afterward  at 
Kilwinning,  where  Eobert  Bruce,  King  of 
Scotland,  presided  in  person,  and  in  1314 
"reinstated  the  Order,"  admitting  into  it 


88 


FREEMASONRY:    ROYAL   ORDER   OF   SCOTLAND 


such  Knights  Temphirs  as  had  fled  to 
Scotland  after  the  dissolution  of  the  Tem- 
plars and  under  his  protection  had  taken 
part  in  the  battle  of  Bannockburn.  Its 
ritual  is  in  antiquated  Anglo-Saxon  verse. 
The  Order  of  St.  Andrew  of  the  Thistle, 
afterward  amalgamated  Avith  the  Royal 
Order  of  Ilerodem,  was  instituted  by  Robert 
Bruce,  King  of  Scotland,  on  July  2-4,  1314, 
to  be  conferred,  it  is  said,  upon  Scottish 
Freemasons  who  fought  with  him,  among 
thirty  thousand  others,  at  the  battle  of 
Bannockburn,  against  an  English  army  of 
one  hundred  thousand  men.  "^At  aboiit  that 
time/'  says  Thor}^  ''he  formed  the  Royal 
Grand  Lodge  of  the  Order  of  Herodem,  re- 
serving to  himself  and  his  successors  forever 
the  title  of  Grand  Master."  The  Order  of 
Herodem  is  said  to  have  been  introduced 
into  Kilwinning  at  about  the  time  that 
Freemasonry  appeared  in  Scotland,  and 
Mackey  regards  it  probable  that  the  Order 
was  designed  to  make  plain  the  rites  and 
symbols  used  by  the  Christian  builders  in  a 
truly  catholic  manner,  adapted  to  all  who 
acknowledge  one  Supreme  God,  whether 
Jew  or  Gentile. 

The  second  degree  of  the  Royal  Order  of 
Scotland,  the  Order  of  the  Rosy  Cross,  is  an 
Order  of  Civil  Knighthood,  which,  it  is 
stated,  was  founded  by  Robert  Bruce  after 
the'  battle  of  Bannockburn,  and  conferred 
upon  certain  Freemasons  who  had  assisted 
him.  It  may  only  be  conferred  by  the 
Grand  Master,  his  Deputy,  or  a  Provincial 
Grand  Master.  The  number  who  may  re- 
ceive it  is  limited.  Formerly  it  was  sixty- 
three,  who  were  to  be  Scotchmen,  but  the 
number  has  since  been  increased,  and  dis- 
tinguished Freemasons  in  almost  all  coun- 
tries may  now  receive  it  uj'ion  being 
•'adopted"  as  Scottish  (not  Scottish  Rite) 
Freemasons.  It  has  also  been  claimed  that 
the  Order  of  the  Rosy  Cross  was  practically 
made  up  of  the  ancient  Order  of  the  This- 
tle, and  that  the  ceremonial  of  initiation 
into  the  latter  was  borrowed  bodily.  In 
any  event,  the  Rosy  Cross  comes  more  nearly 


to  being  a  genuine  Order  of  Knighthood 
than  almost  any  other  conferred  in  connec- 
tion with  Freemasonry,  and  in  it  is  found 
the  intimate  connection  between  the  sword 
and  the  trowel  which  is  referred  to  in  sev- 
eral others.  Its  ritual  is  distinctly  Chris- 
tian. As  in  the  Order  of  Herodem,  the 
office  of  Grand  Master  is  vested  in  the  King 
of  Scotland  (now  of  Great  Britain),  and  in 
his  absence  a  seat  is  always  kept  vacant  for 
him  in  whatever  country  a  Chajiter  is  held. 
Owing  to  the  similarity  between  names,  the 
Order  of  the  Rosy  Cross  and  that  of  the 
Rose  Croix  of  the  Ancient  and  Accepted 
Scottish  Rite,  the  belief  has  prevailed  that 
the  latter,  in  some  way,  is  based  upon  the 
former.  This  appeared  to  be  true,  because 
both  claimed  to  have  had  their  seats  of  gov- 
ernment at  Kilwinning,  near  the  Irish  Sea, 
in  Scotland,  because  both  gave  a  Christian 
interpretation  to  the  three  symbolic  degrees 
of  Freemasonry,  and  because  the  names  of 
both  bear  a  striking  resemblance.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  there  is  no  further  similarity 
and  no  connection  whatever.  Their  cere- 
monials and  essentials  are  entirely  different. 

Provincial  Grand  Lodges  of  the  Royal  Or- 
der of  Scotland,  one  of  tlie  oldest  continu- 
ous appendent  Orders  of  Freemasonry,  are 
now  held  in  Glasgow  and  Aberdeenshire, 
Scotland;  Yorkshire,  Northumberland,  Dur- 
ham, Cumberland,  Lancashire,  Cheshire, 
and  London,  England  ;  Western  India ; 
China;  New  Brunswick,  Prince  Edward  Is- 
land, Ontario,  and  Quebec;  Natal,  Cape 
Colony,  Switzerland,  and  the  United  States, 
where  chairs  are  always  kept  vacant  for  the 
hereditary  Grand  Master. 

The  Royal  Order  of  Scotland  was  intro- 
duced into  the  United  States  at  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  May  4,  1878,  in  the  rooms  of 
the  Supreme  Council  of  the  Ancient,  Ac- 
cepted Scottish  Rite  for  the  Southern  Ma- 
sonic Jurisdiction,  United  States  of  Amer- 
ica, when  the  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  for 
the  United  States  was  instituted  by  virtue 
of  a  charter  issued  by  the  Grand  Lodge  at 
Edinburgh,  Scotland,  in  which  Sir  Albert 


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90 


FREEMASONRY:   STATISTICS   OF   MEMBERSHIP 


Pike  is  named  as  the  Provincial  Grand  Mas- 
ter; Josiab  Hayden  Drummond,  Maine, 
Deputy  Provincial  Grand  Master;  Albert 
Gallatin  Mackey,  then  of  the  District  of 
Columbia,  Senior  Provincial  Grand  War- 
den; Samuel  Crocker  Lawrence,  Massachu- 
setts, Junior  Provincial  Grand  "Warden; 
William  Morton  Ireland,  of  the  District  of 
Columbia,  Provincial  Grand  Secretary;  Eob- 
ert  McCoskry  Graham,  New  York,  Provin- 
cial Grand  Treasurer ;  John  Robin  Mc- 
Daniel,  Virginia,  Provincial  Grand  Sword- 
Bearer ;  Vincent  Lombard  Hurlbut,  Illinois, 
Provincial  Grand  Banner-Bearer;  Enoch 
Terry  Carson,  Ohio,  Provincial  Grand  Mari- 
schal;  Henry  L.  Palmer,  Wisconsin,  Deputy 
Provincial  Grand  Marischal;  Charles  Roome, 
New  York,  Senior  Provincial  Grand  Stew- 
ard, and  James  Cunningham  Batchelor, 
Louisiana,  Provincial  Grand  Steward.  The 
meetings  of  the  Provinpial  Grand  Lodge  are 
held  annually,  at  the  same  time  and  place 
as  the  Supreme  Councils  of  the  Scottish  Rite 
for  the  Southern  and  the  Northern  Jurisdic- 
tion of  the  United  States  alternately.  The 
present  Provincial  Grand  Master  is  Josiah 
Hayden  Drummond  of  Portland,  ]\[e.,  who 
succeeded  to  that  office  upon  the  death  of 
Albert  Pike  in  1891.  •  The  secretariat,  with 
the  records,  files,  etc.,  is  at  the  Cathedral 
of  the  Scottish  Rite,  Xo.  1007  G  Street,  N. 
W.,  Washington,  D,  C.  The  present  mem- 
bership of  the  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  of 
the  United  States  is  284. 

Freemasonry  :  Statistics  of  Meinber- 
sliip. — Among  the  long  list  of  secret  soci- 
eties, the  names  of  which  are  familiar  to 
newspaper  readers,  there  are  eleven  Avhich 
may  be  classed  as  international,  statistics  of 
membership  of  which  are  presented  in  a 
separate  exhibit.  These  data,  the  most 
comprehensive  of  the  kind  ever  prepared, 
have  been  compiled  through  the  cooi:)era- 
tion  of  representatives  of  each  of  them. 
Unusually  full  particulars  concerning  the 
number  of  Freemasons  in  various  coun- 
tries, states,  and  provinces  throughout  the 
world  are  to  be  credited  to  the  researches  of 


Stephen  Berry  and  Josiah  H.  Drummond, 
Portland,  Me. ;  the  late  Charles  T.  McClena- 
chan  of  New  York;  to  the  Grand  Secreta- 
ries of  Grand  Lodges  and  other  Masonic 
Grand  bodies  throughout  the  United  States 
and  British  North  America;  to  Grand  Sec- 
retaries of  nearly  every  foreign  Grand  Lodge; 
and  many  others  distinguished  as  Masonic 
students  or  historians,  with  whom  corre- 
spondence has  been  conducted.  Similar 
recognition  is  due  to  Secretaries  of  Supreme 
or  Grand  bodies  and  other  representatiA'^es 
of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
Ancient  Order  of  Foresters,  Independent 
Order  of  Good  Templars,  Grand  United  Or- 
der of  Odd  Fellows  (membership  of  which 
in  the  United  States  is  composed  of  negroes). 
Independent  Order  of  Rechabites,  Ancient 
Order  of  Hibernians,  Sons  of  Temperance, 
United  Ancient  Order  of  Druids,  B'nai 
B'rith,  and  the  Loyal  Orange  Institution. 
The  Freemasons  are  shown  to  be  the  most 
numerous  and  by  far  the  most  Avidely  dis- 
tributed throughout  the  world.  If  non-af- 
filiated Freemasons  were  counted,  the  total 
membershijD  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity  would 
undoubtedly  amount  to  about  2,000,000,  be- 
cause those  able  to  judge  estimate  that  out  of 
the  whole  number  of  living  members  of  the 
Craft,  about  40  per  cent,  are  non-affiliates. 
The  total  of  11,000  Freemasons  in  Cuba  re- 
fers to  the  period  just  before  the  outbreak 
of  the  revolution  prior  to  the  Spanish- 
American  War,  and  includes  non-affiliates. 
No  one  of  the  ten  fraternities,  statistics  of 
membership  of  which  are  compared  with 
those  of  the  Freemasons,  is  very  widely  dis- 
tributed over  the  globe.  In  contrast  with 
an  exhibit  which  jioints  to  Masonic  Lodges 
in  almost  every  civilized  part  of  the  Avorld 
except  Russia,  Austria,  and  part  of  Asia 
Minor,  accompanying  comparative  statistics 
show  only  three  other,  out  of  ten  interna- 
tional secret  societies,  with  anything  like  a 
cosmopolitan  character — the  Ancient  Order 
of  Foresters,  Independent  Order  of  Good 
Templars,  and  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows.     The  stronghold  of  the  An- 


FREEMASONRY:   STATISTICS   OF   MEMBERSHIP 


91 


GEOGRAPHICAL   DISTRIBUTION    OF    MEMBERSHIP   OF    ELEVEN   INTERNATIONAL 

SECRET  SOCIETIES. 


Mbmbkrship 
1895-1896. 

So 

< 

o 

o  5 

-a 

£-2=3 
o 

II 

►-1 

■2-2 

11 

United     An- 
cient Onler 
of  Druids. 

Bnai  B'rith. 

Independent 
Order  of 
Hechabites. 

Independent 
Order  of  Odd 
Fellows. 

Anc.  Free  and 
Aceepted 
Masons. 

16,000 
14,200 

158,788 

22,737 

523 

1,422 

33,390 
30,668 

72,039 
214 

100,000 
F  383,000 

165,000 

17,000 

.35,000 

'( 4,000 1 

745,508 
i3,460 

735,437 

31,487 

7(K) 

125 

3,000 

1 

Totals 

30,200 

183,470 

64,058 

72,253 

r 

■   704 

483,000 

165,000 

17,000 

35,000 

4,000 

779,093 

770,624 

700 

I 

200 

[ 

150 

! 

ISO 

35 



1 

1 

75 

35 

1,275 

2ft4 

11,000 

Haj'ti                               .... 

;■  ■• 

1 

,-        2,500 

j 

400 

350 

193 

391 

250 

150 

aw 

100 

100 

Totals         

437 

391 

264 

14,850 

12,000 

3,000 

2,200 

2,000 

Ohue 

154 
54 

600 

29 
23 
223 

600 

300 

The  (.3)  Guiueas .. 

250 

100 

Bolivia 

100 

Totals 

274 

704 
92,000 

208 
(■•••/ 

V.:::\ 

3,193 
89 

21,150 

England  and  Wales 

Scotland       

708,.582 

54,852 

1,628 

56,167 

45,886 

5,927 

1,723 

1 30,000 

760,000 

50,000 

66,000 
2,000 

1 

!-  2,000 

216,000 

3:}5.000 

44,000 

27,000 

520 

20,000 

Italy 

100 

132 

600 

C243 

16.000 

Holland  

480 

5.000 

3.504 
73,321 

4.000 

4,000 

3,500 

■{ 

3,500 

476 

500 

2,900 

1 

1 

2.000 

1 

1 

1.500 

Turkey 

1 

1,000 

400 

200 

Malta 

130 

150 

Totals 

760,192 
49 

177,004 
-  6,016 

30,000 

92,000 
■   300 

760,000 

50.000 

68,000 

2,000 
•   700-j 

216,000 

4,857 

470,150 
7,000 

1,500 

1,000 

Japan  .... 

34 

400 

250 

Totals 

49 

6,016 

300 

700 

34 

10,150 



C— Sweden  onlv. 


F— British  North  America. 


92 


FREEMASONRY:   STATISTICS   OF  MEMBERSHIP 


GEOGRAPHICAL  DISTRIBUTION    OF    MEMBERSHIP  OP  ELEVEN    INTERNATIONAL 

SECRET   SOCIETIES.  —Continued. 


Membership 
1895-1896. 

o  S 

1i  o 

< 

c 
*i  o 

lit 

3 

is. 

Mo 

II 

c  3  o 

M 

'S 
a 

C  t-  C3 
a>  ^  o 

-Sow 

-BO  g 

c  -  S 
o  c  o 

fll 

Anc.  Free  and 
Accepted 
MasonB. 

South  Africa 

2,451 

1 
•  7,236 

r 

I 

1       r 

-  190- 

1 

J           I 

-   300 -i 

6,000 
500 

2.000 
300 

"           "     Islands 

Egypt  

Algiers 

Liberia 

70 

250 

Canary  Islands 

200 
50 

Azores       "      

Incl.  in 
Liberia. 

Tunis         "      

150 

Madeira     "      

150 

Morocco   

100 

Senegal  

Incl.  in 
Liberia. 

100 

St.  Helena 

100 

Totals 

2,521 

31,188 

7,236 
1 20,081 

9,944 

190 
16,000 

300 

9,900 

Australia 

( 

18,000 

i  19,433 

Tasmania 

1 

26,000 

New  Zealand 

9,862 

V:::."" 

Totals 

41,050 

20,081 

9,944 

16,000 

18,000 

19,433 

26,000 
100 

New  Caledonia 

Fiji  Islands 

100 

Hawaiian  Islands 

28 
30 

179 

700 

Other  Oceana 

] 

Totals 

58 

i 

179 

900 

Grand  Totals 

880,707 
D 

397,043 
A 

104,002 

221,447 
E 

1,44;3,000 
G 

215,000 

103,000 

38,000 

230,000 

912,500 
B 

1,324,929 

A— Includes  2,200  in  Iceland,  100  in  Isle  of  Man,  and  545  in  Channel  Islands— in  all,  2,845. 

B— Includes  108.4.32  Daughters  of  Rebekah  in  United  States. 

D— Including  19,405  honorary  members  at  large  and  20,486  women  members  and  contributing  widows. 

E— Including  40,000  Daughters  of  Euth  in  the  United  States. 

G— Includes  200,000  in  other  British  possessions. 


cient  Order  of  Foresters  (the  parent  Forestic 
body)  is  naturally  in  the  United  Kingdom, 
only  one-eighth  of  its  membership  being 
found  elsewhere,  j)rincipally  in  Australia, 
Tasmania,  New  Zealand,  the  United  States, 
and  Canada,  with  very  small  totals  in  South 
Africa,  Spain,  Holland,  the  north  coast  of 
South  America,  and  some  of  the  larger  West 
India  islands.  The  Independent  Order  of 
Good  Templars  is  strongest,  of  course,  in 
the  United  States,  but  very  nearly  as  strong 
in  Europe,  and  constitutes  the  only  large 
international  secret  society  excepting  the 
Freemasons  which  is  widely  distributed. 
It  also  has  a  large  following  in  Norway  and 
Sweden,  Denmark,  Germany,  and  Switzer- 
land, Mexico,  India,  tlie  Orient,  Africa, 
Australia,  and   New  Zealand.     The  Inde- 


pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  has  more 
members  than  the  Masonic  fraternity  in  the 
United  States,  but  while  the  latter  finds 
only  one-half  its  total  membership  here, 
96  per  cent,  of  all  the  members  of  this  Or- 
der of  Odd  Fellows  is  in  this  country.  The 
largest  foreign  membership  of  the  latter  is 
in  Australia,  Tasmania,  and  New  Zealand, 
where  the  total  is  nearly  20,000.  In  Ger- 
many, where  the  Order  is  growing,  the  total 
is  about  3,200;  but  in  France,  Italy,  Den- 
mark, Switzerland,  Holland,  and  Sweden, 
Mexico,  Ha}i;i,  Peru,  Chile,  Jaj)an,  and  the 
Hawaiian  Islands  there  are  very  few  Odd 
Fellows.  Less  than  two-thirds  of  the  Sons 
of  Temperance  are  found  in  the  United 
States  and  Canada,  less  than  one-third  in 
the  United  Kingdom,  and  about  one-tenth 


UNITED  STATES 


OOM.CANADA 


iR^ji. 


-^c^^^y/^j 


UNITED 
KINGDOM 


AND 


IRELAND. 


GRAPHIC  CHART  SHOWING  THE  RELATIVE  MASONIC  MEMBERSHIP  IN  VARIOUS 

COUNTRIES. 


94 


FREEMASONS:   DISTINGUISHED   AMERICANS 


ill  Australia  aud  New  Zealand.  About  40 
per  cent,  of  the  members  of  the  Grand 
United  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  (the  parent 
English  Order  of  Odd  Fellows)  are  mem- 
bers of  English,  Scotch,  and  Irish  Lodges; 
nearly  50  per  cent,  (negroes)  are  in  the 
United  States;  about  8  per  cent,  in  Aus- 
tralia and  New  Zealand,  and  the  remainder 
widely  scattered,  totals  for  South  Africa, 
India,  West  Indies,  and  Central  and  South 
America  being  very  small.  More  than 
two-thirds  of  the  members  of  the  Ancient 
Order  of  Druids  are  found  in  the  land  of  its 
birth,  the  United  Kingdom;  about  one-sixth 
in  Australia  and  New  Zealand,  and  nearly 
as  many  in  the  United  States.  The  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Eechabites  reports  that 
2  per  cent,  of  its  membership  is  in  the 
United  States,  and  the  rest  in  the  United 
Kingdom.  The  total  membership  of  the 
United  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians,  in  the 
United  States  and  in  the  United  Kingdom, 
is  difficult  to  obtain  ;  but  the  figures  given, 
best  obtainable  estimates  of  representative 
members,  show  that  nearly  80  per  cent,  of 
the  Order  is  in  the  United  States.  The 
B'nai  B'rith,  smallest  of  international  secret 
societies  in  the  list,  numbers  only  about 
38,000  members  altogether,  of  which  35,000 
are  in  the  United  States,  700  in  Asia  Minor 
and  elsewhere  in  the  far  East,  and  300  in 
Africa.  The  surprisingly  large  number  of 
members  of  the  Loyal  Orange  Institution  is 
given  on  the  authority  of  a  prominent  mem- 
ber, high  in  official  rank.  A  total  of  100,- 
000  in  the  United  States  does  not  look  large, 
but  it  is  difficult  to  believe  there  are  383,- 
000  Orangemen  in  British  North  America, 
and  it  is  still  more  unexpected  to  learn 
there  are  as  many  as  760,000  in  the  United 
Kingdom,  and  200,000  in  British  posses- 
sions "not  specified." 

These  eleven  societies  are  seen  to  have 
aggregated  nominally  5,859,023  members  in 
1895-96,  or  (omitting  honorary  and  women 
members  of  some  of  them)  about  5,060,000. 
Allowing  for  those  counted  twice  or  more 
times,  owing  to  membership  in  more  than 


one  organization,  these  eleven  international 
fraternities  number  probably  3,500,000  adult 
male  members,  in  100,000  Lodges,  scattered 
along  the  paths  of  commerce  and  civilization. 
While  the  sun  never  sets  upon  the  Brit- 
ish flag,  it  is  also  true  that  somewhere  east 
of  the  horizon  of  daylight  there  is  always 
a  Masonic  Lodge  at  labor,  and,  in  English- 
speaking  countries  in  particular.  Lodges  of 
other  international  fraternities  at  work  to 
relieve  the  wants  of  the  suffering  and  dis- 
tressed and  to  cultivate  the  ties  of  brotner- 
hood. 

Freemasons :  Distinguished  Ameri- 
cans.— Within  a  few  years  after  the  forma- 
tion of  a  Masonic  Grand  Lodge  at  London, 
in  1717,  many  members  of  the  nobility, 
representatives  of  the  professions  and  other 
learned  men  became  members  of  the  Craft, 
and  between  1725  and  1735  Lodges  of  Eng- 
lish origin  were  established  in  many  of  the 
larger  cities  of  Continental  Europe,  where, 
for  a  few  years,  they  were  composed  almost 
exclusively  of  men  of  rank  and  learning. 
The  growth  of  the  Fraternity,  as  is  well 
known,  has  long  been  along  the  lines  of  uni- 
versal brotherhood,  and  even  two  hundred 
and  fifty  years  ago  its"  membership  included 
distinguished  men  in  various  stations  of  life. 
In  almost  all  European  countries  the  Craft 
to  this  day  continues  to  enjoy  the  patronage 
and  cooperation  of  the  reigning  families  and 
of  the  nobility,  notably  in  Great  Britain, 
Holland,  Denmark,  Norway,  Sweden,  and 
Germany.  The  like  was  true  in  France 
under  the  Bourbons,  in  the  Napoleonic 
regimes,  and  under  the  Eepublic.  Free- 
masonry also  continues  to  enjoy  great  jaop- 
ularity  among  the  followers  of  those  who 
created  a  united  Italy.  In  England  the 
Fraternity  is  presided  over  by  the  Prince  of 
Wales,  and  in  Sweden  and  Norway  by  King 
Oscar.  In  Denmark  the  Crown  Prince  is 
at  the  head  of  the  Grand  Orient.  The  late 
Emperor  Frederick  was  Grand  Master  of 
German  Freemasons  from  1855  until  his 
death.  The  Emperor  William,  although 
a    Freemason,    has    not    attended    Lodge 


FREEMASONS:    DISTINGUISHED   AMERICANS 


95 


meetings  since  he  became  Emperor.  In 
Austria,  Freemasonry  is  not  patronized  by 
the  aristocracy  or  tlie  reigning  family,  nor 
in  Eussia  or  Belgium;  but  in  Holland  the 
nobility  are  nearly  all  members  of  the  Craft. 

A  list  of  the  names  of  eminent  foreigners 
who  have  been  or  are  Freemasons  would 
include  hundreds  of  other  notables  besides 
Richard  Steele,  Lord  Byron,  Robert  Burns, 
Voltaire,  Montesquieu,  Garibaldi,  Victor 
Emmanuel,  Wellington,  Bliicher,  many  of 
Napoleon's  generals,  and  the  late  King 
Kalakaua  of  the  Hawaiian  Islands,  and  it 
will  interest  students  of  the  progress  of  the 
Craft  in  the  United  States  to  read  the  names 
of  some  of  the  more  distinguished  Ameri- 
cans who  are  credibly  reported  to  be  or  to 
have  been  Freemasons. 

The  character  of  those  whose  names  follow 
sufficiently  attests  the  extent  to  which  Free- 
masonry has  been  linked  witli  the  careers 
of  prominent  Americans,  notwithstanding 
it  is  not  true,  as  has  often  been  stated, 
that  "  one-half  the  Presidents  of  the  United 
States,"  and  that  "  all  but  four  of  the  sign- 
ers of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  were 
Freemasons."  Following  the  identification 
of  Benjamin  Franklin  with  the  Craft  early 
in  the  last  century  are  the  names  of  Jeremy 
Gridley,  Attorney-General  of  the  Province  of 
Massachusetts,  Grand  Master  of  St.  John's 
Provincial  Grand  Lodge  in  1755;  and  James 
Otis,  Master  for  the  Crown  in  the  Prov- 
ince of  Massachusetts,  who  argued  against 
the  famous  Avrits  of  assistance  in  ITGl,  when 
"  Independence  was  born. "  The  only  sign- 
ers of  the  Declaration  of  Independence  who 
were  Freemasons,  so  far  as  Grand  Lodge 
records  show,  were  Benjamin  Franklin, 
John  Hancock,  William  Hooper,  Philip 
Livingston,  and  Thomas  Xelson,  Jr.,  five  in 
all.  Not  only  Washington,  but  nearly  all 
of  his  generals  were  Freemasons;  such,  at 
least,  was  the  case  with  respect  to  Generals 
Nathanael  Greene,  Richard  Henry  Lee, 
Israel  Putnam,  Francis  Marion,  Baron  Steu- 
ben, Baron  De  Kalb,  and  the  Marquis  de 
Lafayette,  with  whom  should  be  included 


General  Jose[)h  AVarren  and  Paul  Revere. 
Joseph  Brant  (Thayendanegea),  a  Mohawk 
Indian  chief  in  the  British  service  during 
the  lievolutionary  War,  and  Tecumseh, 
chief  of  the  Shawnee  Indians,  an  ally  of  the 
British  in  the  War  of  1812,  who  attempted 
to  incite  the  Indians  against  the  whites,  were 
both  Freemasons.  In  the  period  between 
the  close  of  the  War  of  the  Revolution 
and  the  end  of  the  century  are  found  the 
names  of  F.  A.  Muhlenburg,  Speaker  of  the 
House  of  Representatives  in  1789;  William 
R.  Cox,  Secretary  of  the  Senate  in  1796; 
Robert  R.  Livingston  of  New  York;  and 
Peyton  Randolph,  who  was  Grand  Master 
of  Masons  of  Virginia.  Only  eight  Free- 
masons have  been  elected  President  of  the 
L^nited  States,  out  of  twenty-four  men  who 
have  had  that  honor:  Washington,  Jack- 
son, Polk,  Fillmore  (who  recanted  during 
the  anti-Masonic  excitement),  Buchanan, 
Johnson,  Garfield,  and  McKinley.  A  cor- 
responding list  of  Vice-Presidents  includes 
six  names:  Aaron  Burr,  D.  D.  Tompkins, 
Richard  M.  Johnson,  George  M.  Dallas, 
John  C.  Breckenridge,  and  G.  A.  Hobart; 
and  among  defeated  candidates  for  the 
Presidency,  John  Hancock,  John  Marshall, 
Henry  Clay,  Lewis  Cass,  John  Bell,  Stephen 

A.  Douglas,  W.    S.  Hancock,  and  George 

B.  McClellan  were  Freemasons,  as  were 
William  II.  English  and  Arthur  W.  Sewall 
among  defeated  candidates  for  the  Vice- 
Presidency.  Names  of  other  prominent 
xVmericans  who  were  or  are  Freemasons 
are  grouped  as  follows:  Cabinet  Officers: 
James  Guthrie,  Kentucky  (Secretary  of  the 
Treasury);  Jacob  Thompson,  Mississippi 
(Interior);  Howell  Cobb,  Georgia  (Treas- 
ury); Zachariah  Chandler,  ^lichigan  (In- 
terior); Edwin  M.  Stanton,  Pennsylvania 
(AVar);  Nathan  Goff,  West  Virginia  (Navy); 
Hoke  Smith,  Georgia  (Interior);  Benjamin 
F.  Tracy,  New  York  (Navy),  and  General 
R.  A.  Alger,  ^fichigan  (War).  Ministers 
Abroad:  William  Richardson  Davie  to 
France  (Grand  Master  of  Masons  in  North 
Carolina  at  the  close  of  the  last  century); 


96  FIFTH   ORDER   OF   MELCHIZEDEK   AND   EGYPTIAN   SPHINX 

Anson  Burlingame,  Massachusetts,  to  China;  Kane  and  Lieutenants  E.  E.  Peary  and 
MarshallJewell,  Connecticut,  to  Russia;  and  A.  W.  Greely.  Editors:  Samuel  Bowles 
Caleb  Cushing,  Massachusetts,  to  Spain.  (1st),  George  D.  Prentice,  George  W.  Childs, 
Governors  of  States:  Richard  W.  Caswell,  Henry  AY.  Grady,  and  Colonel  John  M. 
Xorth  Carolina;  Edmund  Randolph,  Vir-  Cockerill.  Financiers:  J,  Edward  Sim- 
ginia;  DeWitt  Clinton,  New  York;  Leon  mons,  Henry  W.  Cannon,  John  W.  Mackey, 
Abbett,  New  Jersey;  Lucius  Fairchild,  Wis-  AVashington  E.  Connor,  and  William  Sherer, 
cousin;  Roswell  P.  Flower,  New  York;  Manager  of  the  Clearing  House,  New  York; 
James  B.  Gordon,  Georgia;  J.  M.  Rusk,  Joseph  Smith  and  Brigham  Young  of  the 
Wisconsin;  Thomas  M.  Waller,  Connecti-  Mormon  Church;  General  Albert  Pike  of 
cut;  General  Benjamin  F.  Butler,  Massa-  the  Confederate  Army;  Stephen  Girard, 
chusetts;  J.  B.  McCreary,  Kentucky;  D.  H.  philanthropist;  Josiah  Quincy  (President 
Hastings,  Pennsylvania;  and  George  W.  of  Harvard  College,  1829-40,  during  the 
Peck,  Wisconsin.  United  States  Senators:  anti-Masonic  agitation);  Jacob  Quantrell, 
Rufus  Choate,  Massachusetts;  Thomas  H.  guerrilla  leader  in  the  Civil  War;  Richard 
Benton,  Missouri;  John  Rowan,  Kentucky;  Vaux  of  Philadelphia;  Rt.  Rev.  Bishop 
General  John  A.  Logan,  Illinois;  Oliver  P.  H.  C.  Potter  of  New  York;  Rt.  Rev.  Wil- 
Morton,  Indiana;  Leland  Stanford,  Call-  liam  Stevens  Perry  of  Iowa;  Rev.  Stephen 
fornia;  Marion  Butler,  North  Carolina;  H.  Tyng;  Rev.  Robert  Collyer,  New  York; 
F.  T.  Du  Bois,  Idaho;  J.  N.  Dolph,  Ore-  Chauncey  M.  Depew,  0.  H.  P.  Belmont, 
gon;  George  F.  Edmunds,  Vermont;  C.  J.  Samuel  M.  Gompers,  Joseph  D.  Weeks, 
Faulkner,  West  Virginia;  Arthur  P.  Gor-  Marshall  P.  AYilder,  John  Brougham,  Ed- 
man,  Maryland;  H.  C.  Hansbrough,  North  win  Forrest,  William  J.  Florence,  and  Ed- 
Dakota;  0.  H.  Piatt,  Connecticut;  M.  S.  win  Booth. 

Quay,  Pennsylvania;  G.  L.  Shoup,  Idaho;  The  fact  that  nearly  all  the  names  are 
Henry  M.  Teller,  Colorado;  John  M.  Thurs-  of  men  who  have  become  distinguished  in 
ton,  Nebraska;  Daniel  W.  Voorhees,  In-  politics,  war,  or  the  professions  was  to  have 
diana;  Z.  B.  Vance,  North  Carolina;  John  been  expected.  It  is  less  often  that  one 
J.  Ingalls,  Kansas;  John  T.  Morgan,  Ala-  acquires  a  national  or  international  repu- 
bama;  Charles  T.  Manderson,  Nebraska;  tation  in  commercial,  manufacturing,  or 
John  M.  Palmer,  Illinois;  William  A.  Pef-  agricultural  pursuits,  and  it  is  among  fol- 
fer,  Kansas;  Thomas  C.  Piatt  and  Warner  lowers  of  the  latter,  of  course,  that  by  far 
Miller,  New  York.  Congressmen:  David  the  larger  proportion  of  the  nearly  1,400,000 
Wilmot,  Pennsylvania;  Robert  Toombs,  affiliated  and  unaffiliated  American  Free- 
Georgia;  Thomas  Corwin,  Ohio;  AVilliam  masons  are  to  be  found. 
D.  Kelley,  Pennsylvania;  R.  P.  Bland,  Fifth  Order  of  Melcliizedek  and 
Missouri;  Samuel  J.  Randall,  Pennsyl-  Egji>tiaii  Sphinx. — This  secret  organiza- 
vania;  William  S.  Holman,  Indiana;  James  tioaof  men  and  women,  the  last  known  public 

D.  Richardson,    Tennessee,    and   Jeremiah  appearance  of  which  was  at  Boston  in  1894, 

E.  Simpson,  Kansas.  Judiciary:  John  was  also  known  as  the '' Solar  Spiritual  Pro- 
Marshall,  of  Virginia,  Chief  Justice  of  the  gressive  Order  of  the  Silver  Head  and  Golden 
Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States;  George  Star."  The  Order  claimed  to  have  been 
M.  Bibb,  Chief  Justice  of  Kentucky;  Rob-  founded  several  thousand  years  "A.  M.," 
ert  Trimble,  Kentucky,  Chief  Justice  of  the  which  may  signify  either  ante-Melchizedek 
Supreme  Court  of  the  United  States;  and  or  after  Melchizedek. 

John  M.  Harlan,  Kentucky,  Associate  Jus-  Genii  of  Nations,   Knowledges,  and 

tice  of   the  United  States  Supreme  Court.  Religions. — A  mystical  association  which 

Among  Arctic   Explorers:   Dr.  Elisha  K.  seeks  to  conduct  its   neophytes  from  the 


ORDER   OF  AMARANTH 


97 


Seen  to  the  Unseen,  a  sort  of  esoteric  col- 
lege, familiarly  known  to  its  members  as  the 
G.  N".  K.  E.  It  was  organized  at  Boston 
in  1888,  and  contains  three  branches,  the 
Laws  of  the  Ens,  Movens,  and  Om,  "  in- 
cluding the  secrets  connected  therewith." 
The  Hieroiihant  is  reported  to  reside  in  Ap- 
plegate,  Cal. 

Hermetic.  Brothers  of  Luxor. — Said 
to  be  ancient,  mystical,  and  of  Oriental  ori- 
gin. The  head  of  tlie  Exterior  Circle  in 
America  recently  resided  in  Illinois.  It 
teaches  "that  the  divine  scintillations  of 
eternal  spirit  will  each  complete  its  own 
*  cycle  of  necessity.'"  It  is  sometimes  re- 
ferred to  as  "  Isis  Unveiled." 

Intlependent  Iuteri»ational  Order  of 
Owls. — Organized  by  William  Richardson, 
G.  A.  Meacham,  and  others.  Freemasons, 
at  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  in  1890,  a  secret  society 
having  sociability  and  recreation  for  its  ob- 
jects. Only  Freemasons  (Master  Masons) 
are  eligible  to  membership.  The  presiding 
officers  of  subordinate  bodies  are  called  SajDi- 
ent  Screechers,  and  instead  of  Lodges,  places 
of  meeting  are  called  Xests,  the  governing 
body  being  the  Supreme  Nest  of  the  World. 
The  Order  numbers  about  2,500  members. 

Mystic  Order,  Veiled  Prophets  of  the 
Enchanted  Realm. — Founded  by  Hon. 
Thomas  L.  James,  ex-Postmaster-General 
of  the  United  States,  who  was  the  first 
Grand  Monarch  of  the  organization ;  Pro- 
fessors Oren  Eoot  of  Hamilton  College, 
Clinton,  N.  Y.  ;  and  J.  F.  MacGregory  of 
Madison  University,  Madison,  N.  Y. ;  Gen- 
eral William  M.  Nest  and  LeRoy  Fairchild, 
both  of  Hamilton,  N.  Y.;  with  Rt.  Wor. 
George  H.  Raymond,  Grand  Lecturer  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  Freemasons  of  the  State 
of  New  York  ;  Lieutenaut  W.  C.  Eaton, 
U.  S.  N. ;  and  many  others,  all  Freemasons, 
as  a  social  and  recreative  secret  society. 
The  Order  announces  that  in  order  to  con- 
serve its  own  interests  and  secure  the  most 
desirable  material  none  but  Master  Masons 
are  made  eligible  for  membership.  One 
of  its  objects  "is  to  benefit  the  symbolic 
7 


(Masonic)  Lodge,"  and  "although  in  many 
cases  the  government  may  be  guided  by 
Masonic  usage  as  the  most  perfect  system 
extant,  it  is  to  be  strictly  understood  that 
in  itself  this  is  not  a  Masonic  Order,  and 
the  degree  is  in  no  sense  a  Masonic  degree." 
It  is  further  announced  tliat,  as  in  addition 
to  the  abstruse  and  comi)licated  teachings 
of  Freemasonry  which  go  to  make  up  a 
part  of  life,  we  also  "  need  sunshine,"  so 
these  Freemasons  have  built  up  a  new 
Order,  Avhich  is  "  Mystic  "  in  its  subtle  les- 
sons, as  in  its  form  ;  "Veiled,"  because  no 
human  heart  stands  all  revealed  ;  and  in 
an  ''Enchanted  Realm,"  because  "duties 
wear"  and  "sorrows  burden  in  any  unen- 
chanted  realm."  The  cornerstones  of  the 
Order,  therefore,  as  may  be  inferred,  are 
sociability  and  goodfellowship.  The  first 
Grotto  was  formed  at  Clinton,  N.  Y.,  wliere 
Hamilton  College  is  situated.  The  organi- 
zation spread  rapidly,  there  being  ten 
Grottos  in  existence  five  years  later,  with 
two  thousand  members.  Like  the  Benevo- 
lent and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  the 
Mystic  Order,  Veiled  Prophets  of  the  En- 
chanted Realm  establishes  only  one  Grotto, 
or  subordinate  body,  in  any  one  city.  The 
total  number  of  Grottos  in  1897  was  ten, 
the  principal  ones  being  at  New  York, 
Rochester,  and  Buffalo,  and  the  total  mem- 
bership about  2,000.  The  head  covering  of 
a  Veiled  Prophet  is  a  turban  with  a  silver 
tissue  veil,  the  color  of  which  is  selected  by 
each  Grotto,  with  the  exception  that  purple 
veils  are  reserved  for  members  of  the  Su- 
premo Council,  or  governing  body. 

Order  of  Amaranth. — OrigiiuiUy  in- 
tended as  higher  degree  in  the  Order  of  the 
Eastern  Star,  to  form  the  third  of  a  series 
of  which  the  Eastern  Star  degree  and  the 
Queen  of  the  South  should  be  respectively 
the  first  and  second.  x\s  Chapters  of  the  Or- 
der of  the  Eastern  Star  did  not  approve  that 
plan,  the  Amaranth  remains  a  distinct  Order, 
to  which  only  Master  Masons  in  good  stand- 
ing and  women  who  are  members  of  the  Or- 
der of  the  Eastern  Star  are  eligible.     The 


98 


ORDER   OF  MARTINISTS 


ritual  upon  which  its  present  work  is 
fouuded  is  said  to  have  been  written  nearly 
forty  years  ago  by  J.  B.  Taylor  of  Newark, 
N.  J.  This,  Robert  Macoy  of  New  York  is 
said  to  have  amplified  and  improved,  until 
it  had  substantially  the  form  used  to-day. 
The  institution  of  Courts  of  the  Order  of 
Amaranth  began  about  five  or  six  years  ago, 
but  the  growth  of  this  Order  has  not  been 
rapid,  total  membership  to-day  not  exceed- 
ing five  hundred.  The  ritual  is  based  on 
incidents  in  the  lives  of  several  characters 
in  the  New  Testament.  In  the  beginning 
an  attempt  was  made  to  incorporate  a  mu- 
tual assessment  beneficiary  feature,  but  it 
was  abandoned  soon  after.  The  objects  are 
largely  benevolent  and  social.  (See  Order 
of  the  Eastern  Star.) 

Order  of  Martinists. — One  -of  the  nu- 
merous Masonic  rites  which  made  its 
appearance  in  France  about  the  middle  of 
the  last  century.  It  is  also  called  the  Eite 
of  Martinism.  It  appeared  at  Lyons  in 
1767,  with  ten  degrees,  fathered  by  Louis 
Claude  de  St.  Martin,  a  disciple  of  Martinez 
Paschalis.  The  latter's  rite  of  nine  degrees 
formed  the  basis  of  the  ''rectified  rite"  of 
St.  Martin,  who  was  a  deeply  religious  man, 
a  student  of  Eosicrucianism,  of  Sweden- 
borg,  and  of  the  teachings  of  the  Kabbalists 
and  hermetic  doctors  of  the  middle  ages. 
His  rite  was  naturally  filled  with  what  has 
been  described  as  "reveries  of  the  mystics." 
The  Order  was  jiopular  for  a  time,  and 
spread  into  Oermany  and  Eussia,  where  it 
had  a  brief  career.  The  only  excuse  for 
this  reference  is  the  statement  by  S.  0. 
Gould,  in  his  "  Arcane  Fraternities,"  Man- 
chester, N.  H.,  1896,  that  the  Order,  ''re- 
duced to  three  essential  and  four  accessory 
degrees,"  was  introduced  into  America  in 
1887,  where  it  is  "being  conferred  by  estab- 
lished and  recognized  Masonic  authorities." 
He  adds  that  its  chief  officer  for  the  United 
States  "resides  in  Missouri,"  and  that  its 
disciples  "  are  residents  of  more  or  less  of 
the  States." 

Order  of  the  S.  E.  K. — Composed  of 


students  of  Esotericism,  Egyptology,  and 
Symbolism.  Membership  is  limited.  The 
Order  is  known  to  exist  in  Massachusetts. 
Order  of  the  Eastern  Star. — A  chari- 
table and  benevolent  society  to  which  only 
Master  Masons,  their  wives,  widows,  sisters,  -r^cu^ 
and  daughters  are  eligible.  Its  teachings 
are  founded  on  the  Holy  Bible.  Chapters  of 
the  Order  exist  in  nearly  all/  if  not  quite 
all,  of  the  States  of  the  Union,  in  the  Prov- 
ince of  Ontario  and  elsewhere  in  the  Do- 
minion of  Canada,  Scotland,  and  at  one 
time  in  Mexico,  Central  America,  and  in 
South  America.  Its  total  membership  is 
nearly  200,000,  about  160,000  in  the 
United  States,  and  very  small  elsewhere, 
the  majority  being  women.  Its  symbolism 
centres  about  the  five-pointed  star  and  the 
pentagon,  or  signet  of  Solomon.  It  is  re- 
lated that,  originally,  the  first  point  of  the 
star  suggested  Obedience;  the  second.  At- 
tachment; and  so  on  ;  but  the  modern  ritual 
teaches  that  the  first  point  represents  the 
binding  force  of  a  vow,  illustrated  by 
Jephthah's  daughter ;  the  second,  devotion 
to  religious  principles,  as  exemplified  in  the 
character  of  Euth  ;  the  third,  fidelity  to 
kindred  and  friends,  as  personified  by  Es- 
ther ;  the  fourth,  faith  in  the  power  and 
merits  of  a  Eedeemer,  as  manifested  by 
Martha;  and  the  fifth.  Charity,  illustrated  by 
Electa.  There  is  also  a  symbolism  expressed 
through  the  signet,  and  there  are  other 
emblems,  shown  within  the  star.  The  so- 
ciety has  the  customary  sign  language  found 
in  kindred  organizations.  It  is  proper  to 
explain  that  this  Order  is  not  Freemasonry, 
and  is  in  no  way  connected  with  it.  It  was 
created  by  Freemasons,  and  only  members 
of  the  Masonic  Fraternity  and  women  rela- 
tives of  the  latter  may  join  it.  It  affords  no 
especial  means  by  which  women  members 
may  prove  themselves  relatives  of  Free- 
masons, except  to  Freemasons  who  are 
members  of  the  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star. 
The  Order  is  quite  popular  in  the  West, 
where  almost  every  city  and  town  has  one 
or  more  Chapters.     Its  membership  is  also 


ORDER   OF  THE   EASTERN   STAR 


99 


largo  at  the  East  and  is  growing.  In  mauy 
instances,  in  addition  to  performing  its 
function,  that  of  inculcating  various  moral 
and  religious  principles,  it  operates  in 
practice  as  a  social  club,  or  rallying  point 
for  women  members  of  families  of  Free- 
masons, their  husbands,  and,  if  also  Free- 
masons, their  brothers  and  fathers.  Not 
many  yours  ago  it  was  generally  supposed 
the  Order  was  originated  in  1850  or  1851  by 
Robert  Morris,  the  well-known  poet  and 
Freemason.  Through  the  courtesy  of  Alonzo 
J.  Burton  of  New  York,  the  writer  has 
been  shown  a  printed  ritual  of  an  '^  Ancient 
and  Honorable  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star,'' 
together  with  an  account  of  its  proceedings 
at  a  session  in  Boston,  Mass.,  May  18, 
1793,  which  explains  that  the  Society  per- 
formed a  most  cflBcient  work  of  charity 
during  the  wars  of  tlic  Revolution  and  1812. 
The  idea  of  what  has  been  called  an  Adop- 
tive or  an  Androgenous  rite  goes  back,  of 
course,  even  farther  tlian  that.  A  reference 
to  the  writings  of  Mackey,  Oliver,  and  oth- 
ers, indicates  that  shortly  after  the  in- 
troduction of  Freemasonry  from  England 
to  the  Continent  of  Europe  (one  account 
says  as  early  as  1830),  so-called  ''Masonic  " 
Lodges  for  women  made  their  appearance. 
To  the  mere  statement  of  Mackey  that  there 
is  a  trace  of  these  as  early  as  1649,  nothing 
can  be  added.  But  in  1843  we  find  a 
French  society  of  this  variety,  entitled 
"Ordre  des  Felicitaires ; "  in  1847,  the 
*' Order  of  Wood  Cutters;"  and,  later,  a 
number  of  others.  These  were  formed  in 
Germany,  Poland,  Russia,  and,  notably,  in 
Franco,  during  the  middle  of  the  last  cen- 
tury, where,  for  the  next  twenty-five  years, 
they  flourished  and  were  popular  among  the 
nobility  and  otliers  in  the  higher  ranks  of 
society.  "  Lodges  of  Adoption  "  appeared  in 
France  in  1750,  to  which  only  Master  Masons 
and  women  relatives  wore  eligible,  and  were 
so  called  from  their  being  taken  under  the 
nominal  protection  of  or  being  ''  adopted  " 
by  regular  Masonic  Lodges.  But  there  was 
no  further  connection  than    that   between 


them  and  the  Freemasonry  of  one  hundred 
and  forty  years  ago,  although  rather  more 
than  that  which  exists  between  the  Order  of 
the  Eastern  Star  and  Freemasonry  to-day, 
for  there  is  no  such  thing  in  the  United 
States  as  even  an  "  adoption  ''  of  an  Eastern 
Star  Chapter  by  a  Masonic  Lodge,  or  even 
the  recognition  of  the  existence  of  a  body 
known  as  the  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star  by 
a  Masonic  Grand  Body.  The  rituals  of  the 
Ordre  des  Felicitaires,  the  Wood  Cutters, 
and  others  of  like  character,  are  quite  dis- 
similar from  Masonic  rituals,  tending  rather 
to  poetic,  scenic  effects,  and  dramatic  per- 
formances calculated  to  impress  the  (men 
and  women)  novitiates  who  invariably  took 
part  in  them  Avith  the  moral  lessons  which 
it  was  sought  to  inculcate.  Some  of  these 
relatively  ancient,  appendant  orders  for 
Freemasons  and  women  relatives  of  Free- 
masons exist  on  the  European  Continent 
to-day,  though  they  have  long  ceased  to  at- 
tract the  number  of  candidates  or  class  of 
members  for  which  they  were  formerly 
noted. 

Freemasonry  was  introduced  into  the 
American  colonies  nearly  one  hundred  and 
seventy  years  ago,  and  in  the  latter  half  of 
the  last  century  (population  of  the  country 
and  the  lack  of  facilities  for  communication 
considered),  had  an  extensive  and,  as  his- 
tory informs  us,  distinguished  membershij). 
There  are  fragmentary  printed  memoranda 
indicating  that  some  of  the  continental 
degrees  conferred  in  "  Lodges  of  Adoption," 
or  other  men  and  women's  Orders  to  which 
only  Freemasons  and  women  relatives  were 
eligible,  were  introduced  into  this  country 
as  early  as  1778.  Whether  any  of  these 
took  the  form  of  an  Order  of  the  Eastern 
Star,  w^hich  the  published  report  referred 
to,  may  never  be  known.  One  may  only 
admit  its  likelihood.  With  the  brief  state- 
ment in  the  Proceedings  of  the  Ancient  and 
Honorable  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star,  re- 
published in  New  York  in  1850,  that  that 
society  was  conspicuous  for  deeds  of  charity 
in   the  War  of  the  Revolution  and  in  the 


100 


ORDER   OF   THE   EASTERN   STAR 


War  of  1812,  one  is  forced  to  rest  content, 
until  Kobert  Morris  invented  and  costumed 
his  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star.  Morris  was 
born  at  Boston  in  1818,  was  made  a  Free- 
mason at  Oxford,  Miss.,  March  5,  1846,  and 
in  1847,  with  his  wife,  received  the  so-called 
*'side^'  or  unsystematized  Masonic  degree, 
the  "Heroine  of  Jericho.''  This  is  said  to 
have  greatly  interested  him,  and  in  Febru- 
ary, 1850,  when  confined  to  his  bed  with 
rheumatism,  he  is  described  as  having  de- 
vised the  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star.  He 
writes  of  his  having  "hesitated  for  a 
theme  "  on  which  to  build  such  an  Order, 
having  "  dallied  over  a  name  "  and  pondered 
long  over  the  selection  of  the  five-pointed 
star  and  jjentagon  as  its  chief  emblems. 
This  would  indicate  originality  on  his  part, 
and  suggests  that  his  calling  it  the  Order  of 
the  Eastern  Star  was  merely  a  coincidence. 
The  writer  is  unable  to  learn  that  Morris 
ever  heard  of  the  Eastern  Star  of  1793. 
This,  then,  is  the  slender  thread  upon 
which  hangs  the  claim  of  antiquity  for  the 
modern  Order.  Morris  wanted  this  society 
to  become  a  branch  of  Freemasonry,  so  as 
to  permit  women  members  to  prove  them- 
selves relatives  of  Freemasons  to  members 
of  the  Masonic  Fraternity  anywhere,  and  to 
enable  them  to  share  in  the  charitable  work 
of  that  Fraternity.  His  plan  excited  great 
opposition,  and  failed.  In  1853  he  con- 
ferred the  Order  on  a  number  of  acquaint- 
ances, and  in  1855  instituted  Constellation 
No.  1,  Purity,  at  Lodge,  Fulton  County, 
Kentucky.  The  headquarters  were  at  Lex- 
ington, Ky.,  and  Morris,  of  course,  was  the 
Grand  Luminary,  About  two  hundred 
Constellations  were  formed  throughout  the 
United  States,  one  being  in  New  York  city, 
somewhere  on  Spring  Street.  This  arrange- 
ment of  the  Eastern  Star  ritual  met  with 
disfavor  from  Freemasons,  and  as  the 
ceremony  was  "too  complicated,"  Morris 
revised  it  in  1859,  calling  the  bodies  "  Fam- 
ilies of  the  Eastern  Star."  A  number  of 
Families  Avere  instituted,  but  the  revised 
ritual  evidently  did  not  possess  elements  of 


success.  When  Morris  sailed  for  the  Holy 
Land,  in  1866,  he  turned  over  all  his  rights 
to  the  Order  of  the  Eastern  Star  to  Robert 
Macoy  of  New  York.  In  1866  a  church 
stood  at  the  corner  of  Grand  and  Crosby 
Streets,  in  New  York,  the  property  of  the 
Freemasons  of  the  State  of  New  York,  and 
in  December  of  that  year  a  fair  was  held 
there  for  the  benefit  of  the  proposed  Masonic 
Hall  and  Home.  At  its  conclusion  the 
ladies  who  had  presided  over  the  tables  were 
loath  to  break  their  i^leasant  associations, 
and  a  ball  was  given  a  month  or  two  later, 
and  a  thousand  dollars  more  realized  for  the 
fund.  On  January,  17,  1867,  eighteen  of 
the  ladies  organized  a  society  and  called  it 
the  Alpha  Chapter  of  the  Order  of  the 
Eastern  Star.  They  met  occasionally  and 
performed  works  of  charity,  but,  lacking  a 
ritual,  the  society  did  not  prosper.  About 
a  year  later  one  of  the  ladies  met  Robert 
Macoy,  an  eminent  Freemason,  and  told 
him  that  if  the  society  had  a  ritual  she 
thought  it  would  be  successful.  Mr.  Macoy 
set  to  work  rearranging  the  old  ritual,  and 
on  October  15,  1868,  in  the  presence  of  the 
eighteen  ladies  referred  to,  conferred  the 
degree,  with  his  own  wife  as  the  candidate. 
Macoy  simplified  the  work  of  the  Constel- 
lations and  amplified  that  of  the  Families 
by  a  dramatic  rearrangement  which  was  at 
once  successful.  From  that  time  the  Order 
began  to  increase,  and  New  York  State 
to-day  has  125  Chapters  and  about  10,000 
members.  The  Grand  Chapter  of  New 
York  was  organized  November  3,  1870. 

In  1866  Albert  Pike  printed^  a  version 
of  the  French  ritual  of  an  Order  of  the 
Eastern  Star  of  a  century  ago,  using  the 
forms  intact,  but  augmenting  the  parts. 
The  ritual  is  composed  of  three  degrees, 
Apprentice,  Companion,  and  Mistress.  The 
work  is  now  exceedingly  scarce.  The  de- 
grees are  so  complicated  that  it  would  be 
impracticable  for  the  ordinary  assembly  to 
work  them,  and  there  is  no  record  that  they 
were  ever  exemplified  in  this  country. 
Whether  either  Morris  or  Macov  ever  saw 


ORDER   OF   THE   PALLADIUM 


101 


this  work  or  the  original  is  not  known. 
Macoy,  as  Supreme  Head  of  the  Order, 
began  chartering  chapters  and  issuing  new 
warrants  to  such  Families  as  existed,  and 
1869,  1870,  1871,  and  1872  witnessed  the 
extension  of  the  Order  into  nearly  every 
State  in  the  Union,  Cuba,  Mexico,  Central 
and  South  America,  superseding  a  species 
of  ** Adoptive  Freemasonry'^  which  had 
grown  up  in  Michigan  and  in  New  York  in 
1867  and  1868.  AVhat  was  called  the 
Supreme  Council  of  the  Adoptive  Rite  of 
the  World  was  instituted  at  New  York 
city,  June  14,  1873,  at  a  time  when  a 
meeting  of  the  General  Grand  Council  of 
Royal  and  Select  Masters  (American  Rite 
of  Freemasonry)  was  held  at  that  city. 
Morris  presided,  and  Macoy  was  elected 
Supreme  Patron  ;  Mrs,  Frances  E.  Johnson, 
Supreme  Matron  ;  Andrew  Cassard,  Asso- 
ciate Supreme  Patron  ;  Laura  L.  Burton, 
Deputy  Supreme  Matron;  Robert  Morris, 
Supreme  Recorder ;  William  A.  Prall,  Su- 
preme Treasurer ;  and  P.  M.  Savary, 
Supreme  Inspector.  This  was  not  long- 
lived.  The  General  Grand  Chapter  of  the 
Order  was  formed  in  1876  at  Chicago,  and 
has  jurisdiction  over  the  entire  Order,  ex- 
cept in  Vermont,  Connecticut,  New  York, 
and  New  Jersey,  reporting  27  Grand  Chap- 
ters in  all.  In  187-4  Alonzo  J.  Burton  of 
New  York  originated  a  floral  ceremony  to 
supplement  the  general  work  of  the  Soci- 
ety, which  is  in  quite  general  use.  At  the 
session  of  the  Grand  Chapter,  held  in  New 
York  city,  June,  1895,  the  Order  of  the 
Sisterhood  was  exemplified  by  a  selected 
corps  from  Utica,  N.  Y.,  and  the  degree 
was  adopted  as  an  auxiliary.  It  was  com- 
posed in  the  latter  part  of  1878,  and  is 
founded  on  the  Biblical  account  of  Jacob's 
ladder  and  a  history  of  the  life  of  Mary 
the  mother  of  the  Saviour.  (See  Order  of 
Amaranth.) 

Order  of  the  Majji. — A  mystical  Chi- 
cago Society,  the  practices  and  preachings 
of  which  are  ''open  to  all  who  can  appre- 
ciate them,''  but  which  is  in  reality  a  secret 


Order  in  that  its  teachings  are  imparted  by 
means  of  "  secret  machinery."  Its  so-called 
"  religion  "  is  referred  to  as  that  of  "  the 
stars."  No  one  but  members  profess  to 
know  the  cause  of  its  existence  or  its 
underlying  principles. 

Order  of  the  Mystic  Star. — Founded 
about  1872  or  1873,  at  New  York  city,  by 
A.  J.  Duganne  and  others.  It  was  designed 
to  rival  the  then  rapidly  growing  Order  of 
the  Eastern  Star,  and,  like  it,  was  open 
only  to  Master  Masons,  their  wives,  widows, 
mothers,  daughters,  and  sisters.  It  did  not 
live  long. 

Order  of  the  Oinali  Laiij^uage. — 
Founded  at  Washington,  D.  C;  year  not 
given.  It  describes  the  original  universal 
language,  the  root,  as  the  Omah  tongue, 
the  primal  language  "  which  allied  man  to 
Yahveh,"  and  alleges  tliat  through  confu- 
sion of  sounds  much  that  was  known  to  man 
is  lost ;  that  the  Omah  language  revealed  to 
man  the  secrets  of  material  life  ;  and  tliat 
''this  language  now'  upon  this  planet  has 
once  more  reached  the  identical  point  from 
which  it  was  diffused,"  so  that  "  men  daily 
pronounce  the  magic  words,  having  no  con- 
ception of  their  occult  power  and  meaning." 
S.  C.  Gould,  in  his  "Resume  Arcane  Asso- 
ciations," adds  that  "a word  to  the  wise  is 
sufficient;"  from  which  some  may  infer 
that  the  Order  thinks  it  has  much  it  could 
teach,  even  to  the  most  erudite  students  of 
high  grade  Masonry. 

Order  of  the  Palladium.— Said  by  S.  C. 
Gould,  in  his  "Resume  of  Arcane  Associa- 
tions," to  have  been  "instituted  in  1730," 
and  "introduced  into  the  United  States  at 
Charleston,  S.  C,"  where  it  remained  dor- 
mant until  1884,  when  it  was  revived  in 
1886,  as  the  new  and  reformed  Palladium, 
"  to  impart  new  force  to  the  traditions  of 
high  grade  Masonry."  It  admits  men  and 
women,  the  former  to  the  grades  of  Adelphos 
and  Companion  of  Ulysses,  and  the  latter  to 
that  of  Penelope.  As  its  Councils  are  "  held 
incognito,"  its  proceedings  never  printed, 
and  its  membership  is  greatly   restricted. 


102 


ORDER  OF  THE  S.  S.  S.  AND  BROTHERHOOD  OF  THE  Z.  Z.  R.  R.  Z.  Z. 


little  is  kuown  of  it  by  others  than  mem- 
bers. It  publishes  the  "Free  and  Eegen- 
erated  Palladium,*'  by  Avhicli  title  it  is  now 
known. 

Order  of  the  S.  S.  S.  and  Biotlier- 
liood  of  the  Z.  Z.  R.  R.  Z.  Z.— Head- 
quarters ''for  this  country"  at  Boston. 
Its  motto  is:  *'A11  things  come  from 
within."  Its  seal  is  a  circle,  formed  of 
three  cobras  "  separated  by  three  swastikas, 
encircling  two  interlaced  triangles,"  which, 
in  turn,  enclose  "the  crux  ansata,"  from 
which  its  theosophic  temperament  and 
mystical  tendencies  may  be  inferred.  It 
declares  that  Love  with  Wisdom  is  the 
secret  of  Life,  and  that  the  Torch  of  Life 
is  fed  by  the  Oil  of  Love.  Among  its  relics 
is  said  to  be  a  "  large  cube  of  cream-white 
stone,"  of  great  antiquity,  j^resented  by  "  a 
Mexican  chief."     Membership  is  small. 

Order  of  the  Siifis. — Philosophical  and 
theosophical,  based  on  the  Unitarian  doc- 
trines of  the  Persians.  The  word  Sufi 
refers  to  the  Arabic  word  Suf,  wool,  and 
alludes  to  the  dress  of  the  Dervishes  who 
originally  taught  the  princij)les  the  Order 
seeks  to  elucidate,  which  are  alleged  to 
reconcile  jihilosophy  with  revealed  religion 
by  means  of  mystical  interpretations  of  doc- 
trine. The  candidate  for  its  mysteries 
represents  a  traveler  in  search  of  Truth, 
"a  hidden  treasure,"  and  passes  through 
eight  stages  or  grades.  Worship,  Love,  Se- 
clusion, Knowledge,  Ecstasy,  Truth,  Union, 
and  Extinction,  or  absorption  into  the 
Light.  S.  C.  Gould,  of  Manchester,  N.  H., 
states  that  representatives  of  the  Order  re- 
side in  New  York  and  Missouri. 

Order  of  the  White  Shrine  of  Jerusa- 
lem.— Founded  at  Chicago  a  few  years  ago 
by  Charles  D.  Magee,  Supreme  Chancellor. 
Men  and  women  are  eligible  to  member- 
ship. 

Queen  of  the  South. — See  Order  of 
Amaranth. 

Rite  of  Swedenborg-. — A  mystical, 
theosophical  Masonic  rite,  consisting  of  six 
degrees,  which  grew  out  of  the  Rite  of  the 


Illuminati  (Avignon,  1760),  into  which 
the  reveries  of  both  Boehme  (founder  of 
the  latter)  and  of  Swedenborg  (who  was 
not  a  Freemason)  were  incorporated.  It 
has  been  presumed  to  have  long  been  ex- 
tinct outside  of  a  few  Swedish  Lodges ;  but 
S.  C.  Gould,  in  "Arcane  Fraternities,"  Man- 
chester, N.  H.,1896,  says  that  the  Eite  flour- 
ished in  a  Lodge  in  New  York  from  1859 
until  1863,  and  that  it  is  still  practised 
as  a  distinct  rite  in  the  Dominion  of 
Canada. 

Society  of  Eleusis. — Commemorative  of 
its  prototype,  it  is  founded  on  a  portion  of 
the  ceremonies  of  the  latter,  and  occasion- 
ally holds  a  grand  festival  with  appropriate 
exercises.  It  dates  its  birth  1356  B.C.,  and 
has  for  its  motto.  Quod  hoc  sibi  vuU  f  Com- 
mune bonum.  Its  duodecennial  celebration 
was  held  at  Boston  in  1884. 

Society  of  the  Illuminati. — A  seced- 
ing Mormon,  religious  secret  society  for 
men,  with  which  was  associated  another 
organization,  The  Covenant,  a  secret  so- 
ciety for  Mormon  men  and  women,  which 
existed  on  Beaver  Island,  in  Northern  Lake 
Michigan,  off  the  Grand  Traverse  regions, 
between  1850  and  1856.  When  the  Mor- 
mons, under  Brigham  Young,  left  Council 
Bluffs  for  Utah,  James  J.  Strang,  at  the 
head  of  a  party  of  seceders  (New  York 
"  Sun "  Grand  Rapids  correspondence, 
January  21,  1895,  published  January  27), 
journeyed  to  Beaver  Island,  founded  the 
village  of  St.  James,  "  naming  it  after  him- 
self," erected  a  tabernacle,  and,  with  the 
assistance  of  "  a  dozen  young  men  as  ajaos- 
tles,"  conducted  religious  services.  By 
1850  St.  James  had  a  population  of  about 
600.  In  1850  Strang  had  a  revelation  from 
"  an  angel  of  the  Lord,"  directing  him  to  be 
crowned  "King  of  the  Mormons,"  and  en- 
joining upon  him  and  his  jieojile  the  isractice 
of  polygamy.  He  was  accordingly  crowned 
king  in  what  might  be  described  as  "ample 
form,"  and  took  unto  himself  a  number 
of  wives.  The  account  referred  to  adds 
that    "in   the   Church"   were   two    secret 


SOVEREIGN  COLLEGE  OF  ALLIED  MASONIC  AND  CHRISTIAN  DEGREES  FOR  AMERICA        103 


societies,  one  called  tlie  Society  of  the 
Illuminati,  for  men  only,  and  the  other  for 
both  men  and  women,  called  "  The  Cove- 
nant," from  which  it  is  easy  to  perceive  he 
paralleled  the  work  of  Young,  Kimball, 
Hyde,  Pratt,  and  other  Mormon  leaders, 
then  in  Utah,  where  the  secret  "work''  of 
the  Mormon  Cluirch  centred  largely  in  the 
endowment  house  ceremonials.  (Sec  Free- 
masonry among  the  Mormons.)  It  is  fur- 
ther explained  that  "in  The  Covenant 
iron-clad  oaths  were  taken  to  defend  tlie 
Church,  even  to  the  shedding  of  blood,  and 
to  stand  by  one  another  through  thick  and 
thin."  The  "secret  obligations  and  work 
of  the  Illuminati  were  never  made  i)ublic." 
Strang's  career  was  brief.  In  1856  he 
was  shot  by  one  of  his  followers  who  had 
been  iiublicly  whipped,  by  order  of  the 
"king"  for  refusing  to  compel  his  wife  to 
wear  "  bloomers "  in  compliance  with  an 
"edict"  that  all  women  in  the  kingdom 
should  dress  in  that  manner.  Learning  of 
Strang's  death,  neighboring  fishermen  in- 
vaded the  island,  razed  the  tabernacle,  and 
dispersed  the  piratical  Mormon  population, 
■who  fled  to  Chicago,  Milwaukee,  and  else- 
where. 

Sovereign  College  of  Allied  Masonic 
and  Christian  Degrees  for  America. — A 
"Grand  body,"  founded  by  Hartley  Car- 
michacl,  33°,  William  Eyan,  33%  and  C.  A. 
Xesbitt,  33°,  at  Eic]imond,Yirginia,in  1890, 
having  rituals  of  some  so-Citlled  "side"  or 
unsystematized  degrees,  which  are  conferred 
only  upon  Freemasons,  and  several  aca- 
demic degrees  which  are  conferred  upon 
distinguished  Freemasons,  hoyioris  causa, 
or  to  members  of  the  Fraternity  "who  have 
passed  satisfactory  examinations  and  jxiid 
the  necessary  fees."  Its  highest  academic 
degree  is  entitled  "Doctor  of  Universal 
Masonry,"  and  only  five  Freemasons  are 
said  to  have  received  it — Josiah  H.  Drum- 
mond,  of  Maine,  Past  Most  Puissant  Sover- 
eign Grand  Commander  of  the  Ancient  and 
Accepted  Scottish  Rite  for  the  Nortiiern 
Masonic  Jurisdiction  of  the  United  States 


of  America ;  William  James  Hughan,  the 
well-known  English  Masonic  historian  ;  D. 
Murray  Lyon,  the  Scottish  Masonic  his- 
torian ;  the  Earl  of  Euston  ;  and  Prince 
Demetrius  Rhodocanakis  of  Greece.  The 
Sovereign  College  is  in  amity  with  the 
Royal  Ark  Council  of  England,  the  Grand 
Conclave  of  Secret  Monitors  for  Great 
Britain,  the  Colonies  and  Dependencies  of 
the  British  Crown,  and  the  Grand  Council 
of  the  Allied  Masonic  Degrees  for  England, 
Wales,  and  the  Colonies  and  Dependencies 
of  the  British  Crown,  at  which  the  Earl  of 
Euston  is  the  representative  of  the  Sovereign 
College  in  America.  The  allied  Masonic 
and  Christian  degrees  conferred  by  the  Sov- 
ereign College  are  the  Ark  Planner,  cor- 
responding to  the  English  Royal  Ark  Mari- 
ner ;  Secret  Monitor,  Babylonish  Pass,  Great 
Higii  Priest,  St.  Lawrence  the  Martyr, 
Tylers  of  Solomon,  Knight  of  Constanti- 
nople, Holy  and  Tdesscd  Order  of  Wisdom, 
and  Trinitarian  Knight  of  St.  John -of  Pat- 
mos.  In  recently  published  announcements 
the  Babylonish  Pass  and  Great  High  Priest- 
hood are  omitted.  The  Ark  Mariner  degree 
is  popular  in  England,  where  the  candidate 
must  have  taken  the  Mark  Master  Mason 
degree  in  order  to  be  eligible  to  receive  it. 
It  is  conferred  upon  Master  Masons  here. 
The  language  of  the  degi-ee  is  peculiar.  The 
Su]>reme  body  is  called  a  "  Grand  Ark  ;  " 
subordinate  bodies  are  "Vessels."  All  its 
references  are  nautical,  and  allude  to  the 
Deluge  and  the  Ark  of  Noah.  Members 
profess  to  be  followers  of  Noah,  and  there- 
fore call  themselves  Noachidae,  or  Sous  of 
Noah.  The  degree,  which  was  invented  in 
England  about  the  close  of  the  last  century, 
sheds  no  light  upon  Freemasonry.  Tlie 
degree  of  Secret  Monitor,  conferred  upon 
Ark  Mariners,  is  thought  to  have  been  de- 
rived from  a  Masonic  society  which  was 
formed  in  Holland,  about  1778,  to  teach 
the  meaning  of  Brotherly  Love.  The  latter 
was  called  the  Order  of  David  and  Jonathan, 
and  inculcated  unfaltering  friendship  even 
in  the  presence  of  the  most  appalling  danger. 


104 


TALL  CEDARS  OF  LEBANON 


The  degrees  of  Tylers  of  Solomon,  St.  Law- 
rence the  Martyr,  and  Knight  of  Constanti- 
nople are  conferred  only  upon  those  who  have 
taken  the  two  preceding  degrees,  and  that 
last  named  upon  those  only  who  are  willing  to 
repeat  and  sign  the  Apostles'  Creed.  Mackey 
says  of  the  degree  of  Knight  of  Constanti- 
nople, that  it  has  no  connection  with  Free- 
masonry, teaches  an  excellent  lesson  in  hu- 
mility, and  that  it  was  probably  instituted 
by  some  Masonic  lecturer.  The  Babylonish 
Pass  used  to  be  conferred  in  Scotland  in 
Eoyal  Arch  Chapters.  It  jjossesses  some- 
thing in  common  with  the  Masonic  Order 
of  the  Red  Cross  conferred  in  Commanderies 
of  Knights  Templars.  It  is  thought  that  the 
Holy  and  Blessed  Order  of  Wisdom  is  allied 
to  one  of  a  similar  name  referred  to  under 
the  sketch  of  the  Order  of  Knights  of  the 
Red  Cross  of  Rome  and  Constantine  (which 
see),  particularly  as  the  candidate  must 
be  either  a  Knight  Templar  or  a  thirty- 
second  degree  Freemason  of  the  Ancient 
and  Accepted  Scottish  Rite.  The  Trinita- 
rian Degree  of  Knight  of  St.  John  of  Pat- 
mos  is  conferred  only  upon  Freemasons  of 
mark  and  learning  who  have  received  the 
thirty-second  degree  of  the  Ancient  and  Ac- 
cepted Scottish  Rite.  It  is  Christian  and 
Trinitarian,  and  its  possessors  declare  it 
equivalent  to  a  patent  of  Masonic  nobility. 
The  ritual  refers  to  the  banishment  of  St. 
John.  It  is  believed  to  be  allied  to  the 
Order  of  Knights  of  St.  John  the  Evan- 
gelist, conferred  in  Grand  Councils  of 
Knights  of  the  Red  Cross  of  Rome  and 
Constantine.  The  Sovereign  College  is  still 
situated  at  Richmond,  Va.,  and  its  three 
founders  continue  among  its  principal  of- 
ficers. Total  allied  membership  about 
2,100,  of  whom  about  560  are  in  the  United 
States. 

Tall  Cedars  of  Lebanon. — The  name 
of  a  so-called  Masonic  '^  side  degree."  The 
ceremony  is  said  to  be  amusing.  The  de- 
gree has  no  oflBcial  standing,  and  there  is 
no  regular  or  authorized  method  of  confer- 
ring it,  beyond   the  fact  that  it  has  been 


handed  down  to  be  passed  along.  Its  finale 
is  sometimes  a  banquet. 

Temple  of  Isis. — Situated  at  Chicago. 
Lectures  are  delivered  before  its  members 
monthly,  on  such  subjects  as  the  Mysteries, 
the  Sphinx,  the  Pyramids,  and  Hermetic 
Teachings.  Its  symbol  is  a  four-winged 
kneph  surrounded  by  a  cobra.  Dr.  W.  P. 
Phelon  is  named  as  the  founder  of  the  So- 
ciety, in  which  much  is  made  of  the  Tetra- 
grammaton,  or  combination  of  Hebrew  let- 
ters representing  the  great  and  sacred  name 
of  Deity. 

Tlieosopliical  Society.  —  (Contributed 
by  Mrs.  Annie  Besant.)  The  Theosophical 
Society  is  an  international  brotherhood,  the 
formation  of  which  was  suggested  on  Sep- 
tember 7,  1875,  in  the  rooms  of  Madame 
H.  P.  Blavatsky,  46  Irving  Place,  New  York 
city,  U.  S.  A.,  and  the  definite  organization 
of  which  was  completed  on  November  17th 
of  the  same  year.  On  that  day  the  duly 
elected  President,  Colonel  Henr}^  Steele 
Olcott,  delivered  the  inaugural  address,  and 
the  official  year  of  the  Society  is  reckoned 
from  November  17,  1875.  The  first  officers 
have  an  historical  interest.  President,  Henry 
Steele  Olcott;  Vice-Presidents,  Dr.  S.  Pan- 
coast  and  G.  H.  Felt;  Corresponding  Secre- 
tary, Helena  Petrovna  Blavatsky;  Record- 
ing Secretary,  John  Storer  Cobb;  Treasurer, 
H.  J.  Newton ;  Librarian,  Charles  Sotheran ; 
Councillors,  Rev.  J.  H.  Wiggin,  R.  B.  West- 
brook,  Emma  Hardinge  Britten,  Dr.  C.  E. 
Simmons,  H.  D.  Monachesi;  Counsel  to  the 
Society,  W.  Q.  Judge.  Of  all  these,  but 
one  remains  to-day,  the  President-Founder, 
H.  S.  Olcott,  who,  after  twenty-two  years 
of  loyal  service  as  President,  remains  still  at 
the  head  of  the  Society,  the  symbol  of  its 
unity  and  the  custodian  of  its  unbroken  tra- 
ditions. The  rest  are  all  swept  away  by  death 
or  desertion,  the  death  of  H.  P.  Blavatsky, 
the  co-founder,  having  occurred  in  1891. 

Organization. — The  organization  of  the 
Society  is  copied  from  that  of  the  United 
States,  so  far  as  federal  and  local  govern- 
ments are  concerned.     It  has  a  president. 


THEOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY 


105 


elected  for  a  term  of  seven  years  (the  Presi- 
dent-Founder holds  his  office  for  life,  the 
seven  years'  term  applying  only  to  his  suc- 
cessors). He  appoints  a  vice-president,  but 
the  appointment  must  be  ratified  by  the  So- 
ciety; and  he  appoints  a  recording  secretary 
and  treasurer.  There  are  no  other  officers 
belonging  to  the  Society  as  a  whole.  The 
general  control  and  administration  of  the 
Society  is  vested  in  a  General  Council,  con- 
sisting of  the  President,  the  Vice-President, 
and  the  General  Secretaries  of  the  Sections 
into  which  the  Society  is  divided.  Its  head- 
quarters are  at  Adyar,  Madras,  India,  and 
consist  of  a  lai'ge  and  beautiful  building, 
containing  a  spacious  hall  for  meetings,  a 
fine  library,  the  offices  of  the  Society,  and  a 
number  of  living  apartments;  this  building 
is  surrounded  by  extensive  grounds,  pictur- 
esquely planted,  and  has  several  smaller 
bungalows  connected  with  it  for  the  work 
of  the  Society  and  the  reception  of  visitors. 

The  library,  Avhich  was  opened  in  188G  by 
a  remarkable  ceremony  in  which  Hindu, 
Buddhist,  Mohammedan,  and  Zoroastrian 
priests  officiated,  contains  a  valuable  collec- 
tion of  some  10,000  Eastern  palm-leaf  manu- 
scripts and  printed  literature,  some  of  the 
former  being  exceedingly  rare.  It  bids  fair 
to  grow  into  an  institution  of  very  great 
importance,  and  plans  are  on  foot  to  make 
it  a  great  teaching  centre  and  a  resort  for 
students  from  all  parts  of  the  world.  Its 
beauty,  seclusion,  and  quiet — while  only 
seven  miles  distant  from  the  city  of  ^ladras 
— combine  to  render  it  an  ideal  spot  for  the 
student.  The  anniversary  meetings  of  the 
Theosophical  Society  are  held  at  Adyar  at 
the  end  of  each  December,  and  on  that  occa- 
sion a  vast  gathering  assembles  of  members 
and  friends  from  all  parts  of  India  and  from 
other  lands;  the  twenty-first  anniversary 
was  celebrated  there  on  December  27,  28, 
29,  and  30,  1896. 

Branches  of  the  Society  not  belonging  to 
any  Section,  and  members  unattached  to 
any  Branch  or  Section,  are  connected  di- 
rectly with  the  headquarters  at  Adyar;  but 


as  soon  as  circumstances  permit  of  their 
being  organized  under  local  governments 
they  are  encouraged  to  thus  group  them- 
selves. 

Any  seven  members  of  the  Society  may 
apply  to  be  chartered  as  a  Branch,  all  char- 
ters deriving  their  authority  from  tlie  Presi- 
dent. Every  Branch,  or  Lodge,  of  tlie  So- 
ciety elects  its  own  officers  and  makes  its 
own  by-laws,  subject  to  the  provision  that 
such  by-laws  must  not  conflict  with  the  gen- 
eral rules  of  the  Society.  Any  seven  or 
more  chartered  Branches  can  be  formed  by 
the  President,  on  their  application,  into  a 
Section,  and  this  Section  enjoys  local  auton- 
omy; it  elects  a  General  Secretary,  who  is 
ex-officio  a  member  of  the  General  Council, 
the  governing  body  of  the  whole  Society, 
and  who  is  the  official  channel  of  communi- 
cation between  the  President  and  the  Sec- 
tion. Each  General  Secretar}'^  sends  an- 
nually to  the  President  a  report  of  the  year's 
work  of  his  Section,  and  these  are  summar- 
ized by  the  President  in  his  annual  report, 
and  are  preserved  as  part  of  the  records  of 
the  Society  at  Adyar.  There  are  at  present 
(1897)  seven  Sections  of  the  Theosophical 
Society:  the  American  Section,  chartered  in 
188G,  General  Secretary,  Alexander  Fuller- 
ton,  5  University  Place,  New  York  city;  it 
contains  40  Branches  and  is  growing  I'ap- 
idly;  the  European  Section,  chartered  as 
the  British  Section  in  1888,  and  extended 
to  Europe  in  1890,  General  Secretary,  G. 
P.  S.  ^lead,  10  Avenue  Koad,  Regent's 
Park,  London,  England,  with  79  Branches 
and  Centres  (groups  not  yet  chartered);  the 
Indian  Section,  chartered  in  1890,  General 
Secretaries,  Bertram  Keightley  and  L''pen- 
dranath  Basu,  Benares,  India,  with  181 
Branches  and  Centres,  of  which  47  are  in- 
active; the  Australasiaii  Section,  chartered 
in  1894,  General  Secretary,  J.  Scott,  42 
Margaret  Street,  Sydney,  N.  S.  W.,  with 
12  Branches;  the  Xew  Zealand  Section, 
chartered  in  1895,  General  Secretary,  Lilian 
Edger,  Mutual  Life  Buildings,  Auckland, 
with  8  Branches;  the  Scandinavian  Section, 


106 


THEOSOPHICAL   SOCIETY 


chartered  in  1895,  General  Secretary,  A.  Zet- 
tersten,  ISTybrogatan  30,  Stockholm,  Sweden, 
with  13  Branches;  the  Netherlands  Section, 
chartered  in  1897,  General  Secretary,  W.  B. 
Fricke,  76  Amsteldijk,  Amsterdam,  Hol- 
land, with  7  Branches. 

Ceylon  has  22  Branches,  bnt  they  are  not 
organized  into  a  Section;  the  chief  work  of 
the  Society  in  Ceylon  has  been  that  of  edu- 
cation. Under  the  inspiring  energy  of  the 
President-Founder  the  Sinhalese  Buddhists 
have  built  and  now  maintain  100  schools 
and  two  large  colleges,  educating  between 
3,000  and  9,000  Buddhist  children.  These 
22  Sinhalese  Branches  and  four  others  are 
the  only  Branches  outside  the  Sections. 

Objects. — The  objects  of  the  Theosophical 
Society  are  three  in  number:  1.  To  form  a 
nucleus  of  the  Universal  Brotherhood  of 
Humanity,  without  distinction  of  race, 
creed,  sex,  caste,  or  color.  2.  To  encourage 
the  study  of  comparative  religion,  j)hiloso- 
phy,  and  science.  3.  To  investigate  unex- 
plained laws  of  nature  and  the  powers  latent 
in  man.  Only  the  first  of  these  objects  is 
binding  on  all  members,  and  the  Society 
embraces  members  of  all  faiths,  demanding 
no  assent  to  any  formula  of  belief  as  a  quali- 
fication of  membership.  Its  members  are 
connected  by  an  ethical  rather  than  by  an 
intellectual  bond,  and  their  unity  rests  on  a 
sublime  spiritual  ideal,  not  on  a  formulated 
creed.  The  Society  has  no  dogmas,  insists 
on  no  beliefs,  indorses  no  church,  supports 
no  party,  takes  no  sides  in  the  endless  quar- 
rels that  rend  society  and  embitter  national, 
social,  and  personal  life.  It  seeks  to  draw 
no  man  away  from  his  faith,  but  helps  him 
to  find  in  the  depths  of  his  own  religion  the 
spiritual  nourishment  he  needs.  That  each 
should  show  to  the  religion  of  others  the 
respect  he  claims  for  his  own  is  understood 
as  an  honorable  obligation  in  the  Society, 
and  perfect  mutual  courtesy  on  these  mat- 
ters is  expected  from  members.  More  and 
more  this  leads  to  cooperation  in  the  search 
for  truth,  to  softening  of  prejudices,  to  lib- 
eralizing of  minds,  and  to  the  growth   of 


a  gracious  friendliness  and  willingness  to 
learn. 

Doctrines  Studied. — The  leading  doc- 
trines studied  in  the  Theosophical  Society 
are :  the  unity  of  existence ;  the  three  Logoi; 
the  nature  of  the  universe  and  of  man,  as 
macrocosm  and  microcosm,  evolving  in  a 
sevenfold  order;  the  One  Self  as  the  root  of 
Being,  its  infoldment  in  matter  and  the  un- 
foldment  of  its  powers  therein;  the  inherent 
divinity  in  man,  his  constitution  and  pow- 
ers; his  evolution  by  reincarnation,  treading 
in  turn  the  physical,  astral,  and  mental 
worlds,  time  after  time,  under  the  law  of 
causation,  or  karma,  until  perfection  is 
gained;  the  quickening  of  evolution  by  the 
study  and  practice  of  the  science  of  the 
soul;  the  present  existence  of  men  who  have 
attained  perfection,  and  who  remain  on 
earth  to  help  onward  the  evolution  of  their 
less  advanced  brethren;  the  presence  of  such 
men  in  all  ages,  as  custodians  of  a  body  of 
knowledge  respecting  God,  the  universe, 
man,  and  their  relations  to  each  other,  lead- 
ing to  a  knowledge  of  the  Self,  the  divine 
wisdom;  the  existence  and  continual  activ- 
ity of  Intelligences — spiritual  and  others — 
engaged  in  carrying  on  and  directing  all  the 
processes  of  nature,  with  whom  man  can 
come  into  contact  by  virtue  of  the  spiritual 
intelligence  latent  within  himself.  It  is 
asserted  that  these  doctrines  are  common  to 
all  religions,  and  that  where  any  of  them 
have  become  overlaid  by  efflux  of  time,  it  is 
necessary,  in  order  to  preserve  the  religion, 
that  they  should  be  restored.  Their  jDres- 
ence  in  the  various  religions  can  be  proven 
by  the  common  language  of  symbolism,  in 
which  they  are  expressed,  the  leading  sym- 
bols of  great  religions  being  identical.  The 
study  of  symbolism  is  carefully  pursued  in 
the  Branches  of  the  Society. 

Inner  Grades  mid  Teachings.— Mhile 
everyone  who  recognizes  the  universal  broth- 
erhood of  man  is  welcomed  within  the  Theo- 
sophical Society,  its  inner  grades,  comprised 
witliin  the  Eastern  School,  or  Esoteric  Sec- 
tion, are  open  only  to  those  members  of  not 


THEOSOPHICAL   SOCIETY 


107 


less  than  a  year's  standing,  who  have  made 
sufficient  jsrogress  to  have  become  convinced 
of  the  truth  of  the  fundamental  theosophi- 
cal  doctrines,  and  who,  already  striving  to 
lead  a  pure  and  unselfish  life,  desire  to  ad- 
vance more  rapidly  in  the  evolution  of  the 
inner  nature.  Such  members,  on  approval, 
enter  the  Eastern  School,  and  commence  a 
regular  course  of  study  and  jH'actice,  de- 
signed to  prepare  them  for  admission  into 
successive  stages  of  the  path  which  leads  up 
to  definite  discipleship  under  one  of  the 
great  Masters,  or  Adepts,  who  are  the  cus- 
todians of  the  divine  wisdom,  and  who  are 
ever  ready  to  welcome  the  neophyte  who 
proves  himself  worthy  of  accei)tance.  This 
School  opens  up  once  more,  in  the  sight  of 
the  modern  Avorld,  the  ancient  pathway  to 
Initiation,  the  function  performed  in  an- 
cient Greece  by  the  Schools  of  Pythagoras, 
between  which  and  the  TheosoiJhical  Society 
there  is  an  occult  tie.  Its  lowest  grades 
correspond  to  the  classes  of  Pythagorean 
scholars  who  were  learning  to  practise  in 
family  and  social  life  the  lower  classes  of 
virtues,  and  its  higher  ones,  in  ascending 
order,  lead  the  earnest  aspirant  to  the  very 
gateway  of  the  great  Initiations.  This  res- 
toration to  the  modern  world  of  the  cher- 
ished privilege  of  antiquity — the  knowledge 
where  the  beginning  of  the  pathway  can  be 
found  that  leads  from  the  life  of  the  world 
to  that  of  the  Adept,  or  the  perfected  Man, 
is  perhaps,  to  earnest  and  aspiring  souls, 
the  greatest  boon  bestowed  by  the  Theo- 
sophical  Society. 

History. — The  history  of  the  Theosophi- 
cal  Society  is  one  of  struggle  against  appar- 
ently insurmountable  obstacles,  of  crushing 
attacks  and  betrayals  from  which  it  has  ever 
emerged  the  stronger  and  the  purer,  of  tem- 
porary reverses  followed  by  swifter  progress. 
It  is  as  though  it  were  watched  over  by  a 
Power  which  subjects  it  to  the  rudest  trials, 
in  order  to  shake  out  of  it  every  member 
who  is  not  strong  enough  to  stand  alone, 
and  intuitional  enough  to  discern  the 
right  pathway  amid  bewildering  cross-roads. 


Some  think  that  the  Society  is  being  shaped 
for  a  great  work  in  the  future,  and  that  the 
unfit  are  therefore  from  time  to  time  sifted 
out. 

Two  figures  stand  prominently  out  as  the 
Founders  of  the  Society,  Colonel  Henry 
Steele  Olcott  and  Madame  Helena  Petrovna 
Blavatsky. 

Colonel  Henry  Steele  Olcott  is  a  native- 
born  American,  and  obtained  his  colonelcy 
during  the  great  Civil  War  between  Xorth 
and  South.  He  received  high  praise  from 
his  government  for  his  services,  and  was  well 
known,  in  addition,  as  a  scientific  agricul- 
turalist; but  his  cravings  after  knowledge 
of  the  invisible  worlds  drove  him  into  in- 
vestigations that  led  him  far  away  from  offi- 
cialism and  agriculture,  and  when  he  met 
Madame  H.  P.  Blavatsky  at  the  Eddy  farm- 
house, whither  he  had  gone  to  investigate 
the  spiritualistic  manifestations  tlirough  the 
Eddy  brothers,  he  was  drawn  to  her  by  her 
obvious  occult  knowledge,  and  a  bond  was 
formed  between  them  which  united  them  in 
a  common  work  on  the  physical  plane  till 
her  passing  away  in  1891.  According  to 
her  belief  and  his  the  bond  remains  un- 
broken on  the  higher  planes  of  existence, 
and  tliey  are  still  co-workers,  though  not  in 
the  physical  body.  Together  they  founded 
the  Theosophical  Society,  and  traveled 
through  the  world  to  organize  it. 

Helena  Petrovna  Blavatsky  was  a  Kus- 
sian  of  noble  family  related  to  the  imperial 
house  of  Russia.  She  was  married  in  ex- 
treme youth  to  his  Excellency  General  Xice- 
phore  Blavatsky,  governor  of  a  district  in 
the  Caucasus,  but  left  him  ere  their  married 
life  had  well  begun,  driven  by  an  insatiable 
thirst  for  occult  knowledge,  and  traveling, 
on  means  provided  by  her  father,  through 
Egypt  and  various  Eastern  lands,  in  search 
of  a  Teacher  whom  she  knew  to  exist,  but 
knew  not  where  to  find.  At  last  she  suc- 
ceeded in  the  object  of  her  search,  and  be- 
came the  pupil  of  a  great  Hindu  sage,  re- 
ceiving from  him  the  knowledge  with  which 
she  returned  to  the  Western  world.      She 


108 


THEOSOPHICAL   SOCIETY 


made  her  wa}^  to  America,  where  she  was 
directed  to  begin  her  teaching  work,  met 
Colonel  Olcott,  and  accepted  him  as  the  col- 
league she  Avas  seeking,  and  announced  her- 
self to  the  world  through  the  publication  of 
two  large  volumes,  "  Isis  Unveiled,''  a  work 
showing  a  vast  range  of  occult  knowledge, 
but  a  collection  of  notes  for  a  book  rather 
than  the  complete  book  itself. 

These  two  remarkable  persons  were  the 
founders  and  the  sustainers  of  the  Theo- 
sophical  Society:  Colonel  Olcott  the  execu- 
tive officer,  the  organizer,  presiding  over  all 
its  otiter  activities;  and  Madame  Blavatsky 
the  teacher,  the  expounder  of  occult  mys- 
teries and  the  wielder  of  occult  forces.  They 
were  the  twin  suns  round  which  the  whole 
system  revolved. 

The  Society  did  not  flourish  in  America 
after  its  foundation.  Little  interest  was 
aroused  by  its  teachings.  Spiritualism  being 
then  in  the  ascendant,  and  it  appeared  as 
though  the  Society  were  fated  to  perish  still- 
born. But  its  organization  was  just  kept 
going  by  its  founders,  and  the  great  spirit- 
ual forces  behind  it  ensured  its  continuance 
through  these  early  days.  On  July  16, 
1877,  at  a  meeting  of  the  Society,  the  Presi- 
dent was  authorized  to  form  branches  of  the 
Society  in  Great  Britain,  India,  and  else- 
where at  his  discretion,  to  transfer  the  So- 
ciety's headquarters  to  any  country  in  which 
he  might  himself  be  established,  and  to  tem- 
porarily appoint  anyone  he  might  select  to 
an}^  executive  office  necessary  for  the  trans- 
action of  business.  These  arrangements 
were  made  in  view  of  the  approaching  de- 
parture of  the  Founders  for  India;  the  New 
York  headquarters  were  broken  uji  on  their 
sailing  for  Liverpool  on  December  17, 1878, 
but  a  nucleus  appointed  by  the  President  re- 
mained to  carry  on  the  life  of  the  organiza- 
tion in  America — General  Abner  Donbleday, 
David  A.  Curtis,  G.  V.  Maynard,  and  W.  Q. 
Judge. 

The  first  offshoot  of  the  Theosophical  So- 
ciety appeared  in  Great  Britain,  and  was 
chartered  on  June  27,  1878.     This  Branch 


changed  its  name  in  1883  from  the  "Brit- 
ish Theosophical  Society  ''  to  the  "  London 
Lodge  of  the  Theosophical  Society.*'  It 
still  bears  this  name,  and  has  Mr.  A.  P. 
Sinnett,  the  well-known  writer,  as  its  Presi- 
dent. It  is  the  premier  Lodge  of  the  So- 
ciety, as  holding  the  oldest  charter. 

The  Pounders  left  England  for  India  on 
January  19,  1879,  and  landed  in  Bombay 
on  February  16th.  There  the  Indian  de- 
partment of  the  Society  was  founded,  and 
branch  after  branch  rapidly  sprang  up. 
The  movement  spread  to  Ceylon  in  1880, 
nine  branches  being  formed  there.  In  Eu- 
rope, the  Ionian  Branch  was  founded  in 
Corfu  in  1882,  followed  by  the  formation  of 
branches  in  France  in  1883,  and  in  Scot- 
land and  Germany  in  1884. 

In  America  the  movement  languished. 
An  apparently  abortive  attempt  to  form  a 
Branch  at  Los  Angeles,  Cal.,  was  made  in 
April,  1879,  and  under  date  April  30,  1881, 
Mr.  Judge  writes  of  the  one  group  in  New 
York  city  that  it  is  "suspended,"  and 
"  ought  to  remain  torpid  for  some  time 
yet."  But  General  Donbleday  and  Dr. 
J.  D.  Buck  were  elected  among  the  Vice- 
Presidents  of  the  whole  Society  in  April, 
1880,  and  Mr.  Judge  was  elected  as  a  re- 
cording secretary  in  1879,  and  reelected  in 
1880.  In  January,  1882,  a  slight  renewal 
of  life  appeared  at  Eochester,  and  a  Branch 
was  chartered,  followed  on  May  5,  1883,  by 
a  Branch  at  St.  Louis.  On  December  4, 
1883,  the  original  New  York  group,  long 
suspended,  dissolved  itself,  and  the  "New 
York  Branch  of  the  Theosophical  Society  " 
was  formed  under  the  name  of  the  "  Aryan 
Theosophical  Society,"  with  Mr.  Judge  as 
President.  A  "  Board  of  Control  "  for  the 
movement  in  America  was  chartered  by  the 
President-Founder  on  May  13,  1884.  It 
lasted  until  October  30,  1886,  when  it  was 
dissolved  by  the  order  of  the  President,  and 
the  nine  Branches  of  the  Theosophical  So- 
ciety then  existing  in  America  were  formed 
into  the  first  territorial  Section  of  the  So- 
ciety.    This  Section  was  definitely  organized 


THEOSOPHICAL   SOCIETV 


109 


ou  October  30,  188G,  at  the  residence  of  Dr. 
J.  D.  Buck,  Cincinnati,  0.  Mr.  AV.  Q. 
Judge  was  unanimously  elected  General  Sec- 
retar}'  and  Treasurer,  and  from  that  time 
forward  he  devoted  himself  to  the  work  of 
building  up  the  Section  with  indomitable 
courage,  perseverance,  and  energy.  So  well 
he  wrought  that  in  nine  years  he  had  estab- 
lished a  Section  of  nearly  one  hundred 
Branches,  and  though  at  the  end  he  de- 
serted the  Society  and  struck  at  it  a  fratri- 
cidal blow,  the  errors  of  his  later  years  may 
be  forgotten  in  the  lustre  of  his  earlier  ser- 
vices, when  the  schism  he  caused  is  healed 
by  the  gentle  hand  of  time. 

The  American  revival  followed  close  ou 
the  heels  of  one  of  the  most  ruthless  attacks 
ever  made  on  the  Society.  Two  employes 
of  the  Society,  accused  of  wrong-doing, 
concerted  Avith  certain  missionaries  in  Mad- 
ras an  elaborate  accusation  against  Madame 
Blavatsky,  when  she  and  the  President  were 
absent  in  Europe,  charging  her  with  fraud 
in  connection  with  abnormal  manifesta- 
tions produced  by  her.  ]\Iadame  Blavatsky 
promptly  resigned  her  position  in  the  Soci- 
ety, in  order  that  it  might  not  be  compro- 
mised in  the  eyes  of  the  public,  and  de- 
manded an  investigation  into  the  charges. 
A  large  and  important  committee  was 
formed  to  look  into  the  matter,  and  cleared 
her  from  the  charges  made,  conclusively 
proving  that  they  were  based  entirely  on 
false  and  slanderous  statements  made  by 
enemies  of  the  Society  with  the  view  of  de- 
stroying it.  Madame  Blavatsky's  resigna- 
tion was  refused,  and  the  Society  declared 
its  full  confidence  in  her  integrity,  so  that 
the  attempt  to  ruin  her  only  enthroned  her 
more  securely  in  the  hearts  of  its  members. 
As  with  King  Solomon's  judgment,  which 
proved  the  true  mother  of  the  dispiited  child 
by  her  readiness  to  surrender  it  as  hers  in 
order  that  it  might  live,  so  did  H.  P.  Bla- 
vatsky's prompt  and  entire  self-abnegation 
prove  her  motherly  devotion  to  the  Society 
to  which  she  had  given  birth. 

From  this  time  (1884-85)  onward  the  So- 


ciety seemed  to  be  inspired  with  fresh  life 
and  energy.  Mr.  Judge,  returning  from 
India,  threw  himself  into  the  work  in  Amer- 
ica with  the  results  already  noted.  The 
President  succeeded  in  obtaining  from  Lord 
Derby,  then  the  head  of  the  Colonial  Office, 
various  alterations  in  the  government  pol- 
icy in  Ceylon,  thus  benefiting  the  Buddhist 
population  of  that  island,  while  the  govern- 
ment in  India  at  last  withdrew  from  the 
official  persecution  by  police  esi)ionage  which 
it  had  carried  on  against  the  two  Founders, 
under  the  pretence  that  they  were  engaged 
in  j^olitical  intrigues.  ^ladame  Blavatsky 
settled  in  Europe,  at  first  in  Germany  and 
then  in  London,  where  she  gathered  round 
her  a  number  of  pupils,  since  well  known 
in  the  movement,  Bertram  and  Arcliibald 
Keightley,  G.  K.  S.  Mead,  C.  F.  Wright,  tlie 
Countess  "Wachtmeister,  Mrs.  Isabel  Cooper 
Oakley,  Mrs.  Annie  Besant,  all  members  of 
the  powerful  London  group  called  the  Bla- 
vatsky Lodge,  while  she  was  also  in  the  close 
neighborhood  of  her  old  pupils,  A.  P.  Sin- 
nett  and  C.  AV.  Leadbeater,  two  of  the  most 
widely  knoAvn  writers  on  Theosophy.  (All 
these,  except  Dr.  Archibald  Keightley  and 
Mr.  AA'right,  remained  loyal  to  the  Society  in 
the  great  crisis  of  1894-95.)  The  European 
movement  grew  rapidly  under  the  impulse 
given  by  ^Madame  Blavatsky's  presence  and 
writings,  and  her  London  pupils  have  re- 
mained the  leading  writers  of  theosophical 
literature,  forming  the  literary  heart  of  the 
Society.  At  the  close  of  1888  Madame  Bla- 
vatsky, with  her  colleague's  cordial  assent, 
formed  her  personal  pupils  into  the  Esoteric 
Section,  that  she  later  named  the  Eastern 
School,  thus  publicly  reo])ening  the  ancient 
pathway  to  the  obtaining  of  the  divine  wis- 
dom. In  1891,  on  May  8th,  she  passed  out 
of  the  body,  bidding  her  pupils  to  expect 
her  reappearance  ere  long  in  India,  in  an 
Indian  body  chosen  by  her  Master  as  the 
vehicle  for  her  next  incarnation.  She  left 
the  carrying  on  of  her  special  department 
of  work  in  the  hands  of  her  pupil,  Mrs. 
Annie   Besant,    in  whose   charge  she    also 


110 


THEOSOPHICAL  SOCIETY 


placed  the  whole  of  her  unpublished  manu- 
scripts. 

The  Society  continued  to  spread  in  all 
parts  of  the  world,  but  in  1892  and  1893 
many  complaints  were  circulated  accusing 
Mr.  \\.  Q.  Judge — who  had  been  made 
Vice-President  of  the  whole  Society — of 
forging  messages  which  purported  to  come 
from  the  Masters.  The  scandal  grew  so 
great  that  it  became  necessary  to  investigate 
it,  and  Mrs.  Annie  Besant  early  in  1894 
presented  a  formal  request  to  the  President 
to  appoint  a  committee  for  the  investigation 
of  the  charges.  The  committee  met  in  Lon- 
don in  the  July  of  the  same  year,  but  was 
foiled  in  its  purpose  by  the  legal  ingenuity 
of  the  accused,  who  pleaded  that  it  had  no 
jurisdiction  to  try  him.  The  abortive  at- 
tempt to  put  things  right  only  increased  the 
scandal,  and  at  the  Convention  of  the  In- 
dian Section  in  the  following  December  a 
resolution  was  passed  calling  on  the  Presi- 
dent to  obtain  from  Mr.  Judge  a  vindication 
of  his  character  within  six  months,  or  fail- 
ing that  to  expel  him  from  the  Society. 
The  Australian  Section  followed  suit,  and 
the  European  called  on  Mrs.  Besant  to  pub- 
lisli  the  evidence.  At  that  time  the  Society 
cousisted  only  of  four  Sections,  and  three  of 
these  were  resolute  that  Mr.  Judge  should 
clear  his  character  or  leave  the  Society. 
Meanwhile  Mr.  Judge  had  been  planning  a 
coup  de  theatre.  He  had  circulated  pri- 
vately documents  denouncing  Mrs.  Besant, 
and  claiming  the  right  to  remove  her  from 
the  position  as  teacher  she  had  been  given 
by  Madame  Blavatsky.  His  American  col- 
leagues supported  him,  and  he  induced 
them,  at  the  Convention  of  the  American 
Section  at  Boston,  in  April,  1895,  to  declare 
the  American  Society  independent,  with 
himself  as  President  for  life.  He  was  sup- 
ported by  90  votes  to  10,  and  the  American 
Section  was  reduced  to  fourteen  Branches, 
the  remainder  constituting  themselves  into 
a  separate  Society,  leaving  the  international 
body,  and,  while  retaining  its  name,  casting 
off    their   allesfiance   to    its    President   and 


seceding  from  the  original  association.  A 
couple  of  hundred  members  followed  their 
example  in  Europe,  under  the  leadership  of 
Dr.  Archibald  Keightley,  and  about  a  score 
followed  suit  in  Australasia.  The  fratricidal 
blow  did  not  succeed  in  slaying  the  great 
international  Society.  Even  in  America  a 
remnant  stood  firm  and  remained  as  the 
American  Section,  and  the  fourteen  Branches 
to  which  it  was  reduced  had  increased  to 
forty  in  July,  1897.  In  Europe  the  Society 
has  grown  rapidly  in  importance,  and  there 
are  now  three  Sections  in  Europe  instead  of 
'  one,  while  in  Australasia  New  Zealand  has 
become  a  separate  Section,  the  Theosophical 
Society  thus  possessing  seven  Sections  scat- 
tered over  the  world.  The  whole  Society  is 
the  stronger  and  the  purer  for  the  lesson 
that  no  position  in  it,  however  high,  no  ser- 
vices, however  great,  can  be  held  to  condone 
deviations  from  the  path  of  probity  and  truth 
in  the  Society's  work. 

Bibliography. — The  leading  magazines  in 
the  Society  are  "  The  Theosophist,"  founded 
by  H.  P.  Blavatsky  and  Colonel  H.  S.  01- 
cott,  edited  by  the  latter,  and  published  at 
Adyar,  Madras,  India;  "  Lucifer,"  founded 
by  H.  P.  Blavatsky,  edited  by  Annie  Besant 
and  G.  E.  S.  Mead,  and  published  in  Lon- 
don, England;  "  Mercury,"  edited  by  J.  "W. 
Walters,  published  in  San  Francisco,  Cal., 
U.  S.  A.;  "  Theosophy  in  Australasia," 
published  in  Sydney,  N.  S.  W.,  Australia; 
"  Theosophia,"  published  in  Amsterdam, 
Holland;  "  Le  Lotus  Bleu,"  edited  by  Dr. 
Pascal,  and  published  in  Paris;  "  Teosofisk 
Tidokrift,"  published  in  Stockholm,  Swe- 
den; "Sophia,"  published  in  Madrid,  Spain. 
Besides  these,  there  are  many  smaller  jour- 
nals in  various  languages,  issued  in  Europe 
and  in  India,suitable  to  local  work  and  needs. 

The  chief  works  issued  are — By  H.  P. 
Blavatsky:  "  The  Secret  Doctrine,"  3  vols. ; 
"The  Key  to  Theosophy; "  "' Isis  Un- 
veiled," 2  vols.;  "The  Voice  of  the  Si- 
lence;" "' Panarion,  or  a  Collection  of 
Fugitive  Papers;"  "The  Caves  and  Jun- 
gles of  Hindostan;"  "Nightmare  Tales," 


THE   ROCHESTER   BROTHERHOOD 


111 


a  collection  of  extraordinarily  weird,  occult 
stories.  By  H.  S.  Olcott:  "Old  Diary 
Leaves,"  a  history  of  the  Theosophical  So- 
ciety; "  Theosophy,  lieligion,  and  Occult 
Science;"  " Posthumous Iluinanity,"  trans- 
lated from  the  French;  "  A  Buddhist  Cate- 
chism; "  '"  Kinship  between  Hinduism  and 
Buddhism."  By  A.  P.  Sinnett:  "The 
Occult  World;"  "Esoteric  Buddhism;" 
"  The  Growth  of  the  Soul;  "  "  The  Ration- 
ale of  Mesmerism;"  "Karma,"  a  novel. 
By  Annie  Besaut:  Five  of  the  series  of 
"  Theosojihical  Manuals,"  expositions  of 
Theosophical  doctrines;  "'  The  Ancient  Wis- 
dom," an  outline  of  Theosophy;  "The 
Building  of  the  Kosmos;  "  "The  Self  and 
its  Sheaths;"  "The  Birth  and  Evolution 
of  the  Soul;"  "In  the  Outer  Court;" 
"  The  Path  of  Discipleship;  "  "  Four  Great 
Religions,"  expositions  of  Hinduism,  Zoro- 
astriauism.  Buddhism,  and  Christianity; 
"The  Three  Paths  to  Union;"  a  transla- 
tion from  the  Sanskrit  of  "  The  Bhagavad 
Gita."  By  G.  R.  S.  Mead:  "Plotinus;" 
"  Orpheus;  "  "'  The  World  Mystery;  "  "  Si- 
mon Magus;"  a  translation  of  the  "  Pistis 
Sophia;  "  a  translation  from  the  Sanskrit, 
"The  Upanishads,"  2  vols.  By  C.  W. 
Lead  beater:  Two  of  the  series  of  "Theo- 
sophical Manuals;"  "Dreams."  By  W. 
Scott-Elliot:  "The  Story  of  Atlantis," 
with  maps.  By  M.  C. :  "'  Light  on  the 
Path."  By  Franz  Hartmann:  "Magic, 
White  and  Black;"  "The  Secret  Symbols 
of  the  Rosicrucians."  By  Dr.  Pascal: 
"L"A.  B.  C.  de  la  Theosophie; "  "  Les 
Sept  Principes  de  I'llomme."  By  Alexan- 
der Fullerton:  "'  The  Wilkesbarre  Letters;  " 
"The  Indianapolis  Letters."  By  Walter 
R.  Old:  "What  is  Theosophy?"  By  W. 
Kingsland:  "The  Esoteric  Basis  of  Chris- 
tianity." By  Rama  Prasad:  "Nature's 
Finer  Forces."  By  T.  Subba  Row:  "Dis- 
courses on  the  Bhagavad  Gita;  "  "  Esoteric 
Writings."  There  is  a  very  large  pamphlet 
literature. 

[The  Theosophical  Society  has  also  had 


some  of  the  ordinary  secret  society  elements 
of  secrecy  in  it;  i.e.,  "certain  signs,  pass- 
words, and  a  grip."  ^Irs.  Besant  writes 
that  these  "are  still  universally  used  in 
India,"  where  every  new  member  is  for- 
mally received  and  invested  with  them. 
"  In  the  West,"  she  adds,  "  tiiey  have  been 
dropped — a  mistake,  I  think.  The  Esoteric 
Section  or  Eastern  School  is  a  secret  society. 
H.  P.  Blavatsky  was  often  asked  by  Masons 
to  give  them  the  lost  knowledge,  and  would 
sometimes  surprise  them  by  giving  them 
their  own  grips.  She  had  some  pupils 
among  them,  but  I  am  not  aware  that  she 
offered  them  that  which,  as  a  body,  they 
seek."  The  emblems  selected  by  the  Theo- 
sophical Society  are  familiar  to  all  students 
of  symbolism,  particularly  to  those  who  have 
attained  the  haut  grades  of  Scottish  Rite 
Freemasonr3^  They  consist  of  an  Egyptian 
tau  in  the  centre  of  two  interlaced  equilat- 
eral triangles  encircled  by  a  serpent  holding 
aloft  the  swastika,  or  Phusnician  tau.  Fj'om 
the  point  of  view  of  the  Theosophical  So- 
ciety it  is  explained  that  "the  serpent  sym- 
bolizes, as  a  serpent,  wisdom,  and  as  a  ring, 
eternity;  also  the  manifested  universe  de- 
scribed by  the  eternal  wisdom.  The  swas- 
tika is  the  divine  power  in  creative  activity, 
by  its  motion  producing  or  generating  all. 
The  tau  is  the  symbol  of  the  same  power  in 
its  lower  aspect,  when  in  the  Egyptian  form 
the  interlaced  triangles  are  spirit  and  mat- 
ter, life  and  form,  fire  and  water,  indivisible 
during  manifestation,  and  within  these  the 
tau  works." — Editor.] 

Tlie  Roehestor  Brotlierliood.  — 
Founded  at  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  in  1887,  a 
religious,  mystical  society,  which  seeks  to 
show  that  "the  Perfect  Man  is  the  anthro- 
pomorphic God.''  Its  symbol  is  a  triangle 
with  R.  B.  in  the  centre.  The  letters  L  L 
arc  placed  at  the  upper  i)oint,  S  S  at  the 
left,  K  D  at  the  right  point,  meaning  re- 
spectively "  Live  the  Life,"  "  Search  the 
Scriptures,"  and  "Know  the  Doctrine."* 
Its  membership  is  small. 


112 


FRATERNAL   ORDERS 


II 


MUTUAL  ASSESSMENT  BEJ^TEFIOIAET  EEATEEISTITIES 

(GENEKAL) 


Fraternal  Orders. — Within  a  dozen 
years  this  expression  has  come  to  have  spe- 
cial reference  to  the  beneficiary  secret  soci- 
eties, those  which  pay  death,  sick,  funeral, 
disability,  or  other  benefits,  and  which  have 
become  so  popular.  They  are  the  natural 
outgrowth  of  tlie  English  friendly  societies. 

The  first  English  friendly  societies  act 
was  passed  in  1793.  It  designated  them  as 
societies  of  good  fellowship.  Their  origin 
seems  by  common  consent  to  be  the  burial 
club  of  the  ancient  Chinese,  the  Grrecks,  and, 
after  them,  the  Eomans,  by  whom  the  idea 
was  transmitted  to  the  Teutons,  whence  the 
Teutonic  Guilds.  There  appears  to  be  some 
doubt  whether  the  earliest  English  friendly 
societies  were  of  Eoman  or  Teutonic  origin. 
Investigators  declare  that  both  the  Greeks 
and  the  early  English  guilds  followed 
burial  relief  with  a  system  of  mutual  assist- 
ance in  sickness  and  distress.  Naturally,  in 
the  beginning,  guilds  were  largely  made  up 
of  neighbors,  those  living  in  a  particular 
locality,  from  which  it  is  but  a  step  to 
guilds  made  up  of  members  of  the  same 
trade,  whence  the  early  trades  unions,  or 
guilds.  After  the  suppression  of  the  re- 
ligious guilds  in  England  in  the  sixteenth 
century,  a  system  of  organized  relief  was 
substituted,  by  means  of  the  poor  law  of 
Elizabeth,  after  which  followed  the  earlier 
of  the  present  type  of  what  in  England  are 
called  friendly  societies.  The  earliest  of 
the  known  English  friendly  societies  Avere 
formed  in  1634,  but  authorities  agree  that 
no  connection  has  been  shown  between 
them  and  the  last  of  the  medigeval  guilds 
in  1628.  After  the  first  friendly  societies 
act  was  passed,  it  is  stated  that  thousands 
of  clubs  formed  friendly  societies,  designed 


to  promote  good  fellowship  and  relief  dur- 
ing sickness,  and  burial  at  death.  Some  of 
those  societies  have  maintained  a  continued 
existence  to  this  day,  more  than  one  hun- 
dred years.  The  cutting  down  of  the  taxes 
for  the  relief  of  the  poor  in  1819  showed  the 
appreciation  of  the  British  Government  of 
the  work  done  by  the  friendly  societies  in 
encouraging  self-relief.  The  friendly  so- 
cieties act  was  entirely  reconstructed  in 
1829,  so  as  to  take  cognizance  of  the  inten- 
tions and  requirements  of  such  societies. 
The  act  was  further  amended  in  1834,  1846, 
1850, 1855,  and  in  1875  and  1876.  By  1855, 
when  friendly  societies,  notably  the  Eng- 
lish Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
Manchester  Unity,  and  the  Ancient  Order 
of  Foresters,  had  become  firmly  established 
and  extremely  jDopular  throughout  the  King- 
dom, there  were  21,875  such  organizations 
registered.  Under  the  act  as  amended  in 
1876,  British  friendly  societies  were  divided 
into  thirteen  classes  :  1.  Affiliated  Socie- 
ties, or  Orders,  such  as  Odd  Fellows,  For- 
esters, Rechabites,  Druids,  and  the  like, 
which  have  lodges,  courts,  tents,  or  divi- 
sions ;  2.  General  Societies  ;  3.  County  So- 
cieties ;  4.  Local  Town  Societies  ;  5.  Local 
Village  Societies  ;  6.  Particular  Trade  So- 
cieties ;  7.  Dividing  Societies  ;  8.  Deposit 
Friendly  Societies  ;  9.  Collecting  Societies  ; 
10.  Annuity  Societies  ;  11.  Female  Soci- 
eties, such  as  the  Female  Foresters,  Odd 
Sisters,  Loyal  Orangewomen,  Comforting 
Sisters,  etc.;  12.  Workingmen's  Clubs,  for 
those  in  search  of  employment,  or  relief 
from  special  ailment ;  and  13.  Cattle  Insur- 
ance Societies.  By  the  amended  act  of 
1875  these  Societies  make  annual  reports 
of  their   condition  and  operations,  and  at 


FRATERNAL   ORDERS 


113 


five-year  intervals  statements  of  assets,  lia- 
bilities, risks,  and  contributions. 

The  Odd  Fellows,  Foresters,  Recliabites, 
and  Druids,  all  English  friendly  societies  of 
the  first  class,  had  been  introduced  into  the 
United  States  prior  to  the  Civil  War,  up 
to  which  period  native  efforts  to  make 
secret  societies  had  been  confined  largely 
to  political  organizations.  Exceptions  were 
the  college  fraternities  and  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men,  a  veritable  friendly 
society.  At  the  close  of  the  war  tlie  Knights 
of  Pythias  appeared,  likewise  a  friendly 
society,  and  a  few  years  later  the  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen,  the  pioneer 
secret  order  founded  to  make  practicable  a 
system  of  cooperative  life  insurance.  This 
it  did,  and  has  had  several  hundred  imita- 
tors, of  which  many  survive.  Excei)t  in 
that  these  Fraternal  Orders,  by  means  of 
mutual  assessments,  pay  benefits  to  relatives 
of  deceased  members,  they  practically  par- 
allel the  English  friendly  societies  named. 
The  Mutual  Underwriter  Chart  of  Frater- 
nal Organizations  shows  that  at  the  begin- 
ning of  1896  there  were  1,833,304  members 
belonging  to  the  fraternal  organizations  re- 
porting to  various  insurance  departments. 
At  the  beginning  of  1897  that  total  had 
increased  to  2,048,092.  The  '^ amount  of 
protection  written"  during  the  year  1896 
was  $574,964,915,  as  against  $517,512,481. 
That  in  force  was  $3,698,398,335,  as  against 
$3,392,016,474.  The  assets  aggregated 
$12,078,710,  against  $9,604,974,  the  year 
before.  The  liabilities  were  $3,666,924; 
against  $2,479,438.  From  assessments  in 
1896  the  sum  of  $39,896,618  was  received, 
against  $35,844,732  in  1895.  Receipts,  ex- 
clusive of  assessments,  were  $6,278,397  in 
1896,  and  $2,617,206  in  1895.  The  total 
income  was  $42,678,120  in  1896,  and  $38,- 
851,727  in  1895;  $38,067,676  losses  paid  in 
1896,  and  $34,575,927  in  1895.  Ex]icnses 
in  1896  were  $2,895,872,  and  $2,699,534  in 
1895.  Total  disbursements  forl896  amounted 
to  $40,985,084,  while  in  1895  they 
$37,338,157. 


Forty-eight  of  the  larger  and  more  suc- 
cessful Orders,  those  forming  the  National 
Fraternal  Congress,  are  fewer  than  one- 
third  of  the  total  number  of  like  societies 
still  in  existence,  yet  they  report  four- 
fifths  of  the  total  membership  of  all  bene- 
ficiary secret  societies,  about  1,600,000  out 
of  2,000,000.*  Their  outstanding  ccr- 
tificates  represent  about  $4,000,000,000  of 
"protection,''  and  during  the  last  thirty 
years  they,  have  disbursed  nearly  $150,000,- 
000.  It  is  not  known  that  writers  on  co- 
operation, in  the  United  States  have  had 
their  attention  called  to  the  progress  made 
by  cooperative  or  mutual  assessment  life 
insurance,  beside  which,  cooperative  buying 
among  consumers,  cooperative  stores,  and 
industrial  cooperation,  in  this  countiy,  hide 
their  diminished  heads. 

*  The  following  statistics  of  membership  of 
various  fraternal  orders  are  furnished  by  Mr.  Adam 
Warnock,  Boston,  Supreme  Secretary  of  the  Ameri- 
can Legion  of  Honor  : 


Name  of  Order. 


were 


Almvas  Israel,  Independent  Order 

American  Henetit  Society 

American  (iuil<i 

American  Lcf^'ioii  nf  Honor 

Ancient  Order  of  tlic  Pyramids 

Ancient  Order  United  Worlvnien 

Artisans'  Order  of  Mntiud  Protection 

B'nai  B'ritli,  Independent  Order 

Ben  Hiir,  Supreme  Tribe  of 

Bolieiniun  C.  C  U 

Boliemian  Slavonian  Kniglits  and  Ladies.. 

Brotliei  hood  of  the  Union 

Canadian  (Jrder  of  Foresters 

Catholic  Benevolent  l.cfiion 

Catholic  Kniu'lits  of  America 

C'alhiilic  Knijihts  of  WlKonsin 

Catholic  Mutual  r.enelit  .\seociation 

Catholic  Order  of  Koreslers 

Catholic  Relief  and  Beneficiary  Association. 

Catliolic  Women's  Benevolent  Legion 

Chosen  Friends,  Order  of 

Foresters  of  Illinois.  IndependentOrder  of . 

Fraternal  .\id  Association 

Fraternal  Alliance 

Fraternal  Tiihnnes 

Free  Sons  of  Israel,  Independent  Order. . . . 

Foresters,  Independent  Order  of 

Fraternal  I>e<:ion 

Fraternal  Mystic  Circle 

Fraternal  Union  of  America 

(i;ii.  Assemhly  of  Uu-  .Amer.  Benev.  Assn.. 

Golden  Cross,"  X'nited  ( )rder 

Golden  Star  Fraternity   

Good  Fellows,  Hoyal  Society  of 

Ileptasophs.  IinjjroviMi  ( )r(ler 

llerniann's  Sons  of  Wisconsin 

Home  Circle 

Ilonii'  Forum  Benefit  OrdiT 


Mem- 
bership, 
1897. 


2,»J0.3 

4,381 

3,680 

21,31.') 

3,02f. 

.347,990 

4,54.5 

(i,15ti 

13,G95 

10,827 

1,211 

12,tii;6 

27,1G.5 

46.998 

22.878 

7,4as 

43,028 
5.-),4(-3 
4,077 
4,78« 
24,4:« 
15,13ti 
13,3.'>7 
2,519 
2,!)18 
12,185 
124.B85 
2.318 
12.1S1 
6,011 
2,445 
32,983 
2.097 
10.3:8 
38.2.5(> 
2.30S 
t'..293 
42.'.K« 


Auioiiiit 

Claims 

Paid, 

1897. 


$18,114 

32,750 

43.000 

l,98;i,.50O 

16,.'i00 

7,7()1,9:M 

38,000 

104,393 

74,700 

ltX).800 

20.(KX» 

.'>7..')00 

l.'->2,:i25 

1,081,407 

710.208 

1(H).  000 

t;90.(X)0 

327,200 

3f..:«3 

14,000 

K48,46R 

19(i.300 

93,500 

6,017 

4,060 

277,927 

9fl2.22<i 

42,l.'-.0 

173.250 

22.075 

11,3'.)0 

494,150 

23..'n5 

.324,370 

5>'3.4ij0 

(W.HOtJ 

328,608 


114 


FRATERNAL   ORDERS 


The  enormous  membership  of  the  rela- 
tively numerous  Fraternal  Orders  is  ex- 
plained by  their  beneficiary  or  "'protec- 
tion "  features,  which  Vary  greatly,  and  not 
only  include  a  death  benefit  varying  from 
$100  to  So, 000,  but  insurance  against  sick- 
ness, disability,  and  accident,  and,  in  in- 
stances, a  funeral  benefit,  and  a  benefit  at 
the  death  of  the  wife  of  a  member,  while 
one  Order  erects  a  monument  over  the  grave 
of  everv  deceased    member,  to  cost 


Name  of  Ordek. 


Indepenrieiit  Order  Mutual  Aid 

ludi'peiident  Order  of  Foresters 

Indei)ciuleiit  W'estern  Star  Order 

Knights  and  Ladies  of  Honor 

Kni^lits  and  Ladies  of  Security 

Knights  and  Ladies  of  the  Fireside    

Knights  and  Ladies  of  the  Golden  Star 

Knights  of  Columbus 

Knights  of  Father  Mathew 

Knights  of  Honor 

Iviiights  of  Pytiiias,  Endowment  Kank 

Knights  of  St.  Jolm  and  Malta 

Kniglitsof  Sobriety,  Fidelity,  and  Integrity 

Knights  of  the  Golden  Eagle 

Knights  of  the  Maccabees 

Ladies'  Catholic  Benevolent  Association.... 

Ladies  of  tlie  Maccabees 

Legion  of  the  Red  Cross 

Loyal  Additional  Benefit  Association 

Loyal  Mystic  Legion  of  America 

IjoW  (Terinan  (ir.  Lodge  of  the  U.  S.  of  N.  A 

Masonic  Protective  Association 

Modern  Woodmen  of  America. ...    

Mutual  Protection,  Order  of 

Mystic  Workers  of  the  World 

National  Benevolent  Society 

National  Protective  Legion 

National  Provident  LTnion , 

National  Reserve  Association 

National  Union 

New  England  Order  of  Protection 

Northwestern  Legion  of  Honor 

North  .\merican  Union 

Pilgrim  Fatliers,  United  Order  of 

Protected  Home  Circle 

Ridgehy  Protection  Association 

Roj-id  Arcanum , 

Royal  Circle 

Royal  League 

Royal  Neiglibors  of  America , 

Royal  Temple  of  Temperance 

Royal  Tribe  of  Joseph 

Scottish  Clans,  Order  of 

Shield  of  Honor 

Supreme  Council,  Home  Circle 

Sui>reme  Council,  Legion  of  Honor , 

Supreme  Court  of  Honor , 

Supreme  Lodge,  Nat.  Reserve  Association.. 
Supreme  Lodge,  Order  of  Colutnbian  Kts. , 
Supreme  Ruling,  Fraternal  Mystic  Circle.. , 

United  Friends,  Order  of ." 

United  Friends  of  Michigan , 

Women's  Catholic  Order  of  Foresters 

Woodmen  of  the  World 

Workmen's  Benefit  Association , 


Mem- 
bership, 
1897. 

Amount 
Claims 
Paid, 

1897. 

4,950 

122,000 

124,685 

992,226 

2,973 

7.500 

66,437 

1,1 91, .500 

18,427 

168,967 

2,405 

12,333 

5,304 

60.8-J8 

17,576 

87,000 

3.480 

45,200 

89,679 

3,918,264 

51,715 

1,108,180 

3,788 

52,000 

4,273 

60,.598 

2,236 

43,000 

217,068 

1,754,926 

32,273 

179,500 

26,380 

131,450 

4,012 

36,200 

5.373 

86,000 

3,606 

11,000 

5,.560 

14.500 

4,060 

11,472 

259,584 

1,905,250 

4.."iK9 

54,930 

2..-,J5 

7,000 

2,.509 

8,468 

5,320 

79,952 

3,972 

163,850 

4,336 

18,.500 

46,602 

1,239,470 

21.950 

294.000 

2,496 

35,250 

2.717 

13,000 

23,039 

352.000 

23,652 

1.57,500 

10,078 

28,503 

195,105 

5,210,823 

3,199 

6,100 

15,100 

307,875 

12.120 

31,.50O 

12,435 

333,467 

3#7.S 

11,975 

4..335 

39.750 

9.6.59 

106,000 

6.293 

153,695 

3,396 

96,000 

24,217 

88,300 

3,241 

31,000 

4,594 

26,101 

12,181 

177,.500 

10,491 

41.5,fi0S 

3.246 

49.284 

13,869 

62,000 

97,811 

1,0S8„558 

5,341 

29.000 

The  total  membership  of  the  foregoing  list  is 
2,557,374.  Amount  of  benefits  paid  in  1897,  $41,- 
070,746.  Total  payments  from  1867  to  1897  were 
over  $420,000,000. 


But  these  societies  go  farther  by  cultivat- 
ing a  spirit  of  fraternity  and  by  encourag- 
ing centres  of  intellectual,  aesthetic,  and  so- 
cial development,  which  often  take  the  place 
of  the  club.  The  names  of  many  of  the 
Orders  are  pretentious  and  some  ridiculous. 
In  many  instances  the  titles  of  executive 
officers  sound  out  of  place  ;  but  not  more  so 
than  a  few  employed  in  older  and  larger 
societies.  The  tendency  appears  to  still  be 
for  the  multiplication  of  Fraternal  Orders. 
In  the  latter  half  of  the  previous  century 
very  few  new  secret  societies  made  their 
appearance,  the  fascination  of  Freemasonry 
for  intelligent  men  leading  them  rather  to 
amplify  than  to  imitate.  A  result  Mas  that 
more  than  1,000  Masonic  and  other  degrees 
were  invented,  most  of  which  are  fortu- 
nately dead.  But  during  the  latter  third  of 
the  nineteenth  century  activity  in  secret 
society  lines  has  been  transferred  to  Amer- 
ica, where  the  bent  seems  to  have  been  to 
invent  new  secret  societies,  legions,  circles, 
unions,  or  orders — most  of  them  designed 
to  provide  machinery  for  collecting  assess- 
ments and  paying  them  over  to  those 
whose  misfortunes  and  the  terms  of  their 
contracts,  policies,  or  certificates  make 
them  the  recipients.  These  orders  are  still 
in  the. formative  period,  and  much  remains 
to  be  done  before  any  of  the  systems  of 
levying  assessments  can  be  generally  recog- 
nized as  a  near  approach  to  perfection.  As 
a  result  there  are  many  weakling  bene- 
ficiary societies,  and  a  number  are  fore- 
doomed to  failure.  When  the  stronger  and 
more  progressive  orders  shall  have  demon- 
strated the  character  and  extent  of  their 
work  by  employing  substantially  the  same 
system  of  assessments,  there  will  be  fewer 
weak  and  imperfect.  The  tendency  will 
then  be  to  have  less  and  less  to  do  with  the 
secrecy  of  which  so  much  and  yet  so  little 
is  made  to-day,  and  combination  or  con- 
solidation will  appear  to  complete  a  suc- 
cessful, cooperative  machine  for  ameli- 
orating the  ills  the  human  flesh  is  heir  to. 
The    beneficiary   societies    as    constituted 


^MMARIES  OP  TOTALS  IN  FOREIGN  COUNTRIES. 

- 

' 

jro 

30- 

)n8. 

Ord.  United 
American 
Mechanics. 

Sons  of 
Temper- 
ance. 

Woodmen 
of  tlie 
World. 

Anc.andlU. 

Knights  of 

Malta. 

Pat.  Order 
Sons  of 
America. 

Ord.  of  the 

Am.  Union 

and  Un. 

Deputies. 

I 

"A.  P.  A." 

1898. 
Free- 
masons. 

100 
200 
200 
400 
250 
185 

,335 

!,100 
547 

619 
2,017 

198 
6,434 
3,273 
7,854 

1,428 
1,072 

42(i 
5.422 

584 
2,367 

100 

500 

-  100,000 

6,500 

22.085 

3,800|         9.111 

4,750|         7,758 

2,500 

1,000 

100,000        38,416 

2.700,         5.113 

93 

1,000 

3.800 

17.053 

20,395 

3,161 
4,111 
13,707 
449 
1,497 
2,360 

11,299 

2,054 
1,595 
9,832 

93 

2,600 

600 
1,800 
10,000 
700 
300 
100 

2,500 

1,500 

4,500 

60,000 

400 
2,000 

400 

100,000 

j  100,000 
65,000 

[    25,000 

121,550 

150,000 

:      78.000 
165.000 
(      2,500 
i    18,000 
(      7,500 

99,544 

95,480 
16,543 

!  780 
409 

786 

51,031 
2,120 

1  665 

6S9 

33 
26 

7,474 
5,983 

f,713 

1,167 

I  599 

25,285 

4,054 

275 

26 

151 

153 

14,170 

812 

845 

511 
1,010 
1.U37 

18,500 
100 

68,800      190,000 

3,000      100,000 
2,500        60.000 

421,000 

163,500 
75,850 

125,000 
85,000 

125,000 

138,000 

178,637 

41,713 
29,387 

256 
719 

163 
237 
767 

50 

75 
50 

400 
400 

39,570 
18,4(i4 

^577 
087 

"  "  '4,474 

150 

3,000 
500 

80,000 
50,000 

53.285 

30,880 

1,435 

250 
108 

4,G59 

2,029 

375 
50 

40 

7,032 

539 

811 

375 

1,200 
600 

9,800 

290,000      712,350 

50,000      176,850 
25,000        12,500 

213.305 
16.946 

1,500 

15,691 

4,325 

3,000 

18,000 

7,500 

2,702 

1 

11 

4.308 

[■ 

1,000 

2,706 

ion 

1,175 

458 

293 
400 
100 
589 
258 

465 

1,361 

3,438 
3,500 

1,800 

2,500 

500 
400 
300 

75,000 

60,000 
30,000 

j     20,000 

222,175 

76,000 

84.500 

j    19,000 

\    65,325 

100,000 

10,500 

43,528 

327 

27,489 

11,763 

1,011 

1,252 

19,888 

2,500 

7,335 

790 

■  1 

,640 

449 
,281 
983 

327 

8,190' 3.700 

110,000 

355.325 

68,276 

400 

5.114 

151 

246             S'^1 

5,600 

0    ErfiA 

12,803 

loa 

1 i 

■in  o-A 

TOTAL  MEMBERSHIP  BY  STATES  AND  TERRITORIES  OP  TWENTY-SIX  OF 


THE  LEADING  SECRET  SOCIETIES  IN  THE  UNITED  STATES,  TOGETHER  WITH  SUMMARIES  OF  TOTALS  IN  FOREIUN  COUNTRIES. 


Total  T'aDada 

Total  Elsew'e  N.Am, 

Total  South  America. 

Total  Europe 

Total  Ai*ia 

Total  Africa 

Total  Australasia  . . , 

Total  Oceanica 

Total 


■  Not  organlaed  Into  separate  State  or  Territorial  Grand  Bojlea. 


if  KrN'kah  Id  lb<>  C  S 


FRATERNAL   ORDERS 


115 


lo-day   may  be  divided  into  four  general 
classes  : 

(1)  Those  which  bind  themselves  to 
bury  their  dead,  and  to  furnish  stated  relief 
to  members  who  may  be  sick,  disabled,  etc., 
irrespective  of  the  need  of  such  members 
for  pecuniary  assistance  ; 

(2)  Regular  death  benefit,  mutual  assess- 
ment societies ; 

(3)  Death  benefit  orders  of  the  short- 
term  variety,  which  seek  to  couple  mutual 
assessment  life-insurance  with  the  tontine 
plan  and  pay  back  to  surviving  members 
who  shall  have  made  regular  payments, 
etc.,  for  a  certain  number  of  years,  the  full 
amount  of  their  assessments,  or  premiums, 
in  some  instances  with  interest  added.  The 
success  which  temporarily  attended  a  few  of 
the  better-known  short-term  orders  which 
are  dead,  appeared  to  be  due  to  surviving 
members  being  relatively  few,  and  lapsed 
memberships  comparatively  numerous. 

(4)  The  fourth  group  is  not  a  large  one, 
comprising  the  few  orders  which  have 
sought  to  render  the  Building  and  Loan 
Association  more  attractive  by  reason  of 
becoming  a  secret  order. 

The  accompanying  tabular  exhibit  of 
statistics  of  membership  of  twenty-six  of  the 
larger  and  more  important  national  and 
international  secret  societies  in  the  United 
States,  with  totals  arranged  by  States  and 
Territories,  in  conjunction  with  those  of 
membership  abroad,  must  prove  of  interest 
to  members  of  the  organizations  named,  as 
well  as  to  students  of  the  sociological  aspects 
of  the  growth  and  development  of  secret 
societies.  This  presentation  has  been  pre- 
pared after  prolonged  correspondence  with 
those  best  fitted  to  eon  tribute  data,  and  repre- 
sents the  latest  available  comparative  totals 
of  all  the  organizations.  The  Loyal  Orange 
Institution  is  omitted  because  of  its  prefer- 
ence not  to  make  public  details  as  to  mem- 
bership. Totals  for  the  Ancient  Order  of 
Hibernians  refer  to  only  one  branch.  Board 
of  America,  members  of  the  Board  of  Erin 
preferring  not  to  send  totals  by  States.     It 


should  be  added  tliat  both  branches  of  the 
Hibernians  are  now  united.  The  grouping 
includes,  in  addition  to  totals  for  the  Masonic 
Fraternity,  information  from  the  following 
charitable  and  benevolent  secret  societies  : 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Good  Templars,  Sons 
of  Temperance,  Knights  of  Pythias,  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Red  Men,  Foresters  of 
America,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic, 
Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians,  Knights  of 
Malta,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons 
(negro),  and  Grand  United  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows  (negro). 

Among  the  so-called  Patriotic  Orders, 
official  returns  have  been  received  from  the 
following  :  Junior  Order,  United  American 
Mechanics;  Order  of  United  American  Me- 
chanics ;  Patriotic  Order,  Sons  of  America  ; 
Order  of  the  American  Union,  and  Ameri- 
can Protective  Association  (A.  P.  A.) 

Statistics  of  the  Patrons  of  Husbandry 
have  also  been  included,  as  well  as  details 
respecting  membership  of  the  following 
death  and  other  benefit  societies  :  Ancient 
Order  of  United  "Workmen,  Royal  Arcanum, 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  Knights  of 
the  Maccabees,  Knights  of  Honor,  Knights 
and  Ladies  of  Honor,  Knights  of  the  Golden 
Eagle,  and  Woodmen  of  the  World. 

Figures  furnished  by  the  American  Pro- 
tective Association  and  the  Order  of  the 
American  LTnion  are  official,  but  do  not 
seem  to  be  sufficiently  in  accord  with  the 
situation  to  be  of  great  value  for  compari- 
son. Omitting  totals  for  these  two  organi- 
zations, it  is  found  that  twenty-four  of  the 
more  important  secret  fraternities,  out  of 
nearly  350  having  an  active  existence, 
numbered  4,548,840  members  in  the  L^nited 
States  in  1895-96.  It  is  probable  that  with 
tlie  added  membership  of  more  than  three 
hundred  others,  many  of  them  small  socie- 
ties, the  grand  total  would  approximate 
0,000,000,  thus  pointing  to  nearly  4,000,000 
adults,  members  of  secret  fraternities  in 
the  L^nited  States,  after  allowing  for  the 
usual  {)ro])ortion  belonging  to  two  or  more 


FRATERNAL   ORDERS 


115 


lo-day  may  be  divided  into  four  general 
classes  : 

(1)  Those  which  bind  themselves  to 
bury  their  dead,  and  to  furnish  stated  relief 
to  members  who  may  be  sick,  disabled,  etc., 
irrespective  of  the  need  of  such  members 
for  pecuniary  assistance  ; 

(2)  Regular  death  benefit,  mutual  assess- 
ment societies  ; 

(3)  Death  benefit  orders  of  the  short- 
term  variety,  which  seek  to  couple  mutual 
assessment  life-insurance  with  the  tontine 
plan  and  pay  back  to  surviving  members 
who  shall  have  made  regular  payments, 
etc.,  for  a  certain  number  of  years,  the  full 
amount  of  their  assessments,  or  premiums, 
in  some  instances  with  interest  added.  The 
success  which  temporarily  attended  a  few  of 
the  better-known  short-term  orders  which 
are  dead,  appeared  to  be  due  to  surviving 
members  being  relatively  few,  and  lapsed 
memberships  comparatively  numerous. 

(4)  The  fourth  group  is  not  a  large  one, 
comprising  the  few  orders  whicii  have 
sought  to  render  the  Building  and  Loan 
Association  more  attractive  by  reason  of 
becoming  a  secret  order. 

The  accompanying  tabular  exhibit  of 
statistics  of  membership  of  twenty-six  of  the 
larger  and  more  important  national  and 
international  secret  societies  in  the  United 
States,  with  totals  arranged  by  States  and 
Territories,  in  conjunction  with  those  of 
membership  abroad,  must  prove  of  interest 
to  members  of  the  organizations  named,  as 
well  as  to  students  of  the  sociological  aspects 
of  the  growth  and  development  of  secret 
societies.  This  presentation  has  been  pre- 
pared after  prolonged  correspondence  with 
those  best  fitted  to  con  tribute  data,  and  repre- 
sents the  latest  available  comparative  totals 
of  all  the  organizations.  The  Loyal  Orange 
Institution  is  omitted  because  of  its  i)refer- 
ence  not  to  make  public  details  as  to  mem- 
bership. Totals  for  the  Ancient  Order  of 
Hibernians  refer  to  only  one  branch.  Board 
of  America,  members  of  the  Board  of  Erin 
preferring  not  to  send  totals  by  States.     It 


should  be  added  that  both  branches  of  the 
Hibernians  are  now  united.  The  grouping 
includes,  in  addition  to  totals  for  the  Masonic 
Fraternity,  information  from  the  following 
charitable  and  benevolent  secret  societies  : 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Good  Templars,  Sons 
of  Temperance,  Knights  of  Pythias,  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Red  Men,  Foresters  of 
America,  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic, 
Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians,  Knights  of 
Malta,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons 
(negro),  and  Grand  United  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows  (negro). 

Among  the  so-called  Patriotic  Orders, 
official  returns  have  been  received  from  the 
following  :  Junior  Order,  United  American 
Mechanics;  Order  of  United  American  Me- 
chanics ;  Patriotic  Order,  Sons  of  America  ; 
Order  of  the  American  Union,  and  Ameri- 
can Protective  Association  (A.  P.  A.) 

Statistics  of  the  Patrons  of  Husbandry 
have  also  been  included,  as  well  as  details 
respecting  membership  of  the  following 
death  and  other  benefit  societies  :  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen,  Royal  Arcanum, 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  Knig^its  of 
the  Maccabees,  Knights  of  Honor,  Knights 
and  Ladies  of  Honor,  Knights  of  the  Golden 
Eagle,  and  Woodmen  of  the  World. 

Figures  furnished  by  the  American  Pro- 
tective Association  and  the  Order  of  the 
American  Union  are  official,  but  do  not 
seem  to  be  sufficiently  in  accord  with  the 
situation  to  be  of  great  value  for  compari- 
son. Omitting  totals  for  these  two  organi- 
zations, it  is  found  that  twenty-four  of  the 
more  important  secret  fraternities,  out  of 
nearly  350  having  an  active  existence, 
numbered  4,548,840  members  in  the  United 
States  in  1895-9G.  It  is  probable  that  with 
the  added  membership  of  more  than  three 
hundred  others,  many  of  them  small  socie- 
ties, the  grand  total  would  approximate 
G,000,000,  thus  pointing  to  nearly  4,000,000 
adults,  members  of  secret  fraternities  in 
the  United  States,  after  allowing  for  the 
usual  proportion  belonging  to  two  or  more 


116 


FRATERNAL   ORDERS 


organizations;  nearly  one  in  three  of  the 
voting  population  of  the  country. 

The  relative  numerical  strength  of  the 
four  larger  societies  in  the  various  States 
and  Territories  is  made  plain  by  an  accom- 
panying map  (see  Preface),  on  which  their 
names  are  marked  in  order,  according  to 
membership  in  those  States  and  Territories. 
Eeference  to  tlie  geographical  chart  shows 
that  there  are  more  members  of  the  Masonic 
than  of  any  other  secret  fraternity  in  Maine, 
Vermont,  Connecticut,  New  York,  Ken- 
tucky, Missouri,  District  of  Columbia,  Vir- 
ginia, North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Ten- 
nessee, Florida,  Alabama,  Mississippi, 
Arkansas,  and  Indian  Territory  ;  and  more 
members  of  the  Odd  Fellows  in  Massachu- 
setts, Rhode  Island,  Pennsylvania,  New  Jer- 
sey, West  Virginia,  Ohio,  Indiana,  Iowa, 
Wyoming,  Colorado,  Oklahoma,  Washing- 
ton, California,  and  Nevada  ;  of  the  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen  in  Delaware, 
Minnesota,  North  Dakota,  South  Dakota, 
Montana,  Idaho,  Nebraska,  Kansas,  Oregon, 
and  Arizona ;  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
in  Louisiana  and  New  Mexico;  of  the 
Patrons  of  Husbandry  in  New  Hampshire; 
Junior  Order  of  United  American  Mechan- 
ics in  Maryland;  Knights  of  the  Maccabees 
in  Michigan;  Modern  Woodmen  of  America 
in  Illinois  and  Wisconsin;  and  the  negro 
Freemasons  in  Ceorgia.  Other  societies 
finding  a  place  among  the  first  four  in  point 
of  number,  in  one  or  more  States,  are  the 
Grood  Templars;  Grand  Army  of  the  Repub- 
lic; Foresters  of  America;  Royal  Arcanum; 
Patriotic  Order,  Sons  of  America;  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men;  Knights  of  Honor; 
and  the  negro  Odd  Fellows. 

Pennsylvania  is  the  banner  secret  society 
State,  contributing  more  than  850,000  mem- 
bers of  twenty-four  organizations  w'hose 
totals  are  considered  in  the  accompanying 
statistics  of  membership,  19  per  cent,  of  the 
grand  total  in  all  States  and  Territories. 
New  York  stands  second,  with  724,000 
members  of  the  twenty-four  fraternities,  16 
per  cent,  of  the  grand  total  for  the  country ; 


Illinois  third,  with  more  than  513,000  mem» 
bers,  or  about  11  per  cent.;  Ohio  fourth, 
with  10  per  cent.;  Massachusetts  fifth,  Avith 
8  per  cent. ;  Michigan  sixth,  with  more  than 
7  per  cent. ;  and  Indiana  seventh,  with  7  per 
cent.,  the  seven  States  accounting  for  four- 
fifths  of  the  aggregate  American  member- 
ship of  the  twenty-four  fraternities  speci- 
fied. 

The  payment  of  benefits  or  insurance  by 
means  of  assessments,  graded  according  to 
age  at  time  of  joining,  is  apparently  (1898) 
most  popular  among  societies  in  the  Frater- 
nal Congress.  Of  the  forty-five  fraternities 
reports  have  been  received  from  thirty-six,  of 
which  twenty-seven  report  the  above  plan  in 
operation,  eight  of  the  remaining  nine 
being  equally  divided  between  the  merits  of 
the  premium  system  proper  and  what  may 
be  called  the  step-rate  plan  of  assessment,  in- 
creasing at  regular  intervals  with  the  age  of 
the  insured.  In  the  remaining  society  the 
benefits  are  graded  according  to  the  age, 
while  the  assessments  are  fixed  and  uniform. 
The  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen 
reports  twenty-one  jurisdictions  using  the 
straight,  ungraded  assessment  j^lan  and  thir- 
teen the  step-rate  assessment.  The  Order 
of  United  Friends  changed  on  January  1, 
1898,  to  the  step  or  group  plan  of  assess- 
ment, increasing  at  each  five  years.  Two 
other  societies  are  considering  a  similar 
change.  There  is  some  variation  in  the 
amount  of  insurance  paid.  A  benefit  of 
from  $50  to  $2,000  is  paid  by  the  Knights" 
and  Ladies  of  the  Clolden  Star,  while  tlie 
Catholic  Benevolent  Legion,  the  National 
Provident  Union,  the  Home  Circle,  the  In- 
dependent Order  of  Foresters,  the  American 
Legion  of  Honor,  the  National  Union,  and 
the  Improved  Order  of  Heptasophs  pay  from 
$500  to  $5,000.  Seven  out  of  thirty-six  or- 
ders report  paying  sick  benefits;  nine  others 
report  such  benefits  optional  with  the  local 
or  subordinate  bodies;  while  nineteen,  or 
more  than  one-half,  report  none.  In  the 
majority  of  cases  where  paid,  such  benefits 
are   the   result   of    the   work    of   the   local 


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118 


FRATERNAL   ORDERS 


bodies,  and  are  not  part  of  fhe  duty  of  the 
parent  societies.  More  than  one-half  of 
these  societies  report  varying  grades  of  bene- 
fits payable  in  case  of  accident  involving 
partial  or  total  disability,  such  as  the  loss  of 
one  or  more  limbs  or  eyes,  incapacity  from 
old  age  (seventy  years  being  a  common 
period),  paralysis,  or  other  causes.  The 
payment  of  one-tenth  to  one-half  of  the 
face  of  the  member's  benefit  certificate  upon 
the  occurrence  of  any  of  these  disabilities 
seems  quite  general.  Payment  of  funeral 
expenses  is  a  feature  of  several  societies,  but 
almost  always  of  local  lodges  or  bodies.  Six- 
teen out  of  thirty-six  societies  report  no 
benefits  payable  by  reason  of  total  or  partial 
disability.  The  replies  indicate  that  weekly 
sick  benefits  are  often  payable  out  of  dues 
of  local  lodges,  whereas  the  other  benefits 
are  more  generally  defrayed  by  means  of 
assessments. 

It  is  of  interest  to  note  that  the  rate  of 
mortality  in  thirty  societies  during  the  third 
year  of  the  existence  of  each  of  them  aver- 
aged 4.10  per  1,000,  while  during  the  last 
fiscal  year  (1897)  the  average  death-rate  per 
1,000  was  '9.50,  and  the  average  age  of  the 
societies  showing  this  death-rate  about  fif- 
teen years.  In  twenty-eight  societies  the 
average  cost  per  11,000  for  such  benefits 
paid  in  1897  was  19.22,  whereas  the  same 
companies  reported  the  cost  when  those  so- 
cieties were  only  three  years  of  age  at  15.04. 
The  need  of  an  adequate  reserve  to  provide 
for  emergencies  does  not  seem  to  have  im- 
pressed all  of  these  societies  alike.  Only 
about  one-half  of  tiie  fraternities,  members  of 
the  Congress,  report  having  reserve  funds. 
The  method  of  raising  such  funds  varies 
with  the  societies,  but  generally  it  is  by 
means  of  assessments  upon  members.  Some 
organizations  set  apart  a  certain  percentage 
of  such  assessments  as  a  reserve  fund.  In 
Massachusetts  and  other  States  the  banking 
laws,  under  which  insurance  societies  oper- 
ate, require  reserve  funds  and  direct  how 
they  shall  be  invested.  The  American  Le- 
gion of  Honor  has  a  reserve  of  1500,000  in- 


vested as  provided  by  law.  The  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen  raise  $1,000,000 
annually  by  a  tax  of  13  per  member.  Some 
societies  have  a  reserve  in  the  shape  of  one 
assessment  in  advance.  As  a  general  thing 
the  reserve,  where  possessed,  is  invested  in 
United  States  or  State  and  municipal  bonds 
and  first  mortgages  on  real  estate.  The  Or- 
der of  Select  Friends  adopted  a  reserve  plan 
at  the  close  of  1897.  The  National  Keserve 
Association  plan  of  insurance  is  very  like 
that  of  old-line  companies,  except  for  the 
reserve  element  in  the  latter's  premiums. 
Average  age  of  death  benefit  members  in 
tAventy-four  societies  at  the  end  of  the  first 
three  years  of  the  societies'  existence  is 
placed  at  about  36.40,  while  the  average 
age  in  the  same  societies  in  the  last  fiscal 
year  is  placed  at  40.30,  showing  the  intro- 
duction of  younger  members.  The  replies 
as  to  cost  of  management  show  an  increase 
per  capita  as  the  societies  advance  in  years. 
The  average  of  the  replies  of  twenty-seven 
fraternities  shows  that  the  per  capita  cost 
of  management  during  the  last  year  was 
about  II.  65  per  member,  whereas  when 
these  societies  were  three  years  old  their  per 
capita  cost  was  only  11.48.  Some  societies 
reckon  the  cost  of  management  per  mem- 
ber as  a  fixed  sum  and  report  it  year  after 
year.  Others,  like  the  Royal  Arcanum,  the 
Royal  League,  the  Modern  "Woodmen  of 
America,  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees, 
Legion  of  the  Red  Cross,  Knights  and 
Ladies  of  Security,  Woodmen  of  the  World, 
National  Reserve  Association,  and  the  Na- 
tional Union  show  a  decreased  cost  of  man- 
agement per  member  now  as  compared  with 
the  third  year  of  their  existence. 

The  irregularity  and  iucompleteness  of 
replies  received  from  beneficiary  organiza- 
tions not  members  of  the  Fraternal  Con- 
gress is  testimony  to  the  value  of  organi- 
zation in  fraternal  insurance  as  well  as  in 
other  lines  of  business.  There  are,  of  course, 
some  honorable  exceptions,  but  the  statistics 
of  operation  of  these  organizations  are  not 
generally  satisfactory.     Among  fraternities 


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120 


FRATERNAL   ORDERS 


not  members  of  the  Fraternal  Congress  the 
popularity  of  the  "assessment  according  to 
age"  plan  is  shown  by  their  records.  Of 
the  thirty  societies  reporting,  seventeen  are 
using  the  plan.  The  following  is  a  list  of 
them : 

Canadian  Order  of  Foresters. 

Catholic  Mutual  Benefit  Association. 

Catholic  Women's  Benevolent  Legion. 

Commercial  Travelers'  Association. 

Golden  Star  Fraternity. 

Independent  Order  B'nai  B'rith. 

Knights  and  Ladies  of  Honor. 

Knights  of  Columbus. 

Knights  of  Pythias,  Endowment  Eank. 

Loyal  Knights  and  Ladies, 

Modern  American  Fraternal  Order. 

Mystic  Workers  of  the  Woi'ld. 

National  Fraternity. 

Grand  United  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 

Order  of  Scottish  Clans. 

Union  Fraternal  League. 

AVestern  Knights  Protective  Association. 

Among  the  above  the  amount  of  benefits 
paid  varies  from  150  to  13,000,  most  of 
them  paying  $500  to  12,000.  Twelve  of 
them  report  no  benefits  paid  by  the  Order 
as  a  whole,  the  same  being  optional  Avith 
subordinate  bodies.  Partial  and  permanent 
disability  is  provided  for,  hoAvever,  by  many 
of  these  societies.  A  tendency  toward  an 
increased  death-rate  as  they  grow  older  is 
noted,  and  a  similar  increase  in  the  cost  of 
this  form  of  insurance  per  thousand.  Dues 
of  local  branches  seem  to  be  the  basis  of 
the  sick  benefits,  while  regular  assessments 
are  general!}^  relied  on  to  defray  other  bene- 
fits. About  one-half  of  these  organizations 
report  reserve  or  emergency  funds;  statis- 
tics of  age  and  cost  of  management  are  very 
i  ncomplete. 

The  same  general  conclusions  are  to  be 
obtained  from  an  examination  of  the  statis- 
tics of  similar  societies  doing  business  under 
different  plans.  Two,  the  American  Insur- 
ance Union  and  the  Knights  of  the  Golden 
Eagle,  use  the  step-rate  assessment,  while 
the    Fraternal    Tribunes,    the    Progressive 


Endowment  Guild,  and  the  Prudent  Patri- 
cians of  Pompeii  collect  insurance  premiums 
suggestive  of  a  revival  of  the  systems  used 
by  old-line  companies.  The  Independent 
Order  Free  Sons  of  Israel,  Independent  Or- 
der Sons  of  Abraham,  Independent  Order 
Sons  of  Benjamin,  and  the  Order  of  Sparta 
pay  benefits  by  means  of  uniform,  straight, 
ungraded  assessments,  Avhile  in  the  Order 
of  the  Iroquois  and  in  the  Brotherhood  of 
Eailway  Conductors,  benefits  and  not  assess- 
ments or  contributions' are  graded  accord- 
ing to  age.  The  Continental  Fraternal 
Union  is  an  endowment  association,  while 
the  Foresters  of  America,  which  formerly 
had  such  a  plan,  has  discontinued  it.  The 
Grand  Fraternity  is  unique  in  that  it  pays 
annuities  for  partial  or  total  disability,  or 
to  Avidows  and  orphans  or  other  relatives  at 
the  death  of  members. 

Among  the  distinctively  friendly  socie- 
ties, those  Avhich  aim  to  relieve  distress  and 
pay  funeral  expenses  among  members,  and 
to  assist  those  whom  death  has  robbed  of 
support,  are  the  following: 

Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 

United  Ancient  Order  of  Druids. 

Ancient  Order  of  Foresters. 

Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians. 

Jr.  Order  United  American  Mechanics. 

Actors'  Order  of  Friendship. 

Independent  Order  of  Mechanics. 

Improved  Order  of  Red  Men. 

Sons  of  St.  George. 

National  Protective  Society. 

Shepherds  of  Bethlehem. 

Ancient  and  Ilhistrious  Order  of  Knights 
of  Malta. 

In  only  one  instance,  the  Sons  of  St. 
George,  and  then  in  only  a  few  States,  does 
the  benefit  paid  at  the  death  of  a  member 
exceed  $250;  In  one  instance,  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Mechanics,  the  amount 
paid  falls  as  low  as  120,  and  runs  as  high  as 
125.  In  the  instances  of  the  Ancient  Order 
of  Hibernians,  the  Ancient  and  Illustrious 
Order  of  Knights  of  Malta,  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men,  the  Independent  Order 


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122 


AMERICAN  BENEFIT  SOCIETY 


of  Odd  Fellows,  and  the  Ancient  United 
Order  of  Druids  the  governing  body  does 
not  recognize  the  payment  of  either  insur- 
ance or  death  benefits.  Subordinate  lodges, 
courts,  groves,  or  tribes  employ  a  death 
benefit  system  in  whole  or  in  part.  In 
some  States  a  few  of  these  organizations, 
notably  the  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians  in 
Pennsylvania,  contract  for  insurance  with 
regular  insurance  companies.  The  sick 
benefit,  weekly,  monthly,  or  otherwise,  is  a 
recognized  institution  among  the  societies 
named,  and  where  systematically  paid  varies 
from  $2  to  $15  weekly.  Medical  attendance 
and  medicines  are  paid  for  by  subordinate 
bodies  of  some  of  these  societies,  while  the 
payment  of  specific  sums  for  burial  ex- 
penses is  general.  The  ISTational  Protective 
Society  jmys  an  accident  benefit.  Eaising 
these  funds  is  provided  for  generally  from 
dues,  although  a  few  of  the  societies  rely 
upon  assessments.  The  necessity  for  ac- 
cumulating a  reserve  or  emergency  fund  is 
recognized  in  at  least  one  half  of  the  frater- 
nities named,  but  in  others  dependence  seems 
to  be  placed  on  the  weekly  or  other  dues  and 
assessments.  In  the  Ancient  Order  of  For- 
esters, in  which  dues  are  graded  according 
to  age  at  entry,  its  various  treasurers  held 
at  the  close  of  1896  $29,137,745,  an  increase 
of  $1,052,595  in  that  year.  The  Actors' 
Order  of  Friendship,  from  the  circumstances 
of  the  case  a  small  society,  reports  $20,000 
in  the  treasury.  Statistics  of  the  death  rate 
per  thousand  and  cost  of  insurance  among 
these  friendly  societies  are  naturally  affected 
by  the  irregular  nature  of  the  benefits  paid 
and  systems  of  dues  and  assessments,  and  are 
therefore  unclassifiable. 

American  Benefit  Society. — This  is 
one  of  the  smaller  mutual  assessment  bene- 
ficiary fraternities  ;  but  although  incor- 
porated as  late  as  1893,  by  Cliarles  H.  Burr, 
George  B.  Stevens,  Lewis  N.  Qushman, 
Geoi'ge  H.  Johnson,  Daniel  T.  Buzzell,  Ja- 
cob Billings,  Jr.,  and  Samuel  Shaw,  of 
Massachusetts,  it  already  numbers  nearly 
five  thousand  members,  and  is  growing  rap- 


idly. It  issues  certificates  to  members  for 
$250,  $500,  $1,000,  or  $2,000,  and  Lodges 
pay  weekly  sick  benefits,  and  dues  and  as- 
sessments of  members  while  sick,  in  their 
option.  Its  method  of  assessment  to  meet 
death  benefits  is  approved  by  some  of  the 
best  fraternal  actuaries  in  the  country,  and, 
as  in  only  one  of  two  other  instances  among 
like  organizations,  a  formal  initiation  is  not 
necessary  to  acquire  membership.  The  cere- 
mony of  initiation  is  said  to  be  simple,  yet 
dignified,  but  those  who  prefer  may  take  the 
obligation  before  a  supreme  officer  and  se- 
cure membership  as  effectually  as  at  a  reg- 
ular meeting.  Men  and  women  between  the 
ages  of  eighteen  and  forty-five,  who  may  be 
socially  acceptable,  believers  in  a  Supreme 
Being,  and  able  to  earn  a  livelihood,  are 
eligible  to  membership.  The  organization 
will  not  enter  any  except  the  more  health- 
ful regions  of  northern  States,  and  at  pres- 
ent has  Lodges  in  all  the  New  England 
States.  Its  i^ublished  list  of  some  of  its 
better  known  certificate  holders  includes 
governors  of  States  and  a  long  list  of  State, 
national,  and  municipal  officials.  There  are 
also  found  the  names  of  prominent  officers 
of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen, 
Knights  of  Honor,  Eoyal  Arcanum,  Eoyal 
Society  of  Good  Fellows,  Workmen's  Bene- 
fit Association,  Improved  Order  of  Hepta- 
sophs,  American  Legion  of  Honor,  Good 
Templars,  Order  of  the  Golden  Cross,  Im- 
proved Order  of  Eed  Men,  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  Freemasons. 
The  list  of  lawyers,  physicians,  bank  offi- 
cials, editors,  publishers,  and  business  men 
throughout  New  England  who  are  identified 
with  the  Society  would  prove  an  addition  to 
any  similar  organization.  The  headquar- 
ters of  the  society  are  at  Boston. 

American  Benevolent  Legion. — A 
newly  organized  mutual  assessment  bene- 
ficiary society,  with  headquarters  at  San 
Francisco. 

American  Fraternal  Insurance 
Union. — Organized  at  Batavia,  N.  Y., 
within  the  past  few  years,  a  beneficiary  and 


AMERICAN   LEGION   OF   HONOR 


123 


social  association  for  men  and  women.  Its 
Lodges  are  scattered  through  western  New 
York. 

Auiericau  Insurance  Union. — Organ- 
ized at  Columbus,  0.,  1894,  by  members  of 
the  Fraternal  Mystic  Circle,  who  were  dis- 
satisfied with  the  course  pursued  by  the 
latter,  as  well  as  by  members  of  the  Na- 
tional Union,  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias, 
the  Odd  Fellows,  and  the  Masonic  Frater- 
nity. It  partially  paralleled  the  increasing 
rate  of  assessments,  according  to  age, 
which  had  done  so  much  to  build  up  and 
strengthen  the  National  Union,  and  provides 
for  death,  total  disability,  and  old  age  bene- 
fits. The  form  of  government  is  the  usual 
one  in  similar  secret  beneficiary  societies, 
and  includes  local  and  State  Chapters,  to- 
gether with  a  National  (or  supreme)  Chapter, 
the  highest  legislative  authority.  Member- 
ship is  confined  to  men  and  women  between 
15  and  49  years  of  age,  residing  in  the 
more  healthful  portions  of  the  United 
States,  ''  who  are  engaged  in  preferred  oc- 
cupations." Death  benefits  of  sums  rang- 
ing from  1500  to  ^3,000,  permanent  total 
disability  benefits  of  from  $250  to  $1,500, 
and  old  age  benefits  of  like  amounts  arc 
paid,  and  the  Union  is  under  the  super- 
yision  of  the  insurance  department  of  the 
State  of  Ohio.  The  ritual  teaches  ''All 
for  one  and  one  for  all,"  which  suggests  the 
motto  of  the  Knights  of  Labor,  but  is  in- 
terpreted differently.  The  emblem  consists 
of  a  circular  band  containing  thirteen  stars, 
and  in  them  the  letters  forming  the  words 
"Helj)  in  Need,"  the  whole  surrounding 
the  initial  letters  of  the  name  of  the  organ- 
ization. While  among  the  younger  of  sim- 
ilar societies,  the  Union,  which  started  out 
with  500  members,  has  enjoyed  rapid  in- 
crease in  membership  and  gives  promise  of 
realizing  the  anticipations  of  those  who 
created  it. 

American  Order  of  I>ruids. — Organ- 
ized by  William  Pearson  and  William  A. 
Dunn,  at  Fall  Kiver,  Mass.,  and  chartered 
Mav  17,  1888,  under  the  laws  of  the  State 


of  Massachusetts.  Its  first  Council  was 
organized  at  Fall  River,  July  9,  1888.  It 
forms  one  of  several  secret,  fraternal,  bene- 
ficiary organizations  to  which  men  and 
women  are  both  eligible,  which  confine 
their  operations  to  the  New  England  States. 
Among  its  founders  were  members  of  the 
Grand  United  Order  of  Druids  in  the 
United  States,  the  Ancient  Order  of 
United  Workmen,  and  the  United  Order  of 
Pilgrim  Fathers.  It  pays  sick  and  death 
benefits  by  means  of  assessments.  It  has 
2,300  members. 

American  Ijegion  of  Honor. — One  of 
the  best  known  among  the  larger  and  more 
popular  fraternal,  social,  and  beneficiary 
assessment  societies,  founded  by  Dr.  Darius 
Wilson  and  nine  others  of  Boston,  Decem- 
ber 18,  1878.  It  admits  to  membership 
white  men  and  women,  between  18  and  50 
years  of  age,  and  is  governed  by  a  Supreme 
Council.  Subordinate  Councils,  which  are 
widely  scattered  throughout  the  Union,  are 
directed  in  matters  of  local  interest  by 
Grand  or  State  Councils,  representatives 
from  which,  and  all  Past  Supreme  Com- 
manders, make  up  the  Supreme  Council. 
The  ritualistic  and  initiatory  features  are 
less  pronounced  than  those  of  most  similar 
societies  in  the  United  States.  Prospective 
members  are  informed  that  initiatory  cere- 
monies, if  objected  to,  may  be  dispensed 
with  by  assuming  a  formal  obligation  at 
any  convenient  time  and  place.  Originally 
the  maximum  age  of  eligibility  to  member- 
ship was  G4  years,  but  this  was  reduced  to 
50  years  in  1885.  The  Order  insures  the 
lives  of  its  members  for  $1,000,  $2,000,  and 
$3,000  each,  at  their  o])tion,  certificates 
of  which  carry  a  graduated  weekly  relief 
benefit.  Some  of  the  founders  were  among 
those  who  organized  the  Royal  Arcanum, 
and  one.  Dr.  Wilson,  was  connected  with 
the  Knights  of  Honor.  Since  its  founda- 
tion the  Order  has  paid  more  than  $30,000,- 
000  in  death  and  relief  benefits.  The  pro- 
portion of  women  to  men  among  its  mem- 
bershij)  in  1894  was  about  as  one  to  seven. 


124 


ANCIENT   ORDER,  KNIGHTS   OF   THE   MYSTIC   CHAIN 


The  American  Legion  of  Honor  suffered 
from  increased  expenses,  death  rate,  and  lack 
of  new  members  during  1895  and  1896,  as 
did  some  other  similar  organizations.  Mem- 
bers accounted  for  the  situation  by  ''  un- 
usually heavy  assessments  in  1896,"  owing 
to  ''increased  debts,"  the  ^'hard  times," 
and  a  "smaller  proportion  of  new  mem- 
bers," which  a  grand  total  of  36,028  mem- 
bers December  31,  1896,  compared  witb 
53,210  on  December  31,  1895,  and  62,457 
at  the  close  of  1889  (the  maximum),  would 
seem  to  confirm.  Leading  members  of  the 
Supreme  Council  are  men  of  experience  in 
fraternal  insurance  societies,  and  with  co- 
operation from  the  rank  and  file  of  the 
Order  were  able  to  so  conduct  the  society's 
affairs  as  to  restore  the  prosperity  the  or- 
ganization previously  enjoyed.  The  chief 
emblem  of  the  Legion  is  a  modification  of 
the  cross  of  the  French  Legion  of  Honor, 
which  has  the  Maltese  Cross  for  its  model, 
and  has  been  conspicuous,  under  various 
forms,  as  the  basis  of  so  many  decorations. 
In  1879,  the  year  following  the  founding 
of  the  American  Legion  of  Honor,  the  Iowa 
Legion  of  Honor,  a  similar  society,  was  or- 
ganized at  Cedar  Eapids,  and  does  busi- 
ness in  that  State  only.  In  1884  the 
Northwestern  Legion  of  Honor  was  organ- 
ized and  incorporated  to  do  business  in 
Iowa,  Nebraska,  Kansas,  Minnesota,  North 
and  South  Dakota. 

Ancient  Order,  Knights  of  the  Mys- 
tic Chain. — This  secret  organization  is  con- 
spicuous among  the  hundred-and-one  of  the 
last  generation  by  reason  of  its  not  having 
been  started  as  a  mutual  insurance  society. 
Its  high-sounding  title  becomes  simpler 
when  it  is  realized  that  this  modern  broth- 
erhood is  founded  on  traditions  and  fancies 
which  hedge  themselves  about  King  Arthur 
and  the  Knights  of  the  Eound  Table, 
whence  the  designation,  "  Ancient  Order." 
One  is  compelled  to  compare  it  with  the 
Order  of  Foresters  rather  than  the  Odd  Fel- 
lows, for  the  basis  of  the  rituals  of  the  first 
two  are  found  in  English  romance,  and  are 


beautiful,  popular,  and  attractive.  Both 
Odd  Fellows  and  Foresters'  societies  have 
similar  purposes,  and  differ  from  Freema- 
sonry. The  point  to  this  lies  in  the  resem- 
blance of  the  Ancient  Order,  Knights  of 
the  Mystic  Chain  to  the  Odd  Fellows  and 
Foresters,  in  the  face  of  the  fact  that  it  is 
the  creation  of  Freemasons,  and  bears  many 
imprints  of  the  handiwork  of  the  Craft. 
Not  until  eighteen  years  after  it  was  founded 
did  the  Sir  Knights  of  the  Mystic  Chain 
incorporate  an  insurance  feature  like  those 
adopted  by  so  many  other  secret  societies 
founded  in  the  past  thirty*  years.  The 
Ancient  Order,  Knights  of  the  Mystic  Chain 
was  founded  at  Eeading,  Pa.,  February  2, 
1871,  by  John  0.  Matthew,  locomotive  en- 
gineer on  the  Philadelphia  and  Eeading 
Eailroad,  and  John  M.  Brown,  merchant. 
John  0.  Matthew  was  alive  in  1897,  blind 
and  helpless,  the  charge  of  subordinate  Cas- 
tles of  Pennsylvania.  John  M.  Brown  died 
June  10,  1880.  Both  founders  were  Free- 
masons, and  the  emblem  of  the  Order,  em- 
bodying the  All-Seeing  Eye  over  the  holy 
Bible  upon  an  altar,  suggests  the  earlier 
influences  surrounding  it,  yet  at  the  first 
initiation  ceremony  twenty-one  Knights 
of  Pythias  became  Knights  of  the  Mystic 
Chain. 

The  purposes  of  the  Order  are  to  relieve 
brethren  in  sickness,  accident,  or  distress  ; 
mutual  assistance  in  business  and  to  procure 
employment ;  to  assist  and  care  for  widows 
and  orphans  of  deceased  members  ;  to  create 
greater  love  for  country,  homes,  and  fire- 
sides ;  to  teach  obedience  and  fidelity  to  the 
laws  of  the  country  in  which  they  live,  and 
to  bind  together  the  members  of  the  Order 
in  one  common  brotherhood.  Partisanship 
and  sectarianism  are  excluded.  The  motto 
or  ensign  is  "  Loyalty,  Obedience,  and  Fi- 
delity ;"  and  the  ''mark"  is  a  pentagon, 
bearing  on  each  of  its  sides  an  inverted  lower 
half  of  an  isosceles  triangle,  the  whole  sug- 
gesting one  form  of  a  Maltese  cross  of  five 
arms.  This  furnishes  five  distinct  fields,  in 
the  first  of  which,  white,  is  an  open  book ; 


ANCIENT   ORDER,  KNIGHTS   OF   THE   MYSTIC   CHAIN 


125 


in  the  second,  blue,  a  shield  and  spear  ;  in 
the  third,  red,  skull  and  cross  bones  ;  in  the 
fourth,  red.  crossed  swords  ;  in  the  fifth, 
black,  tlie  All-Seeing  Eye  ;  and  in  the 
centre,  letters,  the  meaning  of  which  is 
known  only  to  Mark  degree  members.  On 
the  reverse,  in  the  centre  field  is  an  em- 
bossed castle,  which  is  the  mark  of  the 
highest  rank.  There  are  slight  changes  for 
those  lower  in  rank  or  degree. 

The  Order  has  four  branches,  all  of  which 
are  subordinate  to  the  Supreme  Castle. 
They  are,  first,  the  civic  branch,  with  the 
Supreme  Castle,  Select  (State)  Castles,  and 
subordinate  Castles,  which  initiate  mem- 
bers ;  second,  the  military  rank,  or  degree  ; 
third,  the  insurance  benefit  fund ;  and, 
fourth,  the  degree  of  Naomi,  or  Daughters 
of  Ruth.  Subordinate  Castles  send  two 
Past  Commanders  yearly  as  representatives 
to  Select  Castles.  Every  Past  Commander 
is  a  member  of  a  Select  Castle,  but  has  no 
vote  on  questions  of  law,  unless  elected  a 
representative.  Past  Commanders  of  subor- 
dinate Castles  vote  for  a  Past  Select  Com- 
mander as  representative  to  the  Sujjreme 
Castle.  Each  State  is  allowed  one  represen- 
tative to  the  Supreme  Castle  for  every  one 
thousand  members,  but  no  State  can  elect 
more  than  ten  such.  The  Supreme  Castle, 
of  course,  is  the  highest  authority  in  the 
Order. 

Three  degrees  are  conferred  in  subordi- 
nate Castles,  which  every  member  must  re- 
ceive in  order  to  participate  in  the  benefit 
fund  :  1.  White,  or  Esquire  degree  ;  2. 
Blue,  or  Sir  Knight's  degree  ;  and  3.  Red, 
or  Round  Table  degree.  The  fourth  degree 
is  only  for  those  who  wish  to  connect  them- 
selves Avith  the  military  rank.  All  past 
officers  of  subordinate  Castles  receive  from 
the  Select  Castle  a  Past  Commander's  or 
Mark  degree,  which  puts  them  in  possessio7i 
of  the  essentials  to  gain  admission  to  the  Se- 
lect Castle,  and  after  they  shall  have  passed 
through  the  chairs  makes  them  members 
of  the  State  Body.  The  Supreme  Castle 
confers  the  Supreme  degree,  which  makes 


recipients  members  of  the  Supreme  Castle, 
but  without  a  vote,  unless  elected  represen- 
tatives. While  there  is  nothing  Masonic 
in  this  arrangement,  yet  Freemasons  prob- 
ably helped  to  j)lan  it. 

In  the  Esquire  degree  the  candidate  is 
instructed  in  the  fundamental  principles  of 
the  Order  by  a  reference  to  the  Good  Samar- 
itan ;  in  the  Sir  Knight's  degree,  in  the 
lesson  to  be  learned  from  the  chivalry  of 
the  time  of  King  Artliur,  and  the  im{)or- 
tance  of  exercising  love,  mercy,  friendship, 
benevolence,  and  charity  toward  his  fellow- 
men  ;  while  in  the  third,  or  Round  Table 
degree,  the  candidate  is  impressed  with  the 
uncertainty  of  life  and  the  certainty  of 
death. 

On  Februaiy  2,  1871,  Matthew  Castle, 
No.  1,  was  instituted  at  Reading,  Pa.,  being 
named  after  one  of  the  founders.  On  July 
17th,  the  same  year,  the  First  Select  Castle 
was  instituted  at  Reading,  and'  on  Septem- 
ber 16,  187  L,  the  Su])reme  Castle  of  the  Or- 
der was  instituted  at  the  same  city.  For 
a  time  progress  was  slow,  due  in  part  to  the 
financial  dejiression  following  the  panic  of 
1873.  But  ten  years  later,  when  the  Select 
Castle  of  Pennsylvania  met  for  the  second 
time  at  Reading,  there  were  sixty  subordi- 
inate  Castles  reported,  with  a  total  (Penn- 
sylvania) membership  of  2,500.  About 
that  time  the  Order  began  to  gain  strength 
in  New  Jersey  and  Delaware,  where  Select 
Castles  had  been  established,  and  by  1890 
Select  Castles  had  been  placed  in  New 
York,  New  Jersey,  Rhode  Island,  Delaware, 
Maryland,  Virginia,  West  Virginia,  and 
Ohio.  There  are  also  Subordinate  Castles 
under  the  sujiervision  of  the  Supreme 
Castle  in  Connecticut,  Massachusetts,  New 
Hampshire,  Michigan,  Indiana,  and  Louisi- 
ana. The  Order  enters  its  second  quarter 
century  with  a  total  membership  of  about 
40,000,  of  which  10,000  are  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  about  1,000  in  the  six  States 
named  in  which  Castles  exist  by  authority 
of  the  Supreme  Castle,  leaving  about  24,000 
members    in   the   eio^ht    States   of    Rliode 


126 


ANCIENT   ORDER   OF   FORESTERS 


Island,  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Delaware, 
Maryland,  Virginia,  AVest  Virginia,  and 
Ohio. 

The  military  rank  or  degree  was  intro- 
duced by  the  Supreme  Castle  in  1880,  but 
at  that  time  had  no  military  head,  and  was 
designed  merely  to  attract  members.  The 
plan  failed,  and  in  1889  the  Supreme  Castle 
elected  a  military  head  to  the  rank,  with  the 
title  of  Commander-General.  The  bodies 
were  no  longer  called  Commanderies,  the 
rank  being  jJatterned,  as  to  tactics  and  uni- 
form, after  the  United  States  Army.  Arms 
used  are  the  straight  sword  for  all  except 
mounted  officers,  who  carry  military  sabers. 
The  Commander-General,  who  must  be  a 
member  of  the  Supreme  Castle,  is  elected 
for  three  years  by  the  commissioned  officers 
of  the  several  States.  This  branch,  which 
is  now  firmly  established,  is  divided  into 
companies,  battalions,  regiments,  brigades, 
and  divisions.  It  is  "  the  only  military 
secret  organization  which  uses  the  United 
States  Army  tactics  exclusively,"  and  in- 
cludes five  regiments  and  three  battalions, 
forming  one  brigade,  and  seven  unattached 
companies,  with  a  total  membership,  Sep- 
tember, 1896,  of  1,680. 

The  insurance  feature  was  introduced  in 
1889,  and  is  known  as  the  Funeral  Benefit 
Belief  Fund.  It  is  controlled  by  officers 
and  a  Board  of  Directors  elected  by  the  Su- 
preme Castle,  who  report  annually  to  that 
body.  Participants  in  the  benefits  of  this 
fund  are  members  of  Castles  in  good  stand- 
ing and  health,  between  eighteen  and  fifty 
years  of  age,  and  women  members  of  the 
degree  of  Naomi,  between  sixteen  and  fifty 
years  of  age.  Assessments  are  twenty  cents 
each,  payable  monthly.  The  death  benefit 
is  eighty  per  cent,  of  one  assessment,  but  in 
no  case  shall  it  exceed  $5i50.  Of  the  re- 
mainder, 15  per  cent,  is  placed  in  the  gen- 
eral fund  and  5  per  cent,  in  the  sinking 
fund  to  be  invested  by  the  Board  of  Mana- 
gers. The  total  membership  in  this  depart- 
ment on  December  31,  1896,  was  2,278. 
Weekly  sick  benefits  paid  by  Castles  range 


from  four  to  ten  dollars.  At  the  death  of 
the  wife  of  a  member,  benefits  of  from 
thirty  to  one  hundred  dollars  are  paid  ;  and 
at  the  death  of  a  member,  benefits  of  from 
fifty  to  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 

The  'Mady  degree,"  known  as  degree  of 
Naomi,  or  Daughters  of  Euth,  was  intro- 
duced in  1890.  Subordinate  bodies  are 
called  Assemblies.  This  degree  was  for- 
merly under  the  supervision  of  the  Supreme 
Castle,  but  its  growth  was  so  rapid  it  was 
thought  best  to  allow  members  to  legislate 
for  themselves.  Each  Assembly  now  elects 
a  Past  Commander,  representative  to  its 
Grand  (State)  Assembly,  and  each  Grand 
Assembly  elects  two  representatives  to  the 
Supreme  Castle  of  the  Ancient  Order, 
Knights  of  the  Mystic  Chain,  all  of  whom 
must  be  Past  Grand  Commanders.  They 
are  admitted  to  meetings  of  the  Supreme 
Castle  only  when  the  latter  is  working  or 
legislating  for  the  degree  of  Naomi.  This 
branch  is  established  in  Pennsylvania,  New 
York,  West  Virginia,  Virginia,  Ohio,  New 
Jersey,  Ehode  Island,  New  Hampshire,  and 
Delaware,  and  the  total  membership  is 
3,500.  Weekly  benefits  average  four  dol- 
lars, and  death  benefits  fifty  dollars.  All 
men  taking  the  degree  of  Naomi  must  be 
members  of  a  Castle.  There  is  no  known 
connection  between  the  degree  of  Naomi, 
or  Daughters  of  Ruth,  attached  to  the  An- 
cient Order,  Knights  of  the  Mystic  Chain, 
and  any  of  several  other  similarly  named 
secret  societies  for  men  and  women. 

Ancient  Order  of  Foresters. — The 
Ancient  Order  of  Foresters  in  the  United 
States. is  the  lineal  descendant  of  the  Eng- 
lish Order.  The  first  Court  is  now  dead, 
having  been  established  in  Philadelphia  in 
1832.  When,  at  the  Minneapolis  Conven- 
tion, about  53,000  out  of  56,000  members 
seceded  from  English  authority  and  called 
themselves  the  Ancient  Order  of  Foresters  of 
America,  it  left  the  remaining  Courts  of  the 
Ancient  (English)  Order  in  this  country  to 
apply  for  a  form  of  local  government  to  the 
High  Court  of  England,  and  to  begin  again 


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CHART     SHOWING     RELATIONSHIP     OF     THE    AMERICAN     AND     CANADIAN 

ORDERS   OF   FORESTERS   TO   THE   PARENT   EN(}LISH   <)IU)ER   OF 

THAT    ANCIENT    AND    HONORABLE    FRATERNITY. 


128 


ANCIENT   ORDER   OF   GLEANERS 


the  work  of  recruiting  its  depleted  mem- 
bership. Two  Subsidiary  High  Courts 
were  granted  in  1891,  one  for  tlie  Atlantic, 
Central,  and  Southern  States,  and  the 
other  for  remaining  States  of  the  Union. 
Within  the  past  six  years  its  increase  in 
membership  has  been  noteworthy,  the  total 
including  about  36,000  men  and  3,300 
women.  Women  have  been  admitted  to 
full  membership  since  1892,  notwithstand- 
ing the  incorporation  in  this  Order  of 
Circles  of  Companions  of  the  Forest.  The 
ritual  of  the  Ancient  Order  in  America  has 
been  greatly  amplified,  by  permission  of 
the  High  Court  of  England.  Like  other 
branches  of  Foresters,  the  Ancient  Order  is 
primarily  a  sick  and  funeral  benefit  society. 
It  has  an  endowment  benefit,  but  it  is  op- 
tional. Sick  and  funeral  benefits  are  paid 
from  fixed  contributions  graded  according 
to  age  at  entry,  and  upon  Foresters'  ex- 
perience tables.  Endowments  are  paid 
from  assessments  graded  according  to  age 
at  entry,  based  on  Foresters'  mortality 
tables.  British  Forestry,  including  Courts 
in  the  United  States,  Canada,  Bermuda, 
British  Guiana,  British  Honduras,  Spain, 
Hawaiian  Islands,  Holland,  British  India, 
Malta,  New  Sonth  Wales,  New  Zealand, 
Peru,  Queensland,  St.  Helena,  Cajje  of  Good 
Hope,  Natal,  South  African  Republic,  South 
Australia,  Tasmania,  Victoria,  on  the  Gold 
Coast,  at  Lagos,  in  Central  America,  the 
United  States  of  Colombia,  British  and 
Danish  West  Indies,  Hayti,  and  West  Aus- 
tralia, has  paid  sick  and  death  benefits  since 
1854  in  excess  of  $85,000,000.  Prior  to  the 
date  named,  returns  were  incomplete  or 
unreliable.  This  is  the  great  fraternity 
which  ranks  almost  with  the  Manchester 
Unity  Odd  Fellows  in  total  membership,  in 
distribution  throughout  the  world,  and  in 
the  enormous  sums  paid  annually  to  sick 
and  distressed  members.  Its  present  grand 
total  membershipis  nearly  900,000.  The  pro- 
portion of  the  membership  of  the  Order  in 
the  United  States  is  about  4  per  cent.  Fully 
85  per  cent,  is  found  in  the  United  Kingdom. 


Aucieut  Order  of  Gleaners. — A  com- 
paratively recent  fraternal,  beneficiary  so- 
ciety, organized  at  Cairo,  Mich. 

Ancient  Order  of  Pyramids. — A  new 

fraternal,  beneficiary  society,   organized  at 
Topeka,  Kan. 

Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen 

(1868).— The  Ancient  Order  of  United 
Workmen,  characterized  as  the  oldest  of  the 
great  fraternal,  beneficiary  Orders  in  the 
United  States,  was  founded  at  Meadville, 
Pa.,  October  27,  1868,  by  John  Jordon  Up- 
church,  a  Freemason,  Avho,  with  others,  had 
become  dissatisfied  with  and  had  retired 
from  "  The  League  of  Friendship,  Supreme 
Mechanical  Order  of  the  Sun."  *  The  first 
Lodge  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United 
Workmen  was  named  Jefferson,  No.  1,  and 
the  constitution  adopted  by  it  provided  that 
only  white  male  persons  should  be  eligible 
to  membership;  that  this  provision  should 
never  be  altered,  amended,  or  exjjunged; 
and  that  when  the  total  membership  should 
amount  to  one  thousand,  an  insurance  office 
should  be  established  and  policies  issued 
securing  at  the  death  of  a  member  not  less 
than  1500  to  be  paid  to  his  lawful  heirs. 
A  Provincial  Grand  Lodge  was  formed  in 
1869,  when  the  amount  of  insurance  was 
placed  at  not  less  than  12,000,  and  a  uni- 
form assessment  established  of  $1.  By  1870 
fi.ve  Lodges  were  represented  at  the  Provin- 
cial Grand  Lodge.  As  in  other  Orders,  dis- 
sensions arose,  and  for  two  years  there  were 
two  rival  Grand  Lodges.  But  by  1872 
union  and  harmony  i^revailed,  and  the  Or- 
der entered  on  a  career  of  growth  and  j^ros- 
perity.  Its  total  membership  in  about  6,000 
Lodges,  in  1895,  was  in  excess  of  318,000 
in  the  United  States,  and  nearly  32,000  in, 
Canada,  a  striking  record  for  practically 
tw-enty-four  5'ears  of  active  existence,  but 
which  is  less  remarkable  than  the  sum  total 
paid  to  widows  and  orphans  between  1869 
and  1895,  more  than  $70,000,000.  The 
government    of    the    Order    rests    in    the 

*  Not  known  to  exist  to-day. 


ANCIENT   ORDER  OF   UNITED   WORKMEN    (1868) 


129 


Supreme  Lodge, which  pays  benefits  to  mem- 
bers or  heirs  of  members  of  subordiuate 
Lodges  in  a  State,  Territory,  or  province 
not  having  a  Grand  Lodge  of  its  own,  and 
has  control  of  the  general  laws  of  the  Or- 
der. Grand  Lodges  under  the  Supreme 
Lodge  control  the  benefit  funds  of  their  own 
States  or  provincial  jurisdictions.  Li  rela- 
tion to  its  method  of  insurance,  surprise  has 
been  expressed  that  the  Order  has  so  long 
continued  its  siiccessful  career,  notwith- 
standing its  refusal  to  assess  members  accord- 
ing to  age  at  initiation,  as  is  done  by  nearly 
all  other  of  the  larger  and  similar  secret  so- 
cieties; and  by  its  insistance  that  its  Grand 
(and  Provincial)  Lodges  shall  receive  and 
disburse  all  death  benefits  which  are  based 
on  assessments,  made  at  the  uniform  rate  of 
$1  i>ev  capita,  irrespective  of  the  fact  that 
the  death  rate  varies  in  different  States. 
AVhen  the  death  rate  is  excessive  in  any  par- 
ticular jurisdiction,  and  assessments  there 
reach  a  certain  point,  determined  by  the 
Supreme  Lodge,  any  additional  assessment 
which  may  be  required  is  met  by  a  levy 
iipon  the  Order  as  a  whole.  Sick  and 
funeral  benefits  are  not  comprised  within 
the  objects  for  which  the  Order  was  estab- 
lished. It  is  optional  with  subordinate 
Lodges  to  provide  the  same,  or  either  of 
them,  but  comparatively  few  do  so.  The 
ritual  and  emblems  of  the  Order  betray  the 
]\Iasonic  influence  which  has  presided  at  the 
birth  of  so  many  modern  secret,  fraternal, 
beneficiary  fraternities.  Its  objects,  covered 
by  its  watchwords,  "  Charity,  Hope,  and 
Protection,"  are  illustrated  in  its  ceremo- 
nies of  initiation.  As  in  Masonic  and  other 
secret  societies,  it  has  three  degrees;  but  even 
more  significant  are  the  All-Seeing  Eye,  the 
Holy  Bible,  anchor,  and,  singularly  enough, 
the  square  and  compasses  among  its  more 
frequently  displayed  emblems.  There  is  an 
auxiliary  branch  for  women  (and  men  who 
are  members  of  the  Order)  called  the  De- 
gree of  Honor.  This  has  proved  quite  as 
popular  among  the  families  of  members  as 
has  the  Daughters  of  Kebekah  among  Odd 
9 


Fellows,  the  Companions  of  the  Forest 
allied  to  the  Foresters  of  America,  and  other 
like  societies  auxiliary  to  secret  organiza- 
tions for  men.  Its  membership  is  fully 
40,000,  mostly  women.  In  imitation  of  the 
so-called  Masonic  "side  degree,"  the  Work- 
men, who,  by  the  way,  are  not  necessarily 
artisans,  and  in  no  sense  constitute  a  trades 
union,  confer  what  is  officially  entitled  the 
Order  of  MoguUians.  This  is  said  to  fur- 
nish amusement  as  well  as  substantial  bene- 
fits. It  Avould  seem  to  the  student  of  the 
sociological  function  of  secret,  assessment, 
beneficiary  Orders  that  while  the  Ancient 
Order  of  L'nited  Workmen  is  perhaps  the 
oldest  and  among  the  more  successful  of  its 
class  in  the  L'nited  States,  while  its  affairs 
are  managed  capably,  and  its  membership 
ranks  second  only  to  that  of  the  Odd  Fel- 
lows, the  Freemasons,  and  Knights  of 
Pythias  among  non-political  secret  organi- 
zations, that  sooner  or  later  there  may  de- 
velop a  necessity  for  a  revision  of  its  assess- 
ment insurance  system  in  the  direction  at 
least  of  a  grading  of  payments  according  to 
age,  and  the  jdacing  of  death  benefit  funds 
in  the  hands  of  the  supreme  governing  body. 
All  great  and  good  movements  that  have 
filled  a  place  in  history  have  shed  lustre 
upon  the  place  of  their  birth.  Mt.  Vernon 
had  its  AVashington,  Springfield  its  Lincoln, 
and  Meadville  its  L^pchurch;  and  from  the 
seed  planted  b}'  the  latter  has  grown  the 
tree  of  mutual  protection,  under  whose  shel- 
ter to-day  millions  rest  in  security  from 
want  and  dependence.  The  Ancient  Order 
of  L'nited  Workmen  lays  no  claim  to  dis- 
tinction as  the  originator  of  the  idea  of  life 
insurance,  as  that  existed  many  years  prior 
to  its  birth;  but  its  recognized  claim  to 
originality  rests  on  the  fact  of  its  applying 
the  principles  of  life  insurance  in  a  novel 
and  cheap  way,  coupled  with  the  care  of  the 
sick,  the  relieving  of  the  distressed,  and  the 
moral,  social,  and  intellectual  betterment  of 
its  membership.  The  idea  of  forming  a  so- 
ciety that  should  ]iarallel  the  relief  of  the 
sick  and  burial  of  the  dead  of  the  secret. 


130 


ATLANTIC   SELF-ENDOWMENT   ASSOCIATION   OF  AMERICA 


fraternal,  beneficiary  organizations  of  thirty 
years  and  more  ago,  which,  in  addition, 
should  extend  its  beneficence  to  the  widows 
and  orphans  of  its  deceased  members  in  a 
stipulated  sum  of  money  sufficient  to  secure 
them  from  want,  was  an  untried  experi- 
ment until  the  organization  of  the  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen.  Following  in 
its  wake,  scores  of  other  assessment,  secret, 
insurance  societies  have  divided  the  field  of 
life  insurance  in  the  United  States  with  the 
old-line  companies.  From  its  ranks  have 
sj)rung  many  organizations  of  like  character. 
Prior  to  the  Civil  War  protection  for  widows 
and  orphans  through  the  medium  of  life 
insurance  was  within  the  means  of  the  well- 
to-do  only.  To-day  it  is  the  privilege  of 
the  humblest.  The  founder  of  the  Order, 
John  Jordon  Upchnrch,  Avas  a  mechanic^ 
and  in  18G8  was  in  the  employ  of  the  Atlan- 
tic and  Great  Western  Eailroad.  He  was 
possessed  of  no  marked  literary  attainments, 
but  was  a  keen  observer  of  men  and  events, 
was  possessed  of  good  reasoning  powers,  and, 
above  all,  a  philanthropic  nature.  His  orig- 
inal object  was  not  so  much  to  establish  a 
system  of  insurance  as  to  bring  together 
then  conflicting  social  interests,  capital  and 
labor,  to  provide  means  of  arbitration  with 
which  to  settle  difficulties  that  were  con- 
stantly arising.  This  feature  has  since  been 
eliminated  to  make  room  for  that  of  nintual 
protection.  Viewed  to-day,  the  manage- 
ment of  the  Order  at  the  beginning  was 
crude  and  unbusiness-like,  and  its  success  is 
undoubtedly  due  more  to  the  integrity  and 
sincerity  of  its  members  and  to  the  rapid 
growth  of  the  Society  than  to  the  early  em- 
ployment of  distinctly  business  j)rinciples. 
The  first  five  years  of  its  history  developed 
little  success  and  much  opposition.  It  was 
not  until  the  session  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of 
Pennsylvania,  held  at  Meadville,  Pa.,  in 
January,  1873,  at  which  time  the  Order 
numbered  only  800  members,  that  it  gave 
promise  of  real  growth.  Since  the  organi- 
zation of  the  Supreme  Lodge  in  February, 
1873,  the  Order  has  prospered  almost  be- 


yond precedent  and  ranks  to-day  among  the 
first  of  its  class.  Senators  M.  S.  Quay,  J.  C. 
S.  Blackburn,  Congressman  J.  G.  Cannon, 
ex-Governor  James  E.  Campbell  of  Ohio, 
and  William  Jennings  Bryan  are  members 
of  this  Order. 

Atlantic  Self-EndoAVineiit  Associatiou 
of  America. — Formed  at  Greenville,  S.  C, 
in  1886,  to  insure  the  lives  of  its  members 
by  means  of  mutual  assessments.  Eeported 
dead. 

Big  Four  Fraternal  Liife  Association. 
— Organized  at  Denver,  Colo.,  to  pay  sick 
and  death  benefits  by  means  of  mutual  as- 
sessments. 

Canadian  Order  of  Chosen  Friends. 
— Formed  in  1801  and  1892  by  seceding 
members  of  the  Order  of  Chosen  Friends 
resident  in  the  Canadian  Dominion.  The 
parent  Order  was  arranging  to  give  its  Cana- 
dian membershij)  separate  jurisdiction  in 
order  not  to  antagonize  the  Dominion  in- 
surance laws  when  the  secession  took  place. 

Canadian  Order  of  Foresters. — Be- 
tween the  Canadian  branch  and  the.  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Foresters,  from  which  it 
sprung  in  1879,  there  developed  a  sharp 
rivalry  and  antagonism  which  lasted  four  or 
five  years — in  fact,  until  the  latter  so  far 
outran  the  Canadian  Society  in  membership 
as  to  render  rivalry  out  of  the  question. 
(See  Independent  Order  of  Foresters  of  Illi- 
nois and  the  Independent  Order  of  Fores- 
ters.) The  Canadian  Order,  of  course,  is 
only  one  of  four  Orders  of  Forestry  in  the 
Dominion,  the  largest  being  the  Inde2:)en- 
dent,  from  which  the  Canadian  Order  se- 
ceded, after  which  rank  the  Ancient  (Eng- 
lish) Order  and  (one  Court  of)  the  Foresters 
of  America.  The  Canadian  Order  has  pros- 
pered, having  increased  from  850  members 
in  1880,  to  nearly  23,000  within  seventeen 
years.  Like  other  branches  of  the  tree  of 
Forestry,  it  retains  the  characteristic  titles, 
ritual,  legend,  and  form  of  government  of 
the  parent  society.  It  does  not  seek  mem- 
bership out  of  the  Canadian  Dominion,  and, 
like  the  Independent  Order,  charges  a  fixed 


EMPIRE   KNIGHTS   OF   RELIEF 


131 


monthl}'  premium  with  which  to  pay  death 
benefits,  confining  sick  and  other  benefits  to 
assessments.  It  pays  -SoOO,  81,000,  -^1,500, 
or  82,000  benefits  at  death,  besides  sick  and 
funeral  benefits  (which  are  optional),  and 
furnishes  members  with  medical  attendance 
free.  Since  1879  the  Canadian  Order  has 
paid  over  81,297,356  to  members  and  their 
dependents  in  insurance  and  benefits.  Its 
funds  are  all  invested  in  Canada,  and  thus 
far  it  has  reported  an  exceedingly  low  death 
rate,  only  4.(J0  per  1,000  in  its  seventeenth 
year.  This,  like  the  Independent  Order, 
appears  to  make  a  feature  of  its  insurance 
and  other  beneficial  advantages,  rather 
more  than  some  other  secret,  beneficiary 
societies.  The  seat  of  government  of  the 
Society  is  at  Brantford,  Out. 

Circle  of  the  Golden  Baud. — Auxiliary 
to  the  Patriarchal  Circle  of  America.  (See 
the  latter.) 

Colored  Brotherhood  and  Sisterhood 
of  Honor. — Organized  at  Franklin,  Ky., 
in  188G,  as  a  social  and  beneficiary  society, 
in  which  classification  it  is  recorded  in  cen- 
sus reports  for  1890.  'No  further  informa- 
tion is  obtained  concerning  it. 

Colored  Consolidated  Brotherliood. 
— At  Atlanta,  Tex.,  the  home  office  of  this 
mutual  beneficiary  society  of  negroes  (as 
given  in  the  tenth  census),  nothing  is  known 
of  the  organization. 

Columbian  League. — An  outgrowth  of 
the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  the 
parent  of  modern  fraternal  beneficiary  fra- 
ternities in  the  United  States,  organized  at 
Detroit,  Mich.,  October  12,  1896,  "  the  an- 
niversary of  the  discovery  of  America  by 
Christopher  Columbus,"  by  Eev.  W.  Warne 
Wilson,  Past  Supreme  ^Master  Workman  and 
former  Crrand  Pecorder  of  the  Ancient  Or- 
der of  United  Workmen ;  William  A.  Pungs; 
Rev.  William  Prall,  D.D.;  Albert  P.  Jacobs, 
and  others.  No  further  action  was  taken 
until  January  1,  1897,  when  "the  prelim- 
inary matters  of  organization  "  were  contin- 
ued. The  necessary  two  hundred  members 
having  been  obtained,  the  society  was  incor- 


porated April  1,  1897,  after  which  the 
growth  of  the  organization  was  conspicu- 
ously rapid.  *rhe  withdrawal  of  Mr.  Warne 
and  others  from  the  Ancient  Order  of 
United  Workmen  was  "  because  the  Grand 
Lodge  refused  to  adopt  certain  changes 
whicli  he  thought  vitally  necessary  to  the 
Order,"  provision  for  increasing  cost  of  in- 
surance as  the  society  grows  older.  Mem- 
bers of  the  Columbian  League  will  make  a 
feature  of  celebrating  October  12th  as  Co- 
lumbus Day.  Men  only  are  eligible  to  mem- 
bership, all  men  to  social  and  jiatriotic 
membership,  but  only  those  between  eigh- 
teen and  fifty  years  of  age  in  the  death  bene- 
fit department,  which  issues  certificates  of 
8500,  81,000,  81,500,  and  82,000  based  on 
twelve  annual,  step-rate  assessments,  accord- 
ing to  age.  The  founders  of  the  new  Order  are 
prominent  citizens  of  Michigan,  and  the  soci- 
ety starts  out  with  every  prospect  for  success. 

Danisli  Brotherhood  of  America. — 
Founded  at  Omaha,  Neb.,  in  1881,  a  fra- 
ternal, beneficiary  society  somewhat  similar 
to  the  Order  of  Modern  Woodmen.  It  pays 
sick  and  death  benefits,  and  numbers  about 
10,000  members  in  Massachusetts,  Connecti- 
cut, New  York,  Michigan,  Illinois,  Wiscon- 
sin, Nebraska,  Iowa,  Minnesota,  South 
Dakota,  Kansas,  Colorado,  Wyoming,  Wash- 
ington, and  California.  It  has  paid  $500,000 
in  benefits. 

Daujfliters  of  Hope. — The  census  of 
1890  gives  the  address  of  this  mutual  assess- 
ment, beneficiary  society  at  Olneyville,  11. 1., 
where  it  is  not  known  to  the  postal  authori- 
ties. 

Daug^hters  of  the  Globe. — Branch  of 
or  auxiliary  to  the  Knights  of  the  Clobe,  an 
Illinois  social,  benevolent,  military  and 
patriotic  fraternal  society.  (See  Knights  of 
the  (ilobe.) 

Eastern  Star  Benevolent  Fund  of 
America. — See  Order  of  the  Star  of  Beth- 
lehom. 

Kmpire  linights  of  Relief. — Organ- 
ized in  1889  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  and  incor- 
porated under  the  laws  of  that  State  as  a 


132 


EQUITABLE   AID   UNION   OF   AMERICA 


fraternal,  beneficiary,  assessment  insurance 
society.  Its  published  announcements  de- 
clare that  it  has  ''no  secrets  or  iron-clad 
oaths,"  but  (elsewhere)  that  members  "  are 
bound  by  a  solemn  obligation  "  to  render 
assistance  to  any  sick  or  disabled  brother  in 
need  of  help.  The  Supreme  Secretary  is 
authority  for  the  statement  that  it  is  called 
a  secret  society,  ''and  properly,  too."  It 
insures  members  for  $1,000,  $2,000,  or 
$3,000,  and  makes  no  restriction  with  ref- 
erence to  extra-hazardous  occupations. 
Any  temperate,  industrious  man  between 
20  and  55  years  of  age  is  eligible  to  mem- 
bership, providing  he  can  pass  the  required 
physical  examination.  One  assessment  is 
levied  each  month,  whether  there  has  been 
a  death  or  not,  the  amount  collected  an- 
nually in  excess  of  the  sum  required  to  pay 
death  benefits  going  into  the  reserve  fund. 
A  funeral  benefit  of  $100,  $200,  or  $300  is 
paid  immediately  on  proof  of  death,  but  is 
deducted  from  the  death  benefit,  which  is 
payable  within  ninety  days.  The  Empire 
Knights  of  Relief  was  founded  by  promi- 
nent citizens  of  Buffalo  and  vicinity,  mem- 
bers of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Work- 
men, the  Royal  Arcanum,  Freemasons,  and 
Odd  Fellows.  The  motto  of  the  Order  is 
"  Benevolence,  Philanthropy  and  Charity," 
and  its  ritual  is  based  on  the  G-olden  Rule  and 
inculcates  obedience  to  the  moral  and  civil 
law.  The  total  membership  is  about  4,000, 
distributed  throughout  half  a  dozen  States. 
The  society  has  been  successful  from  the 
start  and  gives  promise  of  continued 
growth  and  prosperity. 

Equitable  Aid  Union  of  America. — 
Organized  at  Columbus,  Warren  County, 
Pa.,  March  22,  1879,  and  incorporated 
under  the  laws  of  Pennsylvania.  Four  of 
the  founders  were  Freemasons.  This  secret, 
beneficiary  fraternity  permitted  the  forma- 
tion of  subordinate  Unions,  as  its  Lodges 
are  termed,  north  of  36°  30'  north  latitude 
in  the  United  States  and  in  the  Dominion 
of  Canada.  It  sought  to  bring  men  and 
women  into  its  Unions  to  promote  benevo- 


lence, charity,  social  and  mental  culture, 
to  care  for  the  sick  and  needy,  to  aid  one 
another  in  obtaining  employment,  and  to 
assist  each  other  in  business.  It  also  in- 
sured members  in  sums  ranging  from  $325 
to  $3,000  by  means  of  assessments  of  from 
twenty-five  cents  to  $1,  according  to  age  and 
amount.  The  benefit  certificates  also  pro- 
vided for  the  payment  of  specified  sums  in 
case  of  accident  resulting  in  physical  dis- 
ability. Eligibility  to  membership  ex- 
tended to  candidates  from  15  to  55  years  of 
age.  The  total  membership  in  twenty-four 
States  and  in  Canada  in  1896  was  about 
30,000,  of  which  25,000  were  beneficiary 
and  5,000  social  members.  The  official  em- 
blem consisted  of  the  initials  of  the  title  of 
the  Order  in  a  triangle,  surrounded  by  a 
conventionalized  sun-burst.  The  system 
of  assessments  in  the  Equitable  Aid  Union 
suggests  the  influence  of  the  Ancient  Order 
of  United  Workmen.  The  government  of 
the  society  is  similar  to  that  of  other  simi- 
lar societies,  subordinate  Unions  being 
under  the  immediate  jurisdiction  of  Grand 
or  State  (or  provincial)  Unions,  the  offi- 
cers and  representatives  of  the  latter  mak- 
ing up  the  Supreme  Union,  or  highest 
legislative  authority.  In  April,  1897,  the 
Union  susjDended  payments  and  went  into 
the  hands  of  a  receiver.  It  had  fought 
hard  to  continue  its  existence,  and  num- 
bered about  30,000  members,  principally  in 
the  country  districts  of  Ohio,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  New  York.  Less  than  five 
years  before  it  had  $43,000,000  worth  of 
policies  in  force,  and  not  many  years  pre- 
viously the  amount  was  almost  $75,000,000. 
Its  decline  began  in  1891.  In  1895  its  income 
was $792,895 and  its  disbursements$801, 435, 
and  its  death  rate  had  increased  within  four 
years  from  12.2  to  17.4  per  1,000  annually. 

Equitable  League  of  America. — A 
Baltimore  mutual  assessment  insurance 
Order,  organized  about  ten  years  ago. 
Died  in  1894. 

Fraternal  Aid  Association. — Organ- 
ized October  14,  1890,  at  Lawrence,  Kan., 


FRATERNAL   MYSTIC   CIRCLE 


133 


by  members  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United 
Workmen,  Modern  Woodmen  of  America, 
Knights  of  the  Maccabees,  and  otlier  fra- 
ternal, beneficiary  Orders,  to  insure  tlie  lives 
of  acceptable  white  men  and  women,  be- 
tween 18  and  55  years  of  age,  who  are  not 
engaged  in  prohibited  (iiazardous)  occupa- 
tions. Honorary  membership  may  be  ob- 
tained by  specified  relatives  of  beneficiary 
members.  The  Association  also  seeks  to 
promote  fraternity  among  its  members,  to 
comfort  the  sick  and  distressed,  and  care 
for  surviving  relatives  of  deceased  members. 
Sick,  total  disability,  and  death  benefits  are 
provided,  the  latter  in  three  classes,  ranging 
from  $1,000  to  $3,000.  No  assessments  are 
called  nutil  money  is  needed  to  meet  a  claim, 
of  which  thirty  days'  notice  is  given.  Its 
government  is  vested  in  a  General  Council, 
composed  of  its  officers  and  representatives, 
chosen  from  local  or  State  Councils.  The 
Association  declines  to  recruit  members  in 
the  Atlantic  Coast  and  Gulf  States  from 
Virginia  to  Texas,  inclusive;  in  CookCounty, 
111.,  and  all  of  Illinois  south  of  Centralia; 
in  Milwaukee,  Cincinnati,  New  York  city, 
Detroit,  St.  Louis,  San  Francisco,  Sacra- 
mento, and  all  other  cities  having  a  popula- 
tion of  more  than  200,000,  in  which  peculi- 
arity it  imitates  a  number  of  strong  and 
prosperous  fraternal  Orders  of  the  West. 
It  has  about  3,000  members,  a  "modern'' 
ritual,  and  has  paid  about  $100,000  in  sick 
and  death  benefits  since  it  was  organized. 
Its  emblem  is  composed  of  tiie  initials  of  its 
title  about  a  pair  of  clasped  hands  across  a 
shield  bearing  the  stars  and  stripes. 

Fraternal  Legion. — A  Baltimore  bene- 
ficiary society,  organized  in  1881,  to  pay 
81,000  death  benefits.  Is  not  known  to  have 
survived  the  recent  period  of  trade  depres- 
sion. 

Fraternal  3Iystic  Circle. — This  organi- 
zation is  among  the  smaller  assessment 
beneficiary  secret  societies.  It  was  formed 
December  9, 1884,  to  provide  safe  indemnity 
for  young  business  and  professional  men 
under  the  lodge  system.     Of  the  five  found- 


ers, Milton  Barnes,  formerly  Secretary  of 
State  for  Ohio,  died  in  1895,  but  three  others 
are  still  "  members  of  the  Order  and  officers 
of  the  Supremo  Ruling'':  D.  E.  Stevens, 
Supreme  Mystic  Ruler  ;  John  G.  Reinhard, 
Supreme  Treasurer  ;  and  F.  8.  Wagenhals, 
Supreme  Medical  Director.  Of  those  that 
made  up  the  membership  at  the  first  meet- 
ing, in  December,  1884,  the  following,  in 
addition  to  those  above  named,  are  still 
members  of  the  Supreme  Ruling  :  John  F. 
Follett,  Cincinnati,  0.  ;  A.  N.  Hill,  Colum- 
bus, 0.  ;  J.  D.  Grimes,  Dayton,  0.  ;  H.  C. 
Drinkle,  Lancaster,  0. ;  and  A.  X.  Ozias,  Ra- 
cine,Wis.  Messrs,  Stevens, Wagenhals,  Hill, 
and  Follett  are  Freemasons,  some  of  them 
having  taken  the  Scottish  Rite  degrees  to  and 
including  the  thirty-second.  Others  named 
are  members  of  Knights  of  Pythias  and 
other  well-known  secret  societies.  This 
Order  has  the  usual  form  of  government  of 
like  fraternities,  a  Supreme  and  Grand  and 
Subordinate  Rulings.  The  first  named  is 
the  supreme  governing  body  and  the  final 
court  of  appeals.  A  Supreme  Executive 
Committee  of  five  manage  in  the  interim, 
between  sessions  of  the  Supreme  Ruling. 
Grand  Rulings  (Grand  lodges)  are  insti- 
tuted in  a  State  when  the  membership 
reaches  500,  or  the  number  of  Rulings  is  15. 
Subordinate  Rulings  are  instituted  in  health- 
ful localities,  where  a  sufficient  number  of 
good,  eligible,  and  desirable  candidates  are 
found,  willing  to  join  hands  for  the  mutual 
protection  of  themselves  and  families.  Sub- 
ordinate Rulings  are  managed  by  their  mem- 
bers, and  naturally  become  educational  cen- 
tres as  to  the  plans  and  benefits  of  the  Order 
and  methods  of  conducting  business.  Each 
Subordinate  Ruling  entitled  to  one  elects  a 
Representative  to  the  Grand  Ruling  an- 
nually, and  these  Representatives  (who 
make  up  the  Grand  Ruling)  elect  one  or 
more  delegates  (as  the  State  may  be  en- 
titled) to  the  Supreme  Ruling.  The  special 
purposes  of  the  Order  are  :  1st,  To  unite 
acceptable  men,  between  the  ages  of  18  and 
49   years,   to  carry   out    all    that  which    is 


134 


FRATERNAL   TRIBUNES 


included  within  the  meaning  of  the  word 
"  fraternity  ; "  2d,  To  make  provision  that 
each  Subordinate  Lodge  shall,  from  its 
general  fund,  pay  dues  and  assessments  of 
sick  or  disabled  members,  maturing  during 
such  sickness  or  disability  ;  3d,  The  pay- 
ment of  the  amount  specified  in  the  certi- 
ficate of  membership  ($500  to  $3,000)  to  the 
beneficiaries  at  the  death  of  a  member  ; 
4th,  Payment  to  a  member  of  one-half  of 
the  sum  named  in  his  certificate  of  mem- 
bership in  case  permanent  total  disability 
overtakes  him  ;  oth.  The  creation  of  an 
Emergency  or  Equalization  Fund,  to  pre- 
vent the  number  of  assessments  exceeding 
twelve  in  any  year  ;  Gth,  The  collection  of  a 
General  Fund  to  meet  the  expenses  of  the 
Supreme  Kuling.  During  twelve  years  the 
Order  has  paid  to  members  and  beneficiaries 
in  death  and  permanent  total  disability 
benefits  almost  $1,000,000,  and  the  emer- 
gency fund  has  to  its  credit  over  $125,000, 
while  the  annual  cost  to  members  has  been 
small.  In  1895  it  was  as  follows,  for  the  ages 
named  : 

Age  25,  on  $3,000,  $19.20;  on  $1,000,  $6.40  per  an. 

"    30,   "  p, 000,  $22.80;  "$1,000,    7.60    "     " 

"    35,  "  $3,000,  $28.20;  "  $1,000,    9.40    "     " 

"   40,   "  $3,000,  $34.20;  "  $1,000,  11.40    "     " 

"    45,   "  $3,000,  $42.60;  "$1,000,14.20    "     " 

These  annual  payments  include  the  three 
elements  required  to  meet  the  death  claims 
fund,  emergency  fund,  and  expense  fund. 
At  the  age  of  35,  a  $3,000  certificate  for 
1896  would  cost  128.20,  distributed  as  fol- 
lows :  Death  claims  fund,  $22.21  ;  Emer- 
gency fund,  $2.47;  and'  Expense  fund, 
$3.52.  From  the  date  of  organization  until 
June,  1894,  all  the  executive  officers  of  the 
Supreme  Euling  resided  at  Columbus,  0., 
when  the  offices  of  the  Supreme  Mystic 
Euler  and  Supreme  Eecorder  w^ere  moved 
to  Philadelphia.  In  April,  1895,  the  Su- 
preme Euling  was  incorporated.  The  policy 
of  the  Executive  Ofiicers  of  this  Order  has 
favored  the  filing  of  annual  reports  with 
the  Insurance  departments  of  States,  where 
the  laws  provide  for  it,  and  annual  reports 


are  filed  annually  with  the  insurance  depart- 
ments of  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Pennsyl- 
vania, Maryland,  Ohio,  Michigan,  Illinois, 
Iowa,  and  Nebraska.  At  no  period  in  its 
history  has  the  Order  been  more  prosperous 
than  at  present,  the  year  1896  having 
brought  a  larger  volume  of  new  business 
than  any  preceding  year.  The  present  mem- 
bership is  more  than  12,000. 

Fraternal  Tribunes.  —  Organized  in 
June,  1897,  by  A.  L.  Craig  and  others,  at 
Eock  Island,  111.,  to  pay  death,  sick,  dis- 
ability, old  age,  and  annuity  benefits.  Both 
men  and  women  may  become  members. 
The  Society  started  with  750  members,  em- 
ploys the  graded  plan  of  assessments,  and 
claims  the  "  unique  feature  "of  "  guarantee 
by  a  Loan  and  Indemnity  Company  "  that  its 
contracts  with  its  members  will  be  fulfilled. 

Fraternal  Order  of  Protectors. — A 
mutual  assessment  beneficiary  society  which 
had  its  headquarters  at  Lincoln,  Neb.,  a  few 
years  ago. 

Fraternal  Union  of  America. — A  mu- 
tual assessment,  beneficiary  society  founded 
by  F.  F.  Eoose,  F.  A.  Falkenburg,  and 
others  at  Denver,  Colo. ,  September  1,  1896, 
to  pay  death,  sick,  disability,  and  old  age 
benefits.  Men  and  women  are  eligible  to 
membership,  and  the  total  number  of  mem- 
bers is  in  excess  of  5,000.  Mr.  Eoose,  the  Su- 
preme President,  has  had  much  experience 
among  fraternal  orders,  and  is  a  member  of 
the  Ancient  Order  L^nited  Workmen,  Mod- 
ern Woodmen  of  America,  Knights  of 
Pythias,  Woodmen  of  the  World,  Phi  Delta 
Theta,  Heptasophs,  Junior  Order  United 
American  Mechanics,  Eed  Men,  and  of  the 
Masonic  Fraternity. 

Fraternity  of  Friendly  Fellows. — Or- 
ganized at  New  York,  in  1885,  to  pay  $1,000 
insurance  to  members  by  mutual  assessments. 
It  was  still  alive  in  1890,  but  no  trace  of  it 
is  found  in  1897. 

Glenwood  Degree. — Uniform  rank  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Foresters,  formed 
in  1875.  (See  Independent  Order  Foresters 
and  ditto  of  Illinois.) 


HOME   CIRCLE 


135 


Golden  Rule  Alliance. — Organized  at 
Boston  prior  to  1889,  and  recorded  in  the 
census  of  1890  as  a  mutual  assessment,  bene- 
ficiary fraternity.  Its  membersliip  was  not 
large,  nor  did  it  secure  a  national  reiwta- 
tion.  No  trace  has  been  secured  of  surviv- 
ing bodies  of  tliis  Order. 

Golden  Star  Fraternity. — Organized  in 
1881  at  Newark,  N.  J.,  as  a  fraternal,  bene- 
ficiary society  for  men  and  women.  Its 
total  membership  is  about  2,200,  distributed 
through  New  Jersey,  New  York,  and  Con- 
necticut, but  very  few  of  its  Lodges  are 
found  outside  of  the  State  where  it  was 
founded.  It  has  neither  a  prohibition,  re- 
ligious, or  political  bias,  and  states  that  it  is 
in  a  sound  financial  condition  with  no  out- 
standing liabilities.  Its  ritual  seeks  to  im- 
press the  teachings  of  benevolence  and 
charity. 

Grand  United  Order,  Independent 
Sons  and  Daughters  of  Purity. — This 
l)eneficiary  and  social  society  was  organized 
at  Harrisonburg,  Va.,  prior  to  the  jiresent 
decade.  None  of  its  Lodges  are  known  to 
be  in  existence  now. 

Granite  League. — Formed  at  Philadel- 
phia nearly  ten  years  ago  to  insure  the  lives 
of  members  by  means  of  assessments.  Re^ 
ported  dead. 

Home  Circle,  The. — When  the  Royal 
Arcanum,  which  is  composed  exclusively  of 
men,  had  been  organized  nearly  two  years 
and  a  half,  and  had  been  introduced  into 
twenty-three  States  of  the  Union,  some  of 
its  active  members,  residents  of  Massachu- 
setts, conceived  the  idea  of  organizing  a 
similar  society  into  which  the  members  of 
the  Royal  Arcanum  could  take  tlieir  wives, 
daughters,  sisters,  and  women  friends,  and 
give  them  the  full  beneficial  and  social  priv- 
ileges which  membership  in  such  a  societv 
confers.  The  plan  was  to  welcome  woman 
to  a  full  share  of  the  work,  honors,  and 
responsibilities  which,  with  few  excei)tions, 
had  been  refused  her  by  secret  beneficiary 
organizations.  With  this  object  in  view 
the  Supreme  Council  of  the  Home  Circle 


was  organized  in  Boston,  October  2,  1879, 
and  began  business  November  5,  1879,  being 
chartered  under  the  laws  of  ^lassachu setts 
January  13,  1 880.  Its  founders  were  Henry 
Damon,  Dr.  John  T.  Codman,  Dr.  Thomas 
Waterman,  Dr.  Edward  Page,  N.  II.  Ful- 
ler, John  A.  Cummings,  and  Julius  M. 
Swain,  all  residents  of  Boston  or  vicinity. 
They  Avere  all  members  of  the  Masonic  Fra- 
ternity, Knights  of  Honor,  and  Royal  Arca- 
num, three  were  Odd  Fellows,  and  two  were 
members  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  Ignited 
Workmen. 

The  charter  permitted  the  society,  first, 
to  unite  in  social  union  all  acceptable  mem- 
bers of  the  Royal  Arcanum,  their  wives, 
mothers,  sisters,  daughters,  and  women 
friends,  for  the  purpose  of  mutual  aid, 
assistance,  moral  and  intellectual  improve- 
ment; and,  second,  to  establish  a  benefit 
fund  from  which  a  sum  not  exceeding 
$3,500  should  be  jiaid  to  the  deceased  mem- 
ber's famil}^,  relatives,  or  dependents  as 
directed. 

Four  benefit  degrees  were  adopted,  and  a 
candidate  having  passed  a  satisfactory  in- 
vestigation, a  medical  examination,  and  the 
ballot,  was  admitted  to  one  of  the  four  de- 
grees as  he  might  elect,  carrying  >!500, 
$1,000,  $2,000,  or  $3,500  protection,  and 
there  was  then  issued  a  benefit  certificate 
for  the  amount  selected,  ^^Jiyj^ble  to  some 
legal  beneficiary  named  in  the  application. 

In  1881  the  Legislature  of  Massachusetts 
by  special  act  granted  the  Sujireme  Council 
of  the  Home  Circle  authority  to  increase  its 
benefit  to  $5,000,  and  to  receive  as  members 
all  acceptable  applicants  without  reference 
to  their  altiliation  with  the  Royal  Arcanum. 
Under  the  laws  of  ^lassachusetts  the  society 
cannot  transact  a  commercial  insurance  busi- 
ness, and  while  its  policies  or  benefit  certifi- 
cates are  good  for  their  face  value  to  the 
family,  relative,  or  actual  dependent  named, 
no  certificate  is  issued  payable  to  any  other 
person,  and  the  benefits  cannot  be  disposed 
of  by  will,  assigned  for  any  purpose,  or  at- 
tached for  debt  of  the  member  or  beneficiary 


136 


HOME  FORUM  BENEFIT  ORDER 


either  during  the  lifetime  of  the  member  or 
at  his  decease.  Membership  in  the  Home 
Circle,  tlien,  is  an  assurance  to  the  member 
that  the  amount  of  benefit  named  will,  in 
the  event  of  his  or  her  decease  iu  good 
standing,  be  paid  the  beneficiary  selected. 
The  exi)erience  of  the  Order  in  receiving 
women  and  according  to  them  office,  honors, 
and  permission  to  carr}^  a  protection  or  in- 
surance for  dependent  parents  or  children 
upon  the  same  conditions  of  entrance,  medi- 
cal examination,  and  cash  payments  as  men, 
has  been  favorable.  Women  compose  thirty 
per  cent,  of  the  membership,  and  the  Home 
Circle  furnishes  the  first  and  "  perhaps  only 
example,"  where  a  beneficial  society  consti- 
tuted of  men  and  women  has  elected  a  lady 
as  its  chief  executive  officer. 

Two  million  dollars  have  been  paid  in 
death  benefits  besides  the  special  relief  to 
members  when  ill  or  in  need,  amounting  to 
about  1100,000  in  seventeen  years.  Death 
benefits  paid  have  directly  aided  over  3,000 
persons,  and  in  a  large  majority  of  cases  the 
deceased  member  has  left  to  dependents  no 
other  protection  or  life  insurance. 

The  experience  of  the  Home  Circle  has 
been  conspicuous  among  the  beneficiary  se- 
cret societies  of  the  country,  in  that  it  has 
never  had  occasion  to  contest  the  payment 
of  a  benefit  in  the  courts,  and  that  its  legal 
expenses  for  a  period  of  seventeen  years  are 
trifling.  Subordinate  Councils  are  com- 
posed of  beneficiary  members  of  either  sex 
between  eighteen  and  fifty  years  of  age,  who 
must  pass  a  favorable  examination  and  bal- 
lot. Applicants  over  fifty  years  of  age  may 
be  admitted  as  social  members  without  a 
medical  examination.  Grand  Councils  are 
organized  in  States  and  provinces  having  at 
least  1,000  members,  and  are  composed  of 
their  officers,  standing  committees,  and 
representatives  from  subordinate  Councils. 
They  have  the  general  supervision  of  the 
Order  in  their  respective  jurisdictions.  The 
Supreme  Council,  the  head  of  the  Order, 
makes  laws  and  disburses  the  Benefit  Fund. 
It  is  composed  of  its  officers,  standing  com- 


mittees, and  representatives  from  Grand 
Councils.  Assessments  paid  by  members  in 
subordinate  Councils  are  called  to  the  Su- 
preme Treasury  on  the  first  of  each  month. 
The  jurisdiction  of  the  Order  is  limited  to 
the  United  States  and  the  Dominion  of 
Canada,  and  its  business  is  conducted  in  the 
English  language  only.  It  has  a  member- 
ship of  about  8,000,  located  in  the  States 
of  Maine,  New  Hampshire,  Massachusetts, 
Ehode  Island,  Connecticut,  New  York,  New 
Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  A'irginia, 
North  Carolina,  Georgia,  Ohio,  Illinois, 
Michigan,  Missouri,  and  Nebraska,  the  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia,  and  the  Provinces  of  On- 
tario, Quebec,  and  New  Brunswick.  Its 
ritual  is  based  on  the  Golden  Kule,  and 
teaches  morality  and  upright  living.  The 
emblem  of  the  Society  consists  of  a  design 
formed  of  the  letter  H  and  a  circle,  Avhile 
that  of  the  Supreme  Council,  its  governing 
body,  suggests  the  domestic  results  of  a 
well-spent  and  industrious  life. 

Home  Forum  Benefit  Order. — Char- 
tered under  the  laws  of  the  Sta£e  of  Illinois, 
in  1892,  as  a  mutual  assessment,  beneficiary 
society,  by  prominent  members  of  the  Mod- 
ern Woodmen  of  America  and  of  tlie  Masonic 
Fraternity.  It  is  controlled  by  its  members, 
the  business  of  the  association  being  man- 
aged by  a  board  of  directors.  Women  are 
admitted  to  full  membershii)  with  men,  the 
age  limits  for  beneficiary  membership  being 
between  sixteen  and  fifty-five  years.  Hon- 
orary or  social  membership  is  granted  those 
over  the  age  limit  for  insurance.  The  order 
issues  death  benefit  certificates  for  $500, 
$1,000,  and  $2,000,  and  any  member  losing 
a  foot,  hand,  or  an  eye  by  an  accident  is  en- 
titled to  receive  one-fourth  of  the  amount 
named  in  the  certificate,  the  balance  being 
payable  at  death.  ^Membership  is  restricted 
to  healthful  districts,  and  denied  to  those 
following  hazardous  occupations.  An  un- 
usual regulation  in  like  fraternities  is  that 
which  suspends  for  three  months  any  mem- 
ber who  becomes  intoxicated  and  expels  for 
the  second  ofEence,  although,  as  explained. 


IMPROVED  ORDER  OF  HEPTASOPHS 


137 


such  action  is  "without  publicity."  The 
plan  of  assessment  is  amon<]f  the  approved 
or  graded  systems  in  use  by  nearly  all  of  the 
best  numaged  fraternal  orders.  The  ritual, 
like  that  of  some  other  similar  organizations, 
finds  its  inspiration  in  lioman  history.  It 
was  about  the  Ronum  Forum  that  Cicero, 
Ca?sar,  Brutus,  Anthony,  and  other  dis- 
tinguished Romans  met  to  discuss  the  ques- 
tions of  their  time  and  form  laws,  and  the 
Home  Forum  of  to-day,  adopting  the  old 
Roman  name,  meets  to  decide  questions  of 
interest  to  its  members  and  impart  the  les- 
sons of  honesty,  fraternity,  benevolence, 
temperance,  and  patriotism,  the  initials  of 
which  are  found  in  the  angles  of  the  golden 
star  of  the  Order.  The  total  membership, 
principally  in  Illinois,  Missouri,  Iowa,  and 
Michigan,  is  about  12,000. 

Home  Palladiniu. — A  secret  beneficiary 
fraternity,  to  which  acceptable  white  men 
and  women  are  eligible,  organized  at  Kansas 
City,  Mo.,  in  August,  1891,  by  E.  F.  Edge- 
comb,  Dr.  L.  G.  Taylor,  and  Dr.  T.  J. 
Eggers,  to  give  financial  aid  to  its  members 
in  permanent,  partial,  or  total  disability 
and  death,  by  means  of  twelve  graded  assess- 
ments annually.  It  claims  to  combine  the 
best  features  of  older  similar  societies,  to 
have  new  and  desirable  ones  of  its  own,  and 
to  avoid  that  Avhich  is  objectionable  in  some 
like  fraternities.  Benefit  certificates  are 
issued  in  sums  of  $500,  $1,000,  $1,500,  and 
12,000  in  three  classes,  extra  rates  being 
charged  members  engaged  in  hazardous  and 
extra-hazardous  occupations.  Emphasis  is 
placed  on  its  method  of  creating  and  main- 
taining a  reserve  fund,  which  is  copyrighted. 
One-tenth  of  the  amount  of  the  face  of  a 
member's  benefit  certificate  is  set  apart  for 
the  reserve  fund  on  which  he  or  she  pays  in- 
terest at  the  rate  of  2  per  cent,  per  annum 
so  long  as  the  certificate  renuiins  in  force. 
The  Order  is  governed  directly  by  the  Su- 
jireme  Lodge,  to  which  State  Representatives 
are  elected  by  Grand  Lodges  existing  for 
that  purpose  alone.  It  avoids  the  yellow 
fever  and  malarial  districts  of  the  South, 


and  has  thus  far  enjoyed  an  exceptionally 
low  death  rate.  It  numbers  over  2,000 
members,  and  is  growing  rapidly. 

The  Imperial  Lt'f-iou. — A  Denver,  Colo., 
beneficial  fraternal  association.  Lodges  of 
which  have  been  established  as  far  east  as 
Missouri.  Many  prominent  Colorado  busi- 
ness and  professional  men  are  members  of  it. 

Improved  Order  ofHeptasoph.s. — The 
growth  of  beneficiary  secret  societies,  those 
paying  sick,  funeral,  and  death  benefits, 
within  ten  or  fifteen  years  after  the  close  of 
the  Civil  "War,  was,  no  doubt,  responsible 
for  the  desire  by  members  of  the  Order  of 
Heiita8ophs,or  Seven  Wise  Men,  that  that  So- 
ciety be  placed  on  a  purely  beneficiary  basis. 
The  movement  centred  in  Zeta  Conclave, 
No.  6,  of  the  Ileptasophs,  or  Seven  Wise 
Men,  at  Baltimore,  Md.,  and  as  the  advo- 
cates of  the  change  from  a  purely  beneficiary 
secret  organization  on  modern  lines  were 
not  able  to  carry  out  their  plan  within  the 
Society,  they  ajiparently  determined  to  do 
so  by  means  of  an  independent  organization. 
A  call  was  accordingly  issued  August  10, 
1878,  signed  by  Judge  George  Y.  Metzel, 
John  W.  Cruett,  James  S.  Watkins,  Hon. 
John  G.  :Mitchel,  W.  F.  C.  Gerhardt,  and 
Herbert  J.  Thurn,  all  of  ^laryland,  asking 
the  cooperation  of  fourteen  other  members, 
six  from  ^laryland,  six  from  Pennsylvania, 
and  one  from  \'irginia,  and  one  from  Ken- 
tucky, at  a  meeting  in  convention  to  organ- 
ize a  secret,  beneficiary  organization.  The 
convention  was  held  at  Odd  Fellows'  Hall  on 
Broad  Street,  Philadelphia,  August  27th, 
all  of  the  signers  of  the  call  and  those  asked 
to  join  with  them,  twenty  in  number,  being 
present.  A  permanent  organization  of  a 
Supreme  Conclave  was  effected  ujuler  the 
title,  The  Improved  Order  of  Heptasophs, 
with  S3  members  of  Zeta  Conclave,  Order  of 
the  Heptasophs,  or  Seven  Wise  Men,  as  the 
nucleus  of  the  new  society.  Judge  George 
V.  ^letzel  is  regarded  as  the  founder  of  the 
Improved  Order,  aiul  he  was  elected  the 
first  Archon,  or  chief  executive.  At  the  first 
annual  session,  in  1879,  only  nine  Conclaves 


138 


INDEPENDENT   CHEVALIERS   AND   LADIES   OF   INDUSTRY 


"were  reported,  with  a  total  membership  of 
149.  For  the  first  six  years  of  its  existence, 
the  Improved  Order  of  Heptasophs  was  an- 
tagonized by  the  parent  society,  so  that  dur- 
ing the  first  two  years  its  membership  in- 
creased to  only  516  in  twelve  Conclaves. 
But  the  Society  (see  Order  of  the  Heptasophs, 
or  Seven  Wise  Men)  was  in  the  hands  of 
strong,  conservative  men  who  are  said  to 
have  given  freely  of  their  time  and  means 
to  build  it  up.  It  now  numbers  more  than 
35,000  members  in  twenty  States,  and  in 
the  year  1895  enjoyed  a  phenomenal  growth. 
The  Order  embraces  the  fundamental  prin- 
ciples of  leading  kindred  societies,  except 
that  it  has  abolished  Grand  (State)  Con- 
claves, and  leaves  its  business  affairs,  includ- 
ing the  management  of  its  death  benefit 
fund,  in  the  hands  of  its  permanent  and 
other  Supreme  officials.  In  Maryland,  the 
cradle  of  the  Order,  there  are  nearly  12,000 
members,  with  an  average  mortality  rate  of 
only  7  in  1,000  per  annum.  The  following 
is  extracted  from  the  Maryland  Insurance 
Committee's  report  for  1895: 

In  closing  my  examination  of  the  conditions  of 
Fraternal  Benefit  Orders,  it  is  proper  for  one  to 
refer  specially  to  the  Improved  Order  of  Heptasophs 
as  to  the  promptness  with  which  all  claims  have 
been  met  and  paid,  and  in  all  eases  it  was  found  the 
organization  had  made  reasonable  effort  to  complete 
the  necessary  formalities  and  inquiries,  in  order  to 
increase  the  efficiency  for  the  settlement  of  all 
claims. 

The  Order  has  issued  certificates  repre- 
senting $48,000,000,  more  than  $12,000,000 
in  1895,  a  creditable  exhibit.  In  eighteen 
years  over  $2,000,000  have  been  paid  to 
beneficiaries.  The  beneficiary  fund  is  pro- 
tected by  the  Maryland  Code  of  Laws,  sec- 
tion 143,  L,  of  chapter  295,  of  the  Legisla- 
tive Acts  of  1894,  whicli  clears  from  any  at- 
tachment i3roceedings  all  moneys  to  be  paid 
from  such  funds  held  by  any  similar  organi- 
zation. The  Supreme  body  consists  of 
its  oflBcers,  deputies,  and  representatives 
elected  by  the  membershi]!  of  Subordinate 
Conclaves.     The  original,  or  charter,  mem- 


bers were  made  permanent  members  of  the 
Supreme  Conclave  as  Past  Supreme  Arch- 
ons,  having  equal  privileges  with  the  Rej)- 
resentatives  on  the  floor  of  each  Supreme 
Sitting.  The  membership  of  the  Order  is 
exclusively  in  the  United  States  and  is  dis- 
tributed north  of  South  Carolina,  Kentucky, 
Arkansas,  and  Texas,  extending  west  to  and 
including  Colorado.  Death  benefits  range 
from  $1,000  to  $5,000,  and  are  met  by  assess- 
ments. Subordinate  Conclaves  under  the 
Supreme  general  laws  are  permitted  to  shape 
their  own  by-laws,  so  far  as  they  refer  to  sick 
benefits  ;  but  many  Conclaves  have  decided 
not  to  pay  sick  benefits.  Two  Conclaves 
have  been  so  prosperous  as  to  be  able  to 
build  temples  of  their  own.  Zeta  Conclave 
of  Baltimore  has  an  edifice  whicli  cost 
$40,000,  and  Grant  Conclave  atEaston,  Pa., 
has  also  dedicated  a  handsome  temple  to  the 
principles  of  the  Fraternity.  This  Order 
was  among  the  first  to  place  its  insurance 
feature  under  the  supervision  of  insurance 
departments  in  States  where  its  meetings  are 
held,  in  order  that  its  efforts  and  the  results 
of  its  work  may  remain  "  an  open  book,"  in 
which  the  record  of  tlie  material  good  it  ac- 
comjDlishes  may  be  seen  by  all  men. 

Iiidepeiideiit  Chevaliers  and  liadies 
of  Industry. — Organized  at  Fail  Eiver, 
Mass.,  1889,  as  a  fraternal  mutual  assessment 
association.     Lived  only  about  six  years. 

Independent  Order  of  Chosen 
Friends. — Early  in  1887,  when  the  Order 
of  Chosen  Friends  was  only  three  years  old, 
leaders  of  the  latter  in  California  applied  to 
the  Supreme  Council  for  a  separate  juris- 
diction on  the  Pacific  Coast.  This  was  re- 
fused, notwithstanding  the  strength  of  the 
Order  there,  and  the  result  was  a  secession 
and  the  formation  of  the  Independent  Order 
of  Chosen  Friends.  Within  a  few  years  the 
Independent  California  Friends  numbered 
7,000  or  8,000  members,  but  the  Society 
ultimately  dropped  out  of  sight.  (See  Order 
of  Chosen  Friends.) 

Independent  Order  of  Foresters. — 
This  branch  of  Forestrv,  like  the  Foresters 


INDEPENDENT   ORDER   OF   FORESTERS 


139 


of  America  (which  see),  was  the  outgrowth 
of  a  movemeut  to  secure  local  self-govern- 
ment among  New  York  and  New  Jersey 
Foresters,  which  began  in  1871,  and  cul- 
minated, after  several  refusals  of  the  Eng- 
lish High  Court  to  establish  a  Sul)sidiary 
High  Court  for  the  United  States,  in  June, 
1874,  at  Newark,  N.  J.,  when  Court  Inde- 
pendence seceded  from  the  Ancient  Order, 
and,  with  two  Courts  created  by  it,  estab- 
lished a  new,  or  Independent  Order.  A.  B. 
Caldwell,  the  leader  of  the  niovement,  was 
the  first  Most  Worthy  High  Chief  Eanger. 
The  remarkable  success  which  has  attended 
the  growth  of  this  offshoot  from  English 
Forestry  is  attested  by  its  twenty-two  years 
of  existence  and  an  increase  of  from  perhaps 
500  to  more  than  100,000  members  in  twenty 
States  of  the  Union,  the  Canadian  Dominion, 
the  United  Kingdom,  and  Ireland.  About 
43  per  cent,  of  its  membership  is  in  the 
United  States.  Its  form  of  government, 
with  some  minor  differences,  is  like  that  of 
the  Foresters  of  America  and  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  It  furnishes 
members  with  free  medical  attendance  and 
nurses,  and  pays  sick,  total  disability, 
funeral,  and  mortuary  benefits.  A  marked 
difference  between  this  and  other  branches 
of  Forestry  is,  that  while  the  latter  rely 
wholly  upon  assessments  to  pay  benefits  and 
endowments,  the  Indej^endent  Order,  in 
1881,  combined  the  assessment  feature  of 
the  beneficiary  or  friendly  society,  with  the 
plan  of  the  regular  premium-paying  insur- 
ance comi)any.  In  1892  it  was  registered 
as  a  Friendly  Society  in  the  United  King- 
dom, and  under  the  requirements  of  the 
Friendly  Societies  Act,  deposited  with  the 
British  Government  £20,000  to  enable  it  to 
do  an  insurance  business  in  the  United 
Kingdom.  In  1875,  one  year  after  its  es- 
tablishment, a  ladies'  branch  was  formed, 
called  the  Miriam  degree,  which  corresponds 
to  the  degree  of  Companions  of  the  Forest 
in  the  Foresters  of  America.  In  1875,  also, 
a  Uniformed  Eank  was  instituted  as  the 
Glenwood  degree,  which  corresponds  to  the 


Knights  of  the  Sherwood  Forest  in  other 
branches  of  Forestry.  In  1877  juvenile 
branches  were  organized  in  which  youths 
were  interested,  taught  parliamentary  law, 
and  restrained  from  indulgence  in  liquor 
and  tobacco.  Since  1882,  when  the  juvenile 
de2)artment  was  reorganized,  it  has  become 
a  useful  and  successful  adjunct.  In  1875, 
when  only  one  year  old,  tiie  Order  had 
grown  from  three  Courts  and  500  members, 
with  which  it  began,  to  forty-six  Courts  and 
4,000  members;  and  in  1878,  when  its  mem- 
bership was  nearly  14,000,  the  title  of  the 
governing  body  was  changed  to  the  Most 
Worthy  High  Court  of  the  World,  the 
alteration  being  the  substitution  of  the 
words  "the  World"  for  "the  United 
States."  In  1878  the  Order  met  with  seri- 
ous disaster  in  the  unfaithfulness  of  an 
official,  who  disappeared  simultaneously 
with  about  117,000  of  its  funds.  Subse- 
quently about  one-third  of  the  amount  was 
restored,  but  so  great  was  the  loss  that  the 
efforts  of  the  Society  to  make  good  its  obli- 
gations by  extra  assessments  resulted  in 
serious  differences  which,  for  a  time,  threat- 
ened complete  disruption.  The  firm  stand 
taken  l)y  Judge  William  B.  Hoke,  then  the 
executive  head  of  the  Order,  his  judicial 
temperament,  strong  character,  and  wide 
personal  influence  alone  prevented  disinte- 
gration. A  large  number  of  Massachusetts 
Courts  held  out  for  State  as  opposed  to 
national  assessments  and  payments,  but 
ultimately  decided  to  remain  and  be  governed 
by  the  will  of  the  majority.  Not  so,  how- 
ever, with  some  of  the  Illinois  Courts,  which 
refused  to  abide  by  the  decisions  of  the  Su- 
preme Court,  and  had  their  charters  revoked, 
whereupon  they  met  and  organized  the  In- 
dependent Order  of  Foresters  of  Illinois. 
The  break  in  the  ranks  of  the  Illinois 
Independent  Order  of  Foresters  was  not  the 
only  like  consequence  of  the  financial  loss 
to  the  Order  in  1870.  Prior  to  the  Illinois 
movement,  the  Independent  Order  num- 
bered about  15,000,  and  the  total  loss  from 
secession  within   a  vear  was  no   less  than 


140 


INDEPENDENT   ORDER   OF   FORESTERS   OF   ILLINOIS 


4,000.  There  were,  as  pointed  out,  about 
2,500  seceders  in  Illinois,  to  which  must  be 
added  1,500  in  the  Canadian  Dominion,  in 
October,  1879,  by  whom  the  Canadian 
Order  of  Foresters  was  organized. 

It  was  in  1878,  also,  that  Foresters  in 
London,  Ontario,  planned  and  founded  the 
original  Order  of  Knights  of  the  Macca- 
bees. In  1881,  the  Independent  Order,  the 
larger  part  of  the  membership  of  which  was 
in  the  United  States,  suffered  its  severest 
blow  through  the  action  of  its  Supreme 
Court  at  Albany,  N.  Y.,  in  resolving  to 
change  the  name  of  the  society  to  the 
United  Order  of  Foresters.  The  Canadian 
Courts  were  unwilling  to  abide  by  this,  and. 
found  fault  with  American  Courts  for  hav- 
ing made  changes  in  the  ritual,  for  eliminat- 
ing the  chaplain  from  the  list  of  officers, 
discarding  prayers  from  the  cerepmnies, 
and  for  holding  meetings  on  Sundays.  The 
result  was  the  continuation  of  the  Canadian 
Courts  as  the  Independent  Order  of  Forest- 
ers (the  claim  being  that  the  Courts  which 
changed  the  name  of  the  Order  were  the 
seceders),  and  at  the  High  Court  meeting  at 
Ottawa,  in  July,  1881,  with  a  total  mem- 
bership reduced  to  less  than  400  (excepting 
one  Court  in  Elizabeth,  N.  J.)  again  began 
the  work  of  building  u^i  the  Order.  The 
American,  or  seceding  branch,  that  which 
changed  its  name  to  the  United.  Order, 
though  it  started  with  about  13,000  mem- 
bers, did  not  possess  the  elements  of  suc- 
cess. It  languished,  and  within  a  few  years 
became  extinct.  Meanwhile  the  Indepen- 
dent Order,  almost  all  of  it  at  that  time  in  the 
CanadianDominion,went  resolutely  to  work, 
and,  notwithstanding  active  oj)position  from 
the  Canadian  Order,  secured,  within  two 
years,  a  list  of  1,700  members,  an  increase 
of  300  per  cent.  Two  years  later,  in  1885, 
it  numbered,  nearly  3,000  members,  and  in 
1889,  when  it  was  incorporated,  at  Toronto, 
more  than  14,000  members.  Between  1890 
and  1896  its  growth  was  phenomenal,  or 
from  16,000  to  nearly  87,000  members. 
Courts  were  established  in  Oregon,  Wash- 


ington, Colorado,  Montana,  Arizona,  Wis- 
consin, Pennsylvania,  Kansas,  in  1891,  and 
in  the  United  Kingdom  in  1893.  The 
spirit  shown  by  this  Society,  its  methods  of 
self-develoi^ment  and  of  conducting  its 
business  have  been  most  effective.  Under 
its  Supreme  Court  are  registered  thirty-two 
High  Courts  in  various  States,  Territories, 
provinces,  and  countries,  to  which  2,600 
subordinate  Courts  hold  allegiance.  And 
after,  nominally,  twenty-three  years  of  ex- 
istence (practically  only  fifteen  years),  with 
more  than  100,000  members,  it  has  a  sur- 
plus of  '$1,848,000,  after  having  paid  over 
$3,800,000  in  benefits.  Second  to  the  efforts 
of  no  other  man  in  organizing  and  extend- 
ing the  Independent  Order  of  Foresters  are 
those  of  its  Supreme  Chief  Eanger,  Dr. 
Oronhyatekha  of  Toronto,  Ont. 

Independent  Order  of  Foresters  of 
Illinois. — It  is  stated  by  various  chroniclers 
that  the  Independent  Order  of  Foresters  of 
Illinois,  which  was  formed  by  a  member  of 
the  Massachusetts  Catholic  Order  of  Forest- 
ers, and  by  seceding  members  of  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Foresters  of  Illinois,  at 
Chicago,  in  1879,  started  with  about  2,500 
members,  its  Courts  all  being  in  the  State 
of  Illinois,  most  of  them  in  and  about  the 
city  of  Chicago.  The  Miriam  degree  was 
carried  along  in  what  may  be  called  the 
Illinois  secession,  but  its  membership  was 
not  large  and  is  not  to-day.  A  novel  fea- 
ture is  found  in  its  modification  of  the  Glen- 
wood  degree  or  military  rank,  which  was 
also  retained,  in  that  ladies  are  admitted. 
This  Society  ]3ays  endowment  benefits  by 
assessments  and  sick  and  funeral  benefits 
from  Court  dues.  To  judge  from  statistics 
of  membership,  interest  in  the  Illinois  Order 
of  Foresters  has  been  on  the  decline.  In 
1880  it  had  more  than  2,500  members,  and 
late  in  1893,  21,160  members,  an  increase 
of  nearly  ninefold  in  thirteen  years.  Since 
that  time  the  membership  has  declined, 
amounting  to  only  20,107  in  January,  1894, 
18,376  in  January,  1895,  and  to  only  17,330 
one  year  later,  a  decline  of  about  one-seventh 


KNIGHTS   AND    LADIES   OF  AZAR 


141 


within  three  years.  In  1883  it  suffered 
from  the  secession  of  some  of  its  members  of 
the  Komau  Catholic  faith,  who  organized 
the  Catholic  Order  of  Foresters.  As  in  the 
case  of  other  secessions  from  like  societies, 
the  Illinois  Order  altered  enough  of  its  rit- 
ual and  means  of  recognition  to  give  it  in- 
dividuality, but  in  other  respects  it  followed 
in  the  footsteps  of  similar  secessions.  (See 
Independent  Order  of  Foresters.) 

ludepeudeiit  Order  of  Tininaciilates 
of  the  United  States  of  America. — Or- 
ganized at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  by  W.  A.  Ilad- 
ley,  June  23,  1872,  to  pay  sick,  accident, 
and  disability  benefits  to  members.  It  took 
its  rise  from  the  Young  Men's  Immaculate 
Association,  an  organization  of  colored  men, 
but  differed  in  that  it  patterned  after  vari- 
ous secret,  beneficiary  Orders,  and  admitted 
men  and  Avomen  as  members.  Its  head- 
quarters are  at  Nashville,  and  it  has  about 
5,000  members. 

Independent  Order  of  Meclianicts. — 
Organized  at  Baltimore  April  19,  18G8,  a 
benevolent,  beneficiary  fraternity  paying 
sick  and  accident  benefits  of  from  $1  to  $5 
weekly,  and  death  benefits  of  from  $200  to 
8400.  All  white  men  between  eighteen  and 
fifty  years  of  age  are  eligible  to  membership. 
The  Order  has  never  had  any  connection 
with  practical  mechanics  or  labor  organiza- 
tions. "When  founded,  the  only  prominent 
and  widesj^read  benevolent  fraternities  in 
the  country  were  the  Freemasons,  the  Odd 
Fellows,  and  the  Eed  Men.  There  were 
also  the  well-known  patriotic  Orders,  the 
United  American  Mechanics,  Senior  and 
Junior.  But  it  is  more  than  doubtful 
whether  either  of  the  latter  suggested  the 
name,  the  Independent  Order  of  Mechanics. 
The  fact  that  the  'Hhree  cardinal  princi- 
ples" of  the  latter  are  Friendship,  Truth, 
and  Love,  as  contrasted  with  the  Friendship, 
Love,  and  .Truth  of  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows,  suggests  that  some  of  the 
founders  of  the  "Independent  Order  of'' 
Mechanics  were  Odd  Fellows,  which  is 
borne  out  by  the  use  by  both  of  a  representa- 


tion of  Jacob's  ladder  and  the  ark  among 
their  emblems.  The  Order  has  about  10,000 
members,  and  has  paid  nearly  §500,000  for 
the  relief  of  members  and  to  their  bene- 
ficiaries. 

Illinois  Order  of  Mutual  Aid. — Organ- 
ized for  the  purpose  expressed  in  its  title  at 
Springfield,  111.,  June  17,  1878,  when  its 
first  Grand  Lodge  meeting  was  held.  It 
took  its  rise  from  the  Ancient  Order  of 
United  Workmen,  and  pays  §2,000,  ?!l,000, 
and  $500  death  benefits  "and  accrued  as- 
sessments." In  the  latter  feature  it  differs 
from  the  organization  last  named.  Men 
alone  are  eligible  to  join  the  Order,  the 
membership  of  which  is  G,000. 

Independent  Workmen  of  America. 
— A  Nebraska  fraternal  and  beneficial  asso- 
ciation of  recent  origin.  Its  headquarters 
are  at  Omaha. 

Iowa  Legion  of  Honor. — A  social  and 
beneficiary  assessment  Order,  designed  for 
men  and  women,  residents  of  the  State  of 
Iowa  only.  Removal  from  the  State  does 
not  forfeit  membership.  The  beneficiary 
divisions  for  men  and  for  women  are  sepa- 
rate. The  secret  work  and  ceremonies  are 
described  as  "simple  but  lasting."  Subor- 
dinate Lodges  elect  representatives  to  the 
Grand  Lodge,  who  with  the  officers  thereof 
constitute  that  body.  The  Grand  Lodge 
meets  biennially,  and  the  government  is 
more  representative  than  in  like  societies 
which  subordinate  Grand  or  State  Lodges 
to  a  Supreme  body.  Members'  lives  are  in- 
sured for  $1,000  or  $2,000.  The  total  mem- 
bership is  about  7,500.  A  prominent  oftieial 
states  that  the  founders  were  not  members 
of  any  other  particular  organization  of  like 
nature.     (See  American  Legion  of  Honor.) 

Knights  and  Ladies  of  Azar. — A  re- 
organization of  the  Knights  of  Azar,'  a  fra 
ternal,  beneliciary,  and  jiatriotic  Order 
founded  at  Chicago  in  1893.  Under  the 
reorganization  ladies  are  to  be  admitted  on 
equal  terms  with  men.  In  June,  1897, 
there  were  300  members  enrolled,  and  as 
soon  as  500  were  obtained  the  Society  was 


142 


KNIGHTS   AND   LADIES   OF   HONOR 


to  be  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  Illinois 
affecting  organizations  paying  deatli,  acci- 
dent, disability,  and  old  age  benefits  by 
means  of  mutual  assessments. 

Kniglits  and  Ladies  of  Honor. — This 
Avas  the  first  secret  beneficiary  society  to 
admit  women  to  equal  social  and  beneficiary 
privileges  with  men,  and  is  otherwise  note- 
Avorthy  in  that  it  is  the  outgrowth  of  a  side 
or  auxiliary  degree  knoAvn  as  the  degree 
of  Protection,  which  was  attached  to  the 
Knights  of  Honor  from  1875  until  1877. 
Knights  of  Honor,  their  wives,  mothers, 
Avidows,  and  unmarried  daughters  and  sis- 
ters over  eighteen  years  of  age  were  eligible 
to  the  degree  of  Protection,  which  per- 
formed the  same  social  and  beneficiary  func- 
tions for  the  Knights  of  Honor  that  the 
Daughters  of  Eebekah  does  for  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  Only  a  few 
Lodges  of  the  degree  of  Protection  Avere  or- 
ganized during  1875  and  1876,  but  little  en- 
couragement being  given  by  the  Supreme 
Lodge  of  Knights  of  Honor,  which  body  in 
May,  1877,  repealed  the  law  creating  the 
degree.  On  September  G,  1877,  representa- 
tives from  Lodges  of  the  degree  of  Protection 
met  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  to  discuss  the  con- 
dition of  affairs,  and,  if  possible,  effect  a  per- 
manent organization.  The  outcome  Avas 
the  formation  of  a  Provisional  Supreme 
Lodge  for  the  degree,  of  which  the  folloAv- 
ing,  all  of  Kentucky,  were  the  first  officers: 
E.  J.  Williamson,  T.  W.  Seymour,  E.  J. 
McBride,  F.  D.  Macbeth,  C.  L.  Piper,  J.  A. 
Demaree,  W.  E.  Ladd,  K.  H.  Seng,  0.  N. 
Bradburn,  T.  E.  Dennis,  G.  W.  Check,  and 
T.  J.  Wyatt.  The  first  annual  meeting  of 
the  "  Supreme  Lodge  of  Protection,  Knights 
and  Ladies  of  Honor,"  Avas  held  at  Louis- 
ville, Ky.,  September  19,  1878,  and  in  April 
of  the  folloAving  year  the  Supreme  Lodge  of 
Protection,  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Honor, 
was  incorporated.  On  December  14,  1881, 
the  General  Assembly  of  Kentucky  amended 
the  act  of  incorporation  by  striking  out  the 
words  "  of  Protection,"  and  so  changing  the 
membership  limitation  clause  as  to  render 


eligible  to  membership  "  all  acceptable  Avhite 
jiersons,  male  and  female."  The  original 
act  of  1878  fixed  the  amount  of  benefit  pay- 
able on  the  death  of  a  member  at  a  sum  not 
exceeding  11,000,  but  the  amendatory  act 
of  1881  increased  the  limit  of  benefit  pay- 
able at  deatli  of  a  member  to  15,000,  which 
changes  constitute  the  foundation  of  the 
growth  and  prosperity  of  the  Order  of 
Knights  and  Ladies  of  Honor  of  to-day,  the 
date  of  the  independent  existence  of  Avhich 
is  September  C,  1877.  The  amount  paid  on 
each  single  assessment  by  each  member  de- 
l^ends  uj^on  the  age  at  joining  the  Order  and 
amount  of  benefit  carried.  On  June  30, 
1878j  its  membership  was  as  folloAvs:  Men, 
907;  women,  1,018;  total,  1,925.  On 
December  31,  1895,  men,  39,933;  women, 
43,083;  total,  83,005.  The  objects  of  the 
Fraternity  are  (1)  to  unite  fraternally  all  ac- 
ceptable Avhite  men  and  women  of  any  repu- 
table profession,  business,  or  occupation'  who 
are  over  eighteen  and  under  fifty  years  of 
age.  (3)  To  give  all  possible  moral  and  ma- 
terial aid  in  its  power  to  its  members,  and 
those  depending  upon  them,  by  holding 
moral,  literary,  and  scientific  lectures,  by 
encouraging  each  other  in  business,  and  by 
assisting  each  other  to  obtain  employment. 
(3)  To  promote  benevolence  and  charity  by 
establishing  a  relief  fund.  This  fund  is 
maintained  by  monthly  assessments  on  those 
members  Avho  desire  to  participate  in  it, 
who  are  distinguished  in  the  laws  of  the 
Order  as  Eelief  Fund  members.  The  Relief 
Fund  Deiiartment  comprises  three  open 
divisions:  Division  1,  of  1500;  Division  3, 
of  11,000;  Division  3,  of  $3,000;  Division  4, 
of  13,000,  but  the  last-named  division  is 
noAV  closed  to  entrants.  Upon  satisfactory 
proof  of  the  death  of  a  Eelief  Fund  mem- 
ber, in  good  standing  at  time  of  death,  such 
sum  of  money  is  paid  to  the  designated 
beneficiary  as  the  deceased  had  in  life  con- 
tributed for,  and  Avhich  Avas  specified  in  the 
Eelief  Fund  certificate  held  by  the  member 
at  the  date  of  death.  Benefits  are  payable 
to  "  such  member  or  members  of  his  or  her 


KNIGHTS   AND   LADIES   OF   SECURITY 


143 


family,  person  or  persons  dependent  on  or 
related  to  him  or  her,  as  he  or  she  may  have 
directed."  The  Order  has  paid  out  in  death 
benefits  during  nineteen  years  -^1 1,042,000. 
Any  acceptable  Avhite  person,  not  less  than 
eighteen  nor  more  than  sixty-five  years  of 
age,  may  be  admitted  as  a  social  member 
without  medical  examination.  These  mem- 
bers pay  the  usual  Lodge  dues,  but  are  ex- 
empt from  contributing  to  the  Relief  Fund. 
The  business  of  this  Order  is  conducted 
through  a  Supreme  Lodge,  Grand  Lodges, 
coextensive  with  their  several  State  bounda- 
ries, and  subordinate  Lodges.  It  has  six- 
teen Grand  Lodges,  but  its  membership  is 
distributed  in  nearly  every  State  of  the 
Union.  Representatives  chosen  by  subordi- 
nate Lodges  constitute  the  several  Grand 
Lodges,  and  representatives  chosen  by  the 
several  Grand  Lodges  constitute,  with  its  offi- 
cers and  committeemen,  the  Supreme  Lodge. 
The  Supreme  Lodge  conducts,  exclusively, 
the  collection  and  disburseijient  of  the  Re- 
lief Fund,  and  has  full  power  to  make  laws 
for  its  own  government,  and  to  govern 
Grand  and  subordinate  Lodges. 

Less  effort  has  been  made  by  the  Knights 
and  Ladies  of  Honor  to  make  that  organi- 
zation distinct  from  the  Knights  of  Honor 
than  has  sometimes  been  the  case  by  off- 
shoots from  secret  societies,  the  comparison 
being  found  rather  with  schisms  among  Odd 
Fellows  and  Foresters,  so  many  independent 
Orders  of  which  exist  with  similar  names, 
titles,  emblems,  and  rituals.  The  seal  of 
the  Supreme  Lodge  of  the  Knights  and 
Ladies  of  Honor  contains  the  representation 
of  a  knight  in  armor,  with  sword  and  shield, 
ready  to  defend  and  protect  the  widow  and 
children  which,  with  a  broken  column,  are 
also  represented.  Upon  the  shield  held  by 
the  knight,  who  symbolizes  the  Order,  are 
the  letters  0.  M.  A.  in  the  angles  of  a  tri- 
angle. The  seal  of  the  Supreme  Lodge  of 
the  mother  Order,  the  Knights  of  Honor, 
is  similar,  except  that  the  knight  stands  with 
his  shield  arm  raised.  The  triangle  and  the 
broken  column  are  missing,  but  the  letters 


O.  ^[.  A.,  which  probably  refer  to  the  motto 
of  the  Order,  ai)pear  ou  an  ornamental 
shield  over  the  design.  The  best  known 
emblem  of  the  Knights  of  Honor  is  a  mono- 
gram formed  of  the  letters  0.  M.  A.,  and 
of  the  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Honor,  a  jien- 
dant  triangular  design,  in  tlie  angles  of 
which  the  same  letters  appear.  It  is  of  in- 
terest to  point  out  that  the  experience  of 
the  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Honor  shows 
that  its  risks  on  women  members  have  con- 
stantly proven  the  better  of  the  two  classes. 
L.  D.  Witherill,  M.D.,  Supreme  Medical 
Examiner  of  the  Order  for  the  twelve  years, 
reports  out  of  the  first  8,000  deaths  (De- 
cember 26,  1877,  to  June  10,  1895,  inclu- 
sive) -4,198  were  of  men  and  3,802  women. 
The  same  authority  says,  concerning  the 
character  and  desirability  of  women  as  in- 
surance risks :  ' '  Statistics  show  that  the  life 
of  females,  as  a  rule,  is  longer  than  that  of 
males.  Their  exposure  to  violent  deaths 
and  abuse  of  intoxicants  is  far  less.  From 
a  medical  standi:)oint  I  would  urge  the  mem- 
bers of  the  Order  to  increase  their  ranks  as 
far  as  possible  from  the  women  of  our  land. " 
(See  Loyal  Knights  and  Ladies.) 

Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security. — One 
of  the  more  modern  and  progressive  of  the 
latter-day  mutual  assessment,  death  and 
disability  beneficiary  secret  societies,  to 
which  both  men  and  women  are  eligible. 
It  was  chartered  under  the  laws  of  the  State 
of  Kansas  February  22,  1892,  with  its  head- 
quarters at  Topeka,  by  members  of  the 
^lasonic  Fraternity,  the  xVncient  Order  of 
United  "Workmen,  one  or  both  Orders  of 
Woodmen,  and  others.  It  eliminates  the 
expensive  and  generally  unnecessary  State 
organization  usually  found  in  similar  soci- 
eties, its  National  Council  being  composed 
of  representatives  from  subordinate  Coun- 
cils elected  by  a  direct  vote  of  tiie  members. 
It  operates  throughout  the  United  States 
and  Canada,  north  of  Xorth  Carolina,  Ten- 
nessee, Arkansas,  Oklahoma,  New  Mexico, 
and  Arizona,  excluding  cities  of  150,000 
population   and    over.      Admission,    as    in 


144 


KNIGHTS    AND   LADIES   OF   THE   FIRESIDE 


most  such  societies,  is  restricted  to  white 
persons  of  good  moral  character  between 
eighteen  and  fifty-five  years  of  age  who  can 
pass  a  satisfactory  physical  examination. 
Certificates  or  policies  are  issued  to  men  and 
women  members  alike  for  sums  ranging 
from  $500  to  13,000.  These  are  paid  by 
means  of  graded  assessments,  in  full  at 
death,  or  in  part  in  case  of  disability  by 
accident.  Holders  who  reach  the  age  of 
seventy  receive  one-tenth  of  the  amount  of 
the  policies  each  year  until  the  face  is  paid. 
A  feature  of  the  organization  is  its  reserve 
fund,  which  is  created  by  setting  aside  150 
on  each  11,000  named  in  certificates,  and 
loaning  it  on  real  estate  mortgage  security. 
It  is  used  to  meet  death  losses  after  twelve 
monthly  assessments, have  been  made  within 
a  year.  In  explaining  its  reserve  fund  the 
announcement  is  made  that  the  plan  of  cre- 
ating it  has  been  copyrighted,  and  ''  its  j^er- 
petual  use  secured  to  the  Order."  The 
growth  of  the  Order  has  been  unusually 
rapid,  its  total  membership  amounting  to 
about  25,000  in  one-third  the  States  of  the 
Union,  a  tribute  to  the  efficiency  of  the 
salaried  organizers  of  new  Councils  and  to 
the  enthusiasm  and  loyalty  of  the  rank  and 
file  of  its  membership,  in  which  it  may  be 
said  to  have  fairly  rivalled  the  vitality  shown 
by  almost  any  similar  society.  Councils  of 
Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security  are  practi- 
cally private  social  clubs  rather  than  mystic 
temples,  but  the  ritual  and  ceremonial  are 
instructive  and  attractive,  being  well  calcu- 
lated to  impress  upon  the  mind  of  the  no- 
vitiate the  importance  of  wisdom,  security, 
protection,  and  fraternity. 

Knights  and  Ladies  of  the  Fireside. 
— A  mutual  assessment  beneficiary  organiza- 
tion, founded  at  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  in  1893, 
by  representatives  of  kindred  organizations 
in  Missouri  and  Kansas.  It  issues  life,  acci- 
dent, and  sick  benefit  certificates  in  separate 
classes.  It  admits  men  and  women  alike, 
and  has  about  5,000  members  pointing  to  an 
exceptionally  rapid  growth.  At  the  death 
of  a  member  or  lapse  of  a  membershi]:),  10 


per  cent,  of  the  amount  paid  into  the  bene- 
ficiary fund  by  the  deceased  or  former  mem- 
ber is  invested  by  the  Supreme  Lodge  to 
form  a  permanent  fund  with  Avhich  to  pro- 
vide for  the  payment  of  assessments  of  mem- 
bers of  fifteen  (or  twenty)  years'  standing. 
The  services  of  S.  IL  Snider,  ex-Superin- 
tendent of  Insurance  of  the  State  of  Kansas, 
as  Sujireme  Secretary  of  the  Knights  and 
Ladies  of  the  Fireside,  are  an  evidence  of 
the  intelligence  and  enthusiasm  with  which 
the  society  has  entered  the  already  well-filled 
field  of  fraternal  insurance  orders. 

Knights  and  Ladies  of  the  Golden 
Precept. — Founded  by  Thomas  Gauderup, 
E.  E.  Everhart,  W.  B.  Davison,  and  John 
Iverson  at  Clinton,  la.,  in  189G,  and  incor- 
porated under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Iowa 
with  social  and  beneficiary  objects.  It  con- 
templates establishing  Lodges  throughout 
the  Union. 

Knights  and  Ladies  of  the  Goklen 
Rule. — One  of  the  older  but  smaller  secret 
beneficiary  societies,  combining  many  of  the 
features  of  other  like  organizations  with 
some  of  its  own.  It  was  organized  at  Cin- 
cinnati, 0.,  in  August,  1879,  and  incor- 
porated under  the  laws  of  Kentucky  in  the 
same  month.  The  founders  were  members 
of  other  beneficiary  fraternal  societies,  no- 
tably the  Order  of  Mutual  Aid,  which  suc- 
cumbed to  the  yellow  fever  epidemic  at 
Memphis,  early  in  its  career,  in  1878  ;  the 
Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  and 
the  Knights  of  Honor.  A  few  representa- 
tives and  officers  met  in  final  session  at  Cin- 
cinnati, and  after  settling  claims  against  the 
Order  of  Mutual  Aid  adjourned  sine  die. 
A  majority  of  those  present  then  met  and 
organized  the  Knights  of  the  Golden  Eule, 
which  has  preserved  with  varying  success 
a  continuous  existence  ever  since.  The 
headquarters  of  the  Order  are  at  Louisville, 
Ky.,  and  the  form  of  government  is  much 
like  that  of  similar  societies,  including  a 
Supreme  Commandery,  Grand  Chapters 
having  jurisdiction  in  the  States,  and  Sub- 
ordinate Castles.  Funds  paid  to  beneficiaries 


KNIGHTS   OF   BIRMINGHAM 


145 


of  members  of  the  Order  are  not  sub- 
ject to  legal  process  for  the  collection  of 
debts.  The  emblem  of  the  Fraternity  is  a 
shield,  on  uiiich  are  the  letters  K.  G.  R., 
over  a  circle  on  which  is  inscribed  the 
Golden  Rule,  in  the  centre  of  which  are  a 
pair  of  clasped  hands.  Below  are  five  links 
of  a  chain,  containing  F.  and  P.,  which 
may  or  may  not  stand  for  Friendship  and 
Protection.  The  employment  of  detached 
links,  symbolical  of  a  chain  of  brotherhood, 
is  one  of  the  few  instances  in  which  an 
adaptation  of  the  triple  link  of  Odd  Fel- 
lowship is  fonnd  among  the  more  modern 
secret  societies. 

The  Order  is  divided  into  three  sections, 
and  provides  for  the  i)aYment  of  a  speci- 
fied sum  on  the  death  of  a  member  as  fol- 
lows :  first  section,  loOO  ;  second  section, 
$1,000,  and  third  section,  $2,000.  Any 
white  man  or  woman  eighteen  years  of  age, 
and  not  over  fifty,  may  be  enrolled  a  bene- 
ficiary member.  There  is  a  scale  of  assess- 
ments graded  according  to  age.  The 
graded  assessment  plan  was  adopted  in 
1892  in  place  of  the  level  assessment  plan 
used  at  time  of  organization.  A  Grand 
Chapter  has  supervision  of  the  work  in  a 
State  and  elects  one  or  more  representatives 
to  the  Supreme  Commandery,  which  has 
entire  control  of  the  beneficiary  depart- 
ment, and  a  general  supervision  of  the 
Order  at  large.  The  organization  has  Cas- 
tles in  Alabama,  Arkansas,  California, 
Georgia,  Illinois,  Indiana,  Missouri,  New 
Jersey,  North  Carolina,  Ohio,  South  Caro- 
lina, Kentucky,  Louisiana,  Massachusetts, 
Minnesota,  Mississippi,  Tennessee,  Texas, 
Virginia,  and  West  Virginia,  and  the  total 
membership  is  over  3,000. 

Knights  and  Ladies  of  the  Gohleii 
Star. — An  assessment,  charitable,  and  bene- 
ficiary society,  founded  at  Newark,  N.  J., 
January  11,  1884,  having  its  permanent 
headquarters  at  Newark.  For  a  few  years 
the  organization  was  local  in  character,  but 
afterward  established  Lodges  in  New  York 
State  and  elsewhere  in  New  Jersey.  Men  and 
10 


women  between  sixteen  and  sixty-five  years 
of  age  and  children  are  eligible  to  meniber- 
shij).  Its  beneficiary  certificates  of  $500, 
$1,000,  $1,500,  or  $2,000,  i)ayable  at  death, 
may  be  converted  into  paid-up  insurance 
after  ten  years.  It  appeals  to  young  men  and 
women  to  take  out  certificates  of  insurance 
in  small  amounts,  which,  "  in  the  event  of  a 
long  life,  will  bring  in  a  rich  accumulation  of 
the  original  face  value.''  Annuities  are  paid 
those  Avho  are  fifty  years  of  age  and  have 
been  members  twenty-one  years,  and  one-half 
the  face  value  of  certificates  is  paid  at  total 
disability.  The  Society  is  unique  in  that 
it  receives  into  membership  entire  families, 
'^  children  being  received  into  the  immedi- 
ate relief  department  in  sums  ranging  from 
$50  up  to  $400.  Its  present  membership  is 
about  10,000.  The  original  members  were 
members  of  the  Royal  Templars  of  Temper- 
ance, but  the  Order  may  hardly  be  classed 
as  a  temperance  organization,  though  it  ex- 
cludes saloon  keepers  and  bartenders  from 
membership.  Its  "golden  star"  refers  to 
the  Star  of  Bethlehem,  and  it  has  no  secrets 
beyond  the  password  to  exclude  those  not 
members  from  its  meetings.  It  has  paid 
nearly  $700,000  in  benefits  since  it  was 
founded. 

Knights  and  Ladies  of  the  Roiiitd 
Table.— Organized  in  1887,  and  registered 
in  census  reports  of  1890  as  a  mutual  assess- 
ment insurance  order  for  men  and  women, 
with  headquartersat  Bloomington,  111.  Let- 
ters addressed  there  are  returned  unojiened; 
but  there  is  still  an  organization  by  the  same 
name  in  Central  Western  States,  notably  at 
Toledo,  0. 

Kniglits  and  Ladies  of  AVashingfon. 
— A  social  and  beneficiary  organization 
founded  at  Easton,  Pa.  Not  known  there 
now. 

Knights  of  Aur<n*a. — Organized  at  Min- 
neapolis prior  to  1889  as  a  mutual  insurance 
society.      Not  known  there  now. 

Kniglits  of  l$irniingiiani. — Founded  at 
Philadelphia  in  1873  by  Peter  Jones,  Edwin 
Smith,  and  John  Weldc,  three  Freemasons, 


146 


KNIGHTS   OF   COLUMBIA 


as  a  mutual  assessment  beneficiary  society, 
to  which  only  Master  Masons  between 
twenty-one  and  fifty  years  of  age  are  eligi- 
ble. It  issues  certificates  of  $1,000  each, 
payable  at  death,  and  has  expended  in  this 
manner  more  than  11,000,000.  Its  total 
membership  is  about  5,000,  most  of  whom 
reside  at  or  near  Philadelphia.  A  Grand 
Lodge  was  organized  in  1877,  which  consists 
of  all  Past  Sir  Chiefs  and  the  five  elective 
otHccrs  of  subordinate  Lodges. 

Knights  of  Columbia. — A  Topeka, 
Kan.,  fraternal,  mutual  benefit  organiza- 
tion. Its  Lodges  are  scattered  through 
West  Mississippi  and  Missouri  Valley  States. 
The  membership  is  not  large. 

Knig'hts  of  Honor. — The  line  of  descent 
of  the  Knights  of  Honor  in  the  family  of 
beneficiary  secret  societies  is  direct  from  the 
parent  death  benefit  assessment  society,  the 
Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  seventeen 
members  of  which,  including  members  of  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  led  by 
James  A.  Demaree,  founded  the  Knights 
of  Honor  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  in  1873.  It 
has  been  very  successful  in  that  it  ranked  in 
numerical  strength  among  the  first  half- 
dozen  similar  Orders,  with  a  total  member- 
ship of  120,000  in  1895,  which  fell  off  to 
96,000  in  1897,  during  reorganization,  when 
its  assessment  plan  was  remodelled  and 
brought  down  to  date.  Its  purposes  are  to 
unite,  fraternally,  acceptable  white  men  of 
good  moral  character  and  sound  bodily 
health;  to  lead  them  to  assist  each  other  in 
distress,  in  business,  and  the  search  for  em- 
ployment, which  are  characteristic  of  many 
similar  societies,  and  to  establish  a  widows' 
and  orphans'  benefit  fund  of  not  less  than 
$500  nor  more  than  $2,000,  to  be  paid  to 
families  of  deceased  members.  The  so- 
called  secrecy  which  attaches  to  the  Frater- 
nity is  declared  to  be  only  such  as  is  necessary 
to  keep  out  intruders  and  unworthy  men 
from  its  benefits ;  upright  men  of  all  politi- 
cal parties  and  religious  creeds  being  wel- 
come to  its  ranks.  No  oath  is  administered 
to  candidates  for  initiation,  "  only  a  prom- 


ise "  to  obey  the  laws  of  the  Order  and 
"  i)rotect  a  worthy  brother  in  his  adversities 
and  afflictions."  The  would-be  member  is 
required  to  profess  a  belief  in  Cxod,  and 
must  be  able  to  earn  a  livelihood  for  himself 
and  family.  A  member  may  carry  $500, 
$1,000,  or  $2,000  insurance,  and  assessments 
to  meet  jiayments  of  death  benefits  are  as- 
sessed at  the  lowest  limit,  graded  according 
to  age.*  More  than  $52,000,000  has  been 
paid  in  death  benefits  within  the  twenty- 
three  years  since  the  Society  was  organized. 
Beneficiai'ies  must  be  the  nearest  dependent 
relatives.  Certificates  of  membership  cannot 
be  used  as  collateral,  nor  are  moneys  paid  in 
their  redemption  subject  to  seizure  to  satisfy 
debts  of  the  insured.  Lodges  pay  sick  benefits 
to  members  at  their  option,  and  handle  their 
own  funds  to  that  end.  Death  benefit  funds 
are  jiaid  to  and  disbursed  by  the  Supreme 
Lodge.  The  government  of  the  Order,  like 
that   of    the   Independent    Order   of    Odd 

*  The  Knights  of  Honor  took  one  step  in  advance 
of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  in  that, 
while  the  latter  assessed  all  raembei's  a  uniform 
sura  to  pay  a  death  benefit  (and  still  does),  the  for- 
mer found  an  excuse  for  existence  in  its  original 
plan  of  assessment  by  which  members  between  45 
aud  55  years  of  age  paid  more  than  those  between 
21  and  45.  Fi'om  that  period,  1873-75,  the  work 
of  evolution  among  fraternal  assessment  societies 
went  rapidly  on,  the  next  step  being  the  grading  of 
assessments,  and  later  an  increasing  assessment  ac- 
cording to  age.  It  was  not  long  befoi-e  the  Knights 
of  Honor  admitted  to  membership  persons  between 
18  and  21  years  of  age  and  adopted  graded  assess- 
ments for  all  joining  thereafter,  up  to  the  age  of 
45.  By  1894-95  it  became  plain  that  the  system  of 
paying  a  fixed  assessment  year  after  year,  deter- 
mined by  the  age  of  the  member  at  date  of  joining 
the  society,  would  sooner  or  later  be  found  wanting; 
and  in  1895  the  Knights  of  Honor,  after  prolonged 
investigation,  adopted  a  plan  of  insurance  based 
on  a  different  rate  of  assessment  for  each  age,  be- 
ginning with  18  and  ending  with  61,  increasing 
from  year  to  year.  The  effect,  it  is  declared,  will 
be  that  each  member  in  any  one  year  will  pay  only 
the  sum  needed  for  benefits  on  deaths  among 
members  of  his  own  age,  based  on  mortality 
tables  and  the  experience  of  assessment  beneficiary 
secret  societies.  This  radical  change  has  resulted 
advantaireouslv. 


KNIGHTS  OF   SOBRIETY,  FIDELITY,  AND    IXTKciHITY 


147 


Fellows,  the  Foresters,  and  nearly  all  siniilai- 
organizations,  is  centred  in  a  Supreme  Lodge 
made  up  of  representatives  df  (J rand  (State) 
Lodges.  The  latter  are  composed  of  repre- 
sentatives of  subordinate  Lodges,  and  have 
jurisdiction  over  the  affairs  of  the  Order  in 
their  respective  States.  Nearly  all  tlie  larger 
assessment  beneficiary  organizations  are  re- 
sponsible directly  or  indirectly  for  the  cre- 
ation of  similar  societies,  either  through 
schism  born  of  rivalry  among  would-be  lead- 
ers or  by  having  served  as  models,  or  other- 
wise, and  the  Knights  of  Honor  prove  no 
exception.  In  1875  the  Supreme  Lodge 
established  a  side  or  auxiliary  degree  enti- 
tled the  degree  of  I'rotection,  to  which 
Knights  of  Honor,  their  wives,  mothers, 
nnmarried  danghters  and  sisters,  eighteen 
or  more  years  of  age,  were  eligible.  Only  a 
few  Lodges  of  this  degree  were  instituted 
during  the  next  year  or  two  (see  Knights 
and  Ladies  of  Honor),  and  in  1877  the  Su- 
preme Lodge  repealed  the  law  creating  the 
degree,  whereupon  representatives  of  the 
degree  met  at  Louisville  and  organized  an 
inde2:iendent  secret  assessment  beneficiary 
society  for  men  and  women  under  the  title. 
The  Order  of  Protection  of  Knights  and 
Ladies  of  Honor,  which  was  subsequently 
changed  to  the  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Honor. 
The  Knights  of  Honor,  while  among  the 
better  and  favorably  known  of  like  soci- 
eties, has  not  attained  its  present  eminence 
without  intelligent  and  persistent  work  on 
the  part  of  hundreds  of  prominent  business 
and  professional  men  Avho  have  been  and 
still  are  members.  Of  Western  origin,  it 
early  spread  to  the  East  and  the  South. 
From  17  members  who  founded  the  Order, 
the  membership  increased  to  1)9  by  the  close 
of  1873,  but  one  year  later  it  had  grown  ten- 
fold, with  999  names  on  the  roll.  From 
1875  the  Society's  increase  was  rapid  until 
1878,  when  the  yellow  fever  epidemic  was 
the  cause  of  its  first  serious  reverse.  In 
that  year  alone  the  Order  suffered  a  drain 
on  its  financial  resources  of  8385,000,  the 
result  of  the  death  of  193  members.     Dur- 


ing nearly  all  of  the  past  eighteen  years  in- 
crease in  membership  and  in  popularity  has 
characterized  the  Fraternity.  Its  Supreme 
Lodge  is  made  up  of  representatives  of  36 
Orand  Lodges,  to  which  are  attached  3,000 
subordinate  Lodges  with  an  average  of  50 
members  each. 

Kiiijjhts  of  Honor  of  tlie  AVorhl. — A 
new  fraternal  insurance  society,  with  head- 
quarters at  Natchez,  Miss.  It  appears  to 
have  used  the  name  of  another  organization. 

Knights  of  the  Seven  AVise  3Ien  of 
the  WorUl. — The  United  States  census  of 
1890  names  this  Society  among  others 
founded  to  do  an  insurance  business,  but 
nothing  is  known  of  it  at  Nashville,  Avhere 
its  chief  office  Avas  located.  Its  title  sug- 
gests that  it  Avas  an  offshoot  from  or  related 
in  some  Avay  to  the  Improved  Order  of,  or 
to  the  Order  of  the  Heptasophs. 

Kniglits  of  Sobriety,  Fidelity,  and 
Integrity. — A  mutual  assessment  benefici- 
ary society  for  men,  organized  at  Syracuse, 
N.  Y.,  in  1890.  It  does  business  in  nearly 
a  dozen  States,  but  a  large  proportion  of  its 
5,000  luembers  are  residents  of  the  Empire 
State.  It  issues  death  certificates  for  $500, 
$1,000,  and  12,000,  and  pays  accident  and 
sick  benefits  of  §5,  §10,  815,  820,  and  $25 
Aveekly.  The  latter  are  limited  to  fi\'e  con- 
secutive weeks,  and  to  tAventy  weeks  alto- 
gether in  any  one  year.  Three  rates  of 
assessments  are  offered  members,  the  lowest 
of  Avhich  delays  the  period  at  Avhich  the 
benefit  goes  into  effect,  but  makes  the  in- 
surance easier  to  carry.  The  second  rate  is 
based  on  a  shorter  delay  in  putting  into 
operation  the  death  benefit  contract,  while 
the  third  makes  the  insurance  operative 
from  the  moment  of  joining.  The  loss  of 
one  hand  and  arm  above  the  wrist,  or  one 
foot  and  leg  above  the  ankle,  entitles  a 
member  to  one-sixth  the  amount  due  under 
his  certificate  in  case  of  death.  In  case  of 
the  loss  of  both  hands  and  arms  above  the 
Avrist,  or  both  feet  and  legs  above  the  ankles, 
he  is  entitled  to  one-third  the  face  of  the 
certificate.     Members  Avho  arrive  at  the  aire 


148 


KNIGHTS   OF   THE   BLUE   CROSS   OF   THE   WORLD 


of  seventy  years  are  entitled  to  10  per  cent. 
of  the  amount  named  in  the  certiticate  each 
year  until  one-half  the  amount  named  in 
the  certificate  is  paid.  All  surplus  of  pre- 
miums after  the  payment  of  claims,  is  set 
aside  as  a  reserve  fund,  "  to  j)rovide  against 
excessive  mortality  in  any  one  j^ear. ' '  Loans 
on  real  estate  security  are  made  to  members 
on  the  monthly  payment  plan  in  States 
where  the  Order  is  incorporated. 

Knights  of  the  Blue  Cross  of  the 
World. — Organized  at  Homer,  Mich.,  in 
1888,  to  pay  $1,000  and  $2,000  death  bene- 
fits by  means  of  mutual  assessments  of  mem- 
bers. It  also  paid  weekly  benefits  in  cases 
of  sickness  of  members.  The  organization 
is  not  known  now  to  the  postal  officials. 

Knights  of  the  Brotherhood. — A  mu- 
tual assessmeut  beneficiary  Order  founded 
prior  to  1889,  which  reported  to  the  United 
States  tenth  census  from  Phoenixville,  Pa., 
but  is  now  unknown  there. 

Knights  of  the  Globe. — A  social,  mili- 
tary, charitable,  and  patriotic  secret  organi- 
zation which  secures  the  death  benefit  fea- 
ture to  its  members  through  the  Knights 
of  the  Globe  Mutual  Benefit  Association,  a 
non-secret,  cooperative  insurance  company, 
organized  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of 
Illinois,  to  which  only  Knights  of  the  Globe 
are  eligible.  Men  and  women  may  become 
members  of  both  organizations,  the  latter 
first  joining  the  Daughters  of  the  Globe,  a 
branch  of  the  Knights  of  the  Globe.  The 
mutual  aid  society  through  the  Knights  is 
recruited  from  the  more  healthful  portions 
of  the  United  States,  and  announces  special 
inducements  to  young  men  because  of  its 
uniform  rate  of  assessments.  It  issues  death 
benefit  certificates  for  ten  different  amounts, 
ranging  from  $500  to  15,000,  to  those  be- 
tween eighteen  and  fifty-six  years  of  age 
who  are  otherwise  eligible.  The  Knights 
of  the  Globe  was  organized  at  Chicago  in 
1889  by  Freemasons  prominent  in  the  Scot- 
tish Rite,  by  Odd  Fellows  of  the  highest 
rank,  and  by  members  of  the  Ancient  Or- 
der of  United  Workmen,  Royal  Arcanum, 


American  Legion  of  Honor,  Woodmen  of 
the  World,  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Repub- 
lic, and  other  secret  societies.  The  influ- 
ence of  the  Workmen  is  seen  in  the  uniform 
assessment  rate,  that  of  the  Freemasons  and 
Odd  Fellows  in  the  degree  work  and  em- 
blems, and  the  Grand  Army  in  its  obliga- 
tion that  ''  no  other  flag  than  the  glorious 
Stars  and  Stripes  shall  ever  fioat  over  our 
country."  Four  degrees  or  ranks  are  con- 
ferred, that  of  Volunteer,  Militant,  Knight, 
and  Valiant  Knight.  Of  the  latter  L.  L. 
Munn,  33°,  of  Freeport,  111.,  writes  that 
while  he  is  familiar  with  many  Orders  and 
has  witnessed  ceremonies  of  the  highest 
grade  of  excellence,  the  beauty,  instruction, 
and  impressiveness  of  the  Valiant  Knight's 
rank  take  a  very  high  rank  among  them. 
One  of  the  chief  objects  of  the  Fraternity  is 
to  inculcate  lofty  ideas  of  American  citizen- 
ship. While  the  Order  is  Avell  distributed 
throughout  the  West,  it  is  strong  in  Illinois, 
where  a  large  proportion  of  its  7,000  mem- 
bers reside. 

Knights  of  the  Globe  Mutual  Benefit 
Association. — A  non-secret,  cooj)erative 
insurance  company,  organized  under  the 
laws  of  the  State  of  Illinois  in  1890  to  in- 
sure members  of  the  Knights  of  the  Globe 
and  Daughters  of  the  Globe.  (See  the  latter.) 

Knights  of  the  Golden  Eagle. — Among 
the  various  beneficiary,  semi-military  secret 
societies  which  have  founded  their  rituals  and 
ceremonials  upon  the  history  and  pageantry 
of  the  Crusaders,  the  Knights  of  the  Golden 
Eagle,  or  Chivalric  Knights  of  America,  is 
conspicuous,  not  alone  for  its  rapidly  in- 
creasing membership,  which  numbers  about 
60,000,  but  as  well  for  its  adaptation  to 
American  soil  of  the  struggles  of  early 
Christian  knighthood.  The  objects  of  the 
Order  are  benevolence,  mutual  relief  against 
the  trials  and  difficulties  attending  sick- 
ness, distress,  and  death,  so  far  as  they 
may  be  mitigated  by  sympathy  and  pecu- 
niary assistance;  to  care  for  and  protect 
the  widows  and  orphans;  to  assist  those 
out  of  employment;  to  encourage  each  other 


KNIGHTS  OF  THE  GOLDEN  EAGLE 


149 


in  business;  "  to  ameliorate  the  condition 
of  humanity  in  every  possible  manner;  " 
to  stimulate  moral  and  mental  culture  by 
wholesome  precepts,  fraternal  counsel,  and 
social  intercourse,  to  elevate  the  member- 
ship to  a  higher  and  nobler  life,  and  the 
inculcation  and  dissemination  of  the  princi- 
ples of  benevolence  and  charity. 

The  organization  consists  of  a  Supreme 
Castle,  Grand  Castles,  and  subordinate  Cas- 
tles. The  Supreme  body  is  composed  of 
Past  Grand  Chiefs  (of  Grand  Castles),  and 
Grand  Castles  of  Past  Chiefs  of  subordinate 
Castles.  This  is  in  line  with  the  system 
pursued  by  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  with  its  Supreme  Lodge,  Grand, 
and  subordinate  Lodges;  the  Foresters,  with 
their  Supreme  Court,  Great  and  subordinate 
Courts,  and  many  other  similarly  governed 
societies.  The  subordinate  body  in  each 
holds  allegiance  to  the  State  organization, 
and  the  latter  to  the  Supreme  Body.  The 
ritualistic  work  of  the  Knights  of  the  Golden 
Eagle  includes  three  degrees:  the  first,  or 
Pilgrim's;  second,  or  Knight's;  and  third, 
or  Crusaders'  Degree.  ''  The  three  degrees 
are  symbolic  of  a  soldier  battling  for  his 
faith.  He  is  first  a  Pilgrim,  then  a  Knight, 
and  finally  a  Crusader."  The  Pilgrim's  de- 
gree teaches  fidelity  and  eternal  faithfulness 
to  God  and  our  fellow-man.  The  Knight's 
degree  confers  the  honors  of  Knighthood, 
arms  and  equips  the  Pilgrim,  and  teaches 
him  veneration  for  religion,  fidelity,  valor, 
courtesy,  charity,  and  hospitality.  The 
Crusader's  degree  sends  the  newly  made 
knight  forth  upon  a  crusade  against  the 
hosts  of  evil,  armed  and  equipped  to  con- 
quer opposing  foes.  The  ceremonies  and 
lectures  are  free  from  anything  of  a  frivo- 
lous or  objectionable  character. 

The  Order  has  for  its  motto,  "  Fidelity, 
Valor,  and  Honor,"  a  trinity  of  graces 
taught  in  its  ritual.  It  was  founded  by 
John  E.  Burbage  of  Baltimore,  Md.,  who, 
in  1872,  conceived  the  idea  of  an  organiza- 
tion, secret  in  character,  which  should  ''go 
hand  in  hand  Avith  religion,"  having  for  its 


theme  the  struggles  of  the  Christian  warrior 
after  ''  the  immortal  crown. "     He  succeeded 
in  enlisting  a  sufficient  inimber  of  friends 
to   insure  the  success  of  his  plan,  and  by 
means  of  symbol  and  allegory  representing 
•'the  passing  through  the  wilderness  of  sin 
and  woe  on  the  journey  to  the  Heavenly 
Castle,"  the  ritual  was  made  characteristic 
and   the   Order    established.     At   Shorey's 
Photograph  Gallery,  No.   129   East   Baiti- 
more  Street,  January  20,  1873,  the  Grand 
Castle  of  Maryland  was  organized,  and  steps 
were  taken  to  institute  several  subordinate 
Castles,  four  being  in  active  02)eration  eight 
months  later.     Templar  Knighthood  played 
a  part  in  the  preparation  of  the  ritual  of  the 
Knights  of  the   Golden  Eagle  as  in  other 
modern  Orders  of  Knighthood.     The  his- 
tory of  the  ancient  Templars,  the  Hospital- 
lers, the  Teutonic  Knights,  and  the  Knights 
of  St.  John  and  Malta,   together  with  the 
example  of  the  Masonic  Knights  Templars, 
has  had  an  unending  influence  on  the  minds 
of  secret  society  ritualists  of  the  nineteenth 
century,  and  not  only  are  the  Knights  of 
the  Golden  Eagle   an  evidence  of  it,  but 
there  is  reason  to  believe  their  ritual  is  in- 
debted to  membership  in  the  Order  of  those 
who  had  been  brought  to  light  and  had  been 
advanced  in  the  parent  of  all  modern  secret 
societies.      With    such    seed,    tbe   blossoms 
could  not  fail  to  be  numerous  and  beautiful. 
Philadelphia  Odd  Fellows  became  interested, 
and  took  the  new  Order  of  Knighthood  to 
the  City  of  Brotherly  Love  in  1875,  and  by 
April,  187G,  the  Grand  Castle  of  Pennsyl- 
vania Avas  organized.     The  Centennial  Ex- 
hibition and  the  financial  dei)ression  which 
followed  it  delayed  progress;  but  by  1880 
the  banner  of  the  Eagle  Knights  was  un- 
furled in  Massachusetts  by  the  aid  of  influ- 
ential members  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias; 
five  subordinate  Castles  with  a  total  mem- 
bership of  500  were  secured,  and  the  Grand 
Castle  of  that  State  was  instituted  in  the 
following  year.     The  Supreme   Castle  had 
been  formed  in  lialtimore  on  January  22, 
1878.      Since    1884,    wlien    a    number    of 


150 


KNIGHTS   OF   THE    GOLDEN   EAGLE 


prominent  citizens  of  Philadelphia  became 
interested,  the  pi'ogress  of  the  Order  has 
been  rapid,  and  by  December,  1896,  it  was 
in  successful  operation  in  thirty-four  States, 
with  830  Castles.  During  the  past  ten 
years  its  growth  has  been  conspicuous  in  the 
history  of  kindred  organizations,  more  than 
800  Castles  having  been  organized  during 
that  period. 

It  is  not  obligatory  for  the  members  to 
connect  themselves  with  the  military  branch, 
which  is  an  important  adjunct  and  attracts 
the  young  men.  The  Commanderies — as 
the  military  bodies  are  termed — are  separate 
from  the  Castles;  but  any  Sir  Knight  in 
good  standing  in  his  Castle  is  eligible  to 
membership  in  a  Commandery.  The  uni- 
form of  members  of  the  Commanderies  is 
elaborate  and  jolainly  patterned  after,  but 
still  dissimilar  from,  that  of  the  Masonic 
Knights  Templars.  The  Commanderies 
now  confer  the  degree  of  Chivalry,  adopted 
by  the  Supreme  Castle  at  its  annual  session 
held  in  Eeading,  Pa.,  October,  1896.  This 
is  required  to  be  taken  by  those  who  connect 
themselves  with  the  military  branch.  The 
motto  of  this  degree  is  '^  Chivalry,  Truth, 
and  Peace,"  and  the  ritual  deals  at  length 
with  chivalry  and  the  history  of  the  Crusades. 
Commanderies  are  under  the  control  of  a 
lieutenant-general,  elected  by  the  Supreme 
Castle  every  three  years,  except  in  States 
where  there  are  five  or  more  Commanderies, 
when  a  Grand  Commandery  may  be  insti- 
tuted. The  oflficers  of  a  G-rand  Command- 
ery are  Grand  Commander,  Grand  Vice- 
Commander,  Grand  JMarshal,  Grand  Herald, 
Grand  Preceptor,  Grand  Historian,  Grand 
Almoner,  Grand  Inne  •  Guard,  and  Grand 
Outer  Guard.  The  members  of  the  Grand 
Commandery  are  known  as  Grand  Cheva- 
liers, and  achieve  that  honor  by  virtue  of 
having  passed  through  the  posts  of  a  subor- 
dinate Commandery.  Subordinate  Com- 
manderies may  be  beneficial  or  non-bene- 
ficial, as  they  choose.  There  are  two  depart- 
ments— the  civil,  which  confers  the  degree 
and  attends  to  all  business  matters;  and  the 


military,  which  has  charge  of  drills  and  pa- 
rades. There  is  a  semi-military  feature  iu 
the  ritualistic  Avork  of  the  Castles  said  to  be 
very  attractive,  but  the  military  work  con- 
nected with  the  degree  of  Chivalry,  it  is 
claimed,  is  "  unsurpassed  "  by  any  similar 
ceremonial  in  like  societies. 

The  Knights  of  the  Golden  Eagle  say 
they  are  pioneers  in  protecting  those  who 
have  passed  the  limit  of  age  at  which  they 
'can  enter  similar  organizations.  There  are 
a  large  number  of  Veteran  Castles,  com- 
posed of  men  fifty  years  of  age  and  over, 
which,  like  the  Castles  and  Commanderies, 
have  power  to  legislate  in  regard  to  dues 
and  benefits. 

The  Order  also  claims  to  be  the  pioneer 
in  protecting  those  who  have  belonged  to 
Castles  which  have  become  defunct.  The 
Castle  of  Protection,  originated  by  Past  Su- 
preme Chief  J.  D.  Barnes  of  Pennsylvania, 
provides  that  such  members  may  pay  dues 
to,  and  receive  benefits  from,  the  Grand 
Castle  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  Supreme 
Castle  has  recently  adopted  a  like  plan  for 
the  benefit  of  those  under  its  immediate 
jurisdiction.  This  branch  is  known  as  the 
National  Castle  of  Protection.  The  Knights 
of  the  Golden  Eagle  have  certainly  taken  a 
stride  in  advance  in  looking  out  for  the  wel- 
fare of  members  whose  Castles  are  defunct, 
iu  which  respect  some  older  and  larger  bene- 
ficiary secret  societies  are  remiss.  In  1885 
members  of  the  Knights  of  the  Golden 
Eagle  organized  a  similar  society  under  the 
title.  Legion  of  the  Eed  Cross.  The  requi- 
site qualifications  for  membershiji  iu  the 
Knights  of  the  Golden  Eagle  are  that  the 
applicant  be  a  white  man,  eighteen  j^ears  of 
age,  of  good  moral  character,  a  believer  in 
the  existence  of  a  Supreme  Being  and  of 
the  Christian  faith,  free  from  mental  or 
bodily  infirmity,  competent  to  support  him- 
self and  family,  a  law-abiding  resident  of 
the  country  in  which  he  lives,  and  have 
sufficient  education  to  sign  his  own  ap- 
plication for  membership,  which,  by  the 
way,  are   almost  exactly  the   qualifications 


KNIGHTS    OF   THE   MACCABEES 


151 


demanded  for  admission  into  the  Order  of  the 
Heptasophs,  or  Seven  Wise  ]\Ien.  More  than 
one-half  the  total  membership  of  the  Order 
is  in  Pennsylvania.  The  Grand  Castle  Ilall 
at  Philadelphia  was  purchased  from  the 
Knights  of  Labor  for  !j!45,000,  when  the  lat- 
ter moved  its  headquarters  to  AVashington 
a  few  years  ago,  and  is  a  monument  to  the 
extent  and  importance  of  the  Order  in  the 
Keystone  State.  The  Death  Benefit  Fund 
is  composed  of  members  in  good  standing 
of  subordinate  Castles,  between  the  ages  of 
eighteen  and  fifty,  and  members  of  subordi- 
nate Temples  (the  auxiliary,  or  Ladies'  Or- 
der), between  the  ages  of  sixteen  and  fifty, 
who  must  pass  a  satisfactory  examination 
previous  to  admission.  The  amount  paid 
to  beneficiaries  of  members  in  good  standing 
is  §1,000  in  Class  A,  and  -^500  in  Class  B. 
Weekly  sick  benefits  and  funeral  benefits  are 
paid  by  means  of  assessments  at  the  option 
of  subordinate  Castles.  The  assessment 
in  Class  A  is  50  cents,  and  in  Class  B  25 
cents.  It  will  be  seen  that  one  object  of  the 
founders  was  to  furnish  a  moderate  death 
benefit  to  members  at  a  low  cost.  Li  189G 
a  $250.  death  benefit  class  was  provided,  as- 
sessments in  which  are  pro  rata  with  those 
in  Classes  A  and  B.  During  the  year  1895 
$180,000  was  paid  out  for  relief  by  the  Cas- 
tles of  the  Order,  the  investments  amount- 
ing to  S850,000. 

The  Eagle  Home  Association  of  Pennsyl- 
vania has  for  its  object  the  protection  of 
the  aged  Eagles,  widows,  and  orphans,  and 
is  supported  by  a  per  capita  from  such  Cas- 
tles as  are  enrolled  in  membership.  The 
social  feature  is  characteristic  of  the  Order, 
and  one  night  in  each  month  is  generally 
set  apart  for  entertainments. 

The  Temple  degree,  or  Ladies  of  the 
Golden  Eagle,  is  open  to  women  of  good 
moral  character,  not  less  than  sixteen  years 
of  age,  whether  relatives  of  Knights  of  the 
Golden  Eagle  or  not,  as  well  as  to  members 
of  the  Order  of  the  Knights  of  the  Eagle. 
This  auxiliary  to  the  Eagle  Knights  has  so- 
cial and  beneficiary  objects,  and  fills  much 


the  same  place  with  respect  to  Kniglits  of 
the  Golden  Eagle  as  the  Daughters  of  Re- 
bekah  do  to  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  and  the  Companions  of  the  Forest 
to  the  Foresters  of  America.  The  "  Lady 
Eagles "  meet  in  Temples,  and  regulate 
their  own  weekly  and  funeral  benefits  and 
dues.  Their  total  membership  is  about 
9,000.  Temples  which  are  separate  from, 
and  in  no  wise  adjuncts  of.  Castles  are 
under  the  immediate  control  of  the  Su- 
preme Castle  until  there  are  ten  Temples 
in  a  State,  when  a  Grand  Temple  may  be 
formed. 

Kiiigrhts  of  the  Loyal  Guard. — Found- 
ed by  Edwin  0.  Wood,  at  Flint,  Mich., 
January  31,  1895.  Men  and  women  are 
eligible  to  membership.  It  pays  death 
benefits  only.  It  organized  Lodges  in 
104  cities  within  two  and  one-half  years, 
and  numbers  more  than  5,000  mem- 
bers. 

Knights  of  the  Maccahees. — No  one 
of  the  popular  secret  beneficiary  fraternal 
societies  which  have  sprung  into  being  dur- 
ing the  latter  quarter  of  the  nineteenth 
centuiy  has  been  more  successful  than  the 
Maccabees.  Its  original  inspiration  was  of 
Canadian  origin,  but  its  robust  youth  and 
early  manhood  are  tributes  to  the  nurtur- 
ing care  and  executive  capacity  of  Ameri- 
can citizens.  The  founders  of  the  modem 
Maccabees  are  to  be  commended  for  quany- 
ing  tiie  foundation  stones  of  their  ritual, 
legend,  and  ceremonial  in  strata  which  had 
not  even  been  uncovered  by  the  exploring 
hand  of  the  secret  society  ritualist.  The 
modern  Order  of  Maccabean  Knighthood  is 
built  upon  the  traditions  and  history  of  the 
ancient  Maccabean  dynasty,  the  achieve- 
ments of  which  are  recorded  in  the  first  and 
second  Books  of  the  Maccabees,  in  the 
apocryphal  Old  Testament.  The  followers 
of  Judas  Maccabeus  were  Jews  of  no  par- 
ticular tribe,  who  braved  death  in  the  de- 
fence of  their  belief  in  the  God  of  their 
fathers.  The  name  Maccal)eus  is  said  to 
have   been   derived   from   a  Hebrew   term 


152 


KNIGHTS   OF   THE    MACCABEES 


signifying  a  hammer.*  It  Avas  to  Judas 
Maccabeus  the  Jews  were  indebted  for  the 
preservation  of  their  political  power  and 
religious  liberty.  In  the  second  century 
B.C.,  the  Jews  transferred  their  allegiance 
from  Egypt  to  Syria,  and  tw'enty-five  years 
later  the  Syrian  King,  Antiochus  Epiphanes, 
commanded  them  to  renounce  their  religion, 
defiled  their  sauctuarj-,  and  ordered  them 
to  pay  the  honors  due  alone  to  Divinity  to 
the  Olympian  Jupiter.  Tliis  the  Jews  un- 
der their  Priest  Mattathias  resisted  in  a 
"thirty  years' war.''  Before  the  outbreak 
Mattathias,  being  a  person  of  consequence, 
was  tempted  by  a  Syrian  captain  to  embrace 
the  new  faith,  but  with  his  own  hand  he 
slew  the  first  renegade  Jew  who  apjiroached 
the  altar  of  idolatry.  This  precipitated 
the  conflict.!  Mattathias,  his  five  sous,  and 
a  few  faithful  followers  destroyed  the  em- 
blems of  the  heathen  worship  in  Modin  and 
vicinity  and  fled  into  the  wilderness  of 
Judea.  The  Hellenes,  friends  of  the  Greeks, 
aided  the  Syrians  and  the  family  of  Mac- 
cabeus, of  which  Judas  Maccabeus  was  the 
head,  espoused  the  cause  of  the  Jews,  Judas 
Maccabeus  becoming  the  leader  of  the  re- 
volt after  the  death  of  his  father  Matta- 
thias a  few  years  after  the  outbreak  of  the 
war  in  166  B.C.  The  former  took  com- 
mand, and  at  Mizpah  repulsed  and  put  to 
flight  the  Syrians,  although  his  forces  were 
greatly  outnumbered.  At  Bethzur  he  again 
put  the  Syrians  to  flight,  reconquered  Jeru- 
salem, purified  the  Temple,  reestablished 
the  holy  service,  and  concluded  an  alliance 
with  the  Komans.  He  fell  in  battle  in 
IGL  B.C.  He  was  succeeded  by  his  brother 
Jonathan,  who  became  High  Priest  on  the 

*  It  is  also  claimed  the  name  ''  Maccabi  "  was 
formed  from  the  initials  of  the  Hebrew  words  mi 
Kamocha  baelim,  Jehovah,  signifying  "  Who  is  like 
thee  among  the  gods,  Jehovah?" 

f  On  being  summoned  by  the  Syrian  overseer  and 
bade  to  make  sacrifice  to  the  gods,  Mattathias  an- 
swered: "If  all  the  people  in  the  kingdom  obey  the 
order  of  the  monarch  to  depart  from  the  faith  of 
their  fathers,  I  and  my  sons  will  abide  by  the 
covenant  of  our  forefathers." 


death  of  Antiochus,  but  was  murdered  by 
those  who  feared  his  influence  on  the  heir 
to  the  throne.  Simeon,  the  second  brother 
of  Judas,  aided  by  Roman  allies,  became 
the  ruler  of  the  Jews,  and  finally  reestab- 
lished the  independence  of  the  Jewish  na- 
tion. The  wisdom  and  moderation  with 
which  he  used  the  power  intrusted  to  him 
were  so  well  appreciated  in  his  own  day 
that  the  year  141  B.C. — that  after  his  suc- 
cession— was  made  the  beginning  of  a  new 
era. 

Upon  the  enduring  traits  of  character 
displayed  by  the  ancient  Maccabean  family 
in  the  Jewish  thirty  years'  war  for  religious 
and  political  liberty,  particularly  those  of 
its  first  great  representative,  Judas  Mac- 
cabeus, the  modern  Knights  of  the  Macca- 
bees have  founded  their  fraternal  Order  of 
mutual  relief.  It  was  Judas  Maccabeus 
who  first  commanded  his  soldiers  in  divid- 
ing the  fruits  of  their  victories  to  reserve  a 
part  for  the  widows  and  orphans  of  their 
brothers  who  had  fallen  in  battle — a  jn-omi- 
nent  feature  of  the  work  of  modern  Macca- 
beism. 

The  modern  Order  of  the  Maccabees  was 
founded  in  1878  by  members  of  the  Order 
of  Foresters,  and  others,  at  London,  On- 
tario, who  were  familiar  with  the  history 
of  the  ancient  Maccabees,  and  believed  it 
formed  an  excellent  framew^ork  on  which  to 
construct  a  modern  fraternal  and  benefi- 
ciary society.  They  drew  up  a  constitution, 
prepared  a  ritual  and  ceremonials,  and  the 
new  society  was  born.  Within  two  years  it 
had  spread  throughout  the  Canadian  Do- 
minion and  into  several  of  the  United  States, 
with  a  total  membership  of  about  10.000. 
Its  earh"  growth  is  declared  to  have  been  of 
a  mushroom  character.  No  medical  ex- 
amination was  required  of  applicants,  and 
assessments  at  deaths  were  only  ten  cents 
apiece  for  all  members.  The  business  man- 
agement was  not  of  the  kind  which  bene- 
ficiary organizations  of  this  variety  now 
require,  expenses  increased  relatively  more 
rapidly   than    the    income,    and   as   deaths 


KNIGHTS   OF   THE   MACCABEES 


153 


became  numerous  a  crisis  stared  the  society 
in  the  face.* 

Believing  it  to  possess  the  germs  of  ii  use- 
ful institution,  some  of  the'  more  conserva- 
tive business  men  of  Michigan  among  its 
relatively  large  membership  in  that  State 
undertook  to  reorganize  the  society  at  the 
grand  review  held  at  Buifalo,  N.  Y.,  in 
1880.  The  constitution  and  laws  were 
changed,  and  the  business  methods  revised 
and  }>laced  on  a  stronger  foundation.  This 
could  not  have  been  accomplished  without 
some  friction,  and  one  outcome  was  the  seces- 
sion of  a  minority  of  the  Order  in  Canada, 
under  the  leadership  of  one  McLaughlin 
of  London.  But  one  year  later  the  rival 
Orders  came  together  at  Port  Huron,  Mich., 
in  the  persons  of  their  chief  executive  offi- 
cials, and,  after  a  two  days'  conference,  were 
reunited,  and  elected  a  full  corps  of  officers. 
It  was  several  years  before  the  society  began 
its  career  of  prosperity,  owing  to  much 
"  bad  material"  having  been  admitted,  the 
consequent  high  death  rate,  to  activity  of 
would-be  leaders  and  of  leaders  who  were 
not  competent.  Major  N.  S.  Boynton,  who 
had  been  elected  Supreme  Lieutenant  Com- 
mander at  Buffalo,  in  1881,  was  made 
chairman  of  a  committee  appointed  at  the 
Port  Huron  joint  review,  in  1881,  to  draft 
a  new  constitution  and  laws.  The  results 
of  this  committee's  deliberations  were 
adopted  in  February,  1881.  They  provided 
for  the  organization  of  Great  Camps  in 
States,  Territories,  and  Provinces  where  the 
membershii?  was  1,000  or  more,  but  the 
management  of  the  death  benefit  fund  was 

*  This  was  about  tlic  period  of  tlio  so-called 
"  Griffin  defalcation  "  in  the  Independent  Order  of 
Foresters,  which  was  followed  in  1879  by  schisms 
to  escape  extra  assessments,  the  offshoot  organiza- 
tions taking  the  names  of  tlie  Independent  Order 
of  Foresters  of  Illinois,  and  the  Canadian  Order  of 
Foresters.  While  it  is  probable,  it  has  not  been  deter- 
mined whether  or  no  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees 
was  devised  by  members  of  the  Independent  Order 
of  Foresters  for  reasons  similar  to  those  which  gave 
birth  to  the  Illinois  and  Canadian  Orders  of  For- 
esters. 


retained  in  the  Supreme  Tent.  A  Great 
Camj)  was  promptly  chartered  in  Michigan 
and  incorporated  June  11,  1881,  which  day 
has  since  been  recognized  as  the  anniversary 
of  the  reorganized  Order.  At  the  Supreme 
Tent,  in  July,  1881,  the  laws  were  amended, 
mainly  through  the  exertions  of  the  Michi- 
gan representatives,  to  permit  Great  (State) 
Camps  to  control  benefit  funds  of  their  own 
jurisdictions.  Michigan  members  were  evi- 
dently aware  that  the  Order,  even  as  re- 
organized, could  not  long  survive,  and  were 
apparently  planning  to  act  as  heirs  and 
assignees  of  what  might  remain  when  the 
end  came.  At  this  period,  September,  1881, 
Major  N.  S.  Boynton  was  induced  to  act  as 
secretary  and  general  business  manager  for 
the  Michigan  Great  Camp,  officially,  as 
Great  Record  Keeper.  He  opened  an  office 
in  his  residence  at  Port  Huron,  and  ad- 
vanced funds  with  which  to  jjurchase  sup- 
plies, charters,  seals,  j)Ostage  stamps,  etc. 
His  private  business  took  him  about  Michi- 
gan so  frequently  that  be  was  enabled  to 
work  effectively  for  the  Order,  which,  for  a 
year,  he  did  without  pay  ;  had  he  not 
done  so,  there  would  probably  have  been  no 
Maccabees  to-day.  He  subsequently  became 
Great  Commander  of  the  Great  Camp  of 
Michigan,  the  highest  office  in  the  gift  of 
the  Fraternity  in  that  State,  which  he, 
more  than  any  other  one  man,  may  claim 
the  credit  for  maintaining  and  upbuilding. 
Outside  of  Michigan  the  Order  became  de- 
funct. It  started  anew  in  the  Peninsular 
State  in  1882,  with  only  700  members,  and 
has  spread  throughout  the  United  States 
and  Canada.  The  constitution  and  laws 
have  been  revised  again,  the  ritual  has 
been  changed,  and  a  funeral  service  incor- 
porated. These  were  largely  the  outcome 
of  suggestions  of  new  leaders,  some  of  them 
Freemasons  and  members  of  other  secret 
societies  whose  rituals  and  methods  have 
served  as  models  for  many  fraternal,  bene- 
ficiary societies.  Tlie  old  Supreme  Tent 
being  dead,  its  members  in  the  Michigan 
Order  revived  it,  Sei)tember,  1883,  and  began 


154 


KNIGHTS   OF  THE   STAR    OF   BETHLEHEM 


the  active  work  of  extending  the  mem- 
bershij)  throughout  the  country.  In  1892  a 
permanent  headquarters  was  established  at 
Port  Huron.  Leaders  among  the  Knights 
declare  that  the  Order,  which  consists  of  a 
body  of  men  banded  together  for  the  pro- 
tection of  their  families  and  homes,  is  not 
an  insurance  company,  and  bears  the  same 
relation  to  an  insurance  company  that  a 
father  bears  to  a  guardian.  It  is  only 
proper  to  add  that  this  distinction  is  drawn 
between  nearly  all  secret,  fraternal,  benefi- 
ciary societies  and  open  mutual  assessment 
insurance  companies,  as  well  as  between  the 
former  and  the  old  line,  level  jDremium- 
paying  life  insurance  companies.  The 
Order  of  the  Maccabees  is  quite  compre- 
hensive as  to  the  relief  it  extends.  It  not 
only  pays  benefits  at  the  deaths  of  members, 
both  men  and  women,  but  for  disability, 
during  extreme  old  age  and  sickness,  for 
accidents,  and  to  meet  funeral  expenses. 
These  payments  are  met  by  mutual  assess- 
ments, based  upon  the  ''actuaries'  table 
of  mortality."  Assessments  are  made 
monthly,  and  include  an  allowance  of  12 
per  cent,  for  the  actual  cost  of  management. 
All  white  persons  of  sound  bodily  health 
and  good  moral  character,  socially  accept- 
able, between  eighteen  and  seventy  years  of 
age,  are  eligible  to  membership  ;  but  only 
those  between  eighteen  and  fifty-two  years 
of  age  may  join  and  share  in  the  beneficiary 
features.  Sick  benefits  are  from  $4  to  $10 
per  week,  while  $50,  $200,  or  $300  annually 
are  paid  in  case  of  total  and  permanent  dis- 
ability, and  $50,  $100,  or  $300  annually  for 
old  age  benefits.  A  benefit  of  from  $3  to 
$30  is  paid  in  case  of  disabling  accidents; 
$175  to  $2,000  for  the  accidental  loss  of 
both  eyes,  hands,  or  feet,  or  hand  and  foot ; 
$100  to  $1,000  for  hand  or  foot;  and  $40  to 
$500  for  the  accidental  loss  of  an  eye.  The 
funeral  benefit  of  an  unmarried  member  is 
$50,  and  the  death  benefit  $500,  $1,000, 
$2,000,  or  $3,000;  and  (where  Great  Camjjs 
exist)  as  high  as  $5,000.  These  benefits 
(one  or  all)  may  be  secured  for  one  member- 


shij)  fee  when  applied  for  at  the  same  time, 
and  on  payment  of  dues  to  maintain  only 
one  local  organization.  Certain  classes  of 
railroad  employees,  expressmen,  firemen, 
and  miners  (except  coal  miners,  which  are 
prohibited  risks)  are  regarded  as  hazardous 
risks,  and  pay  twenty-five  cents  additional 
assessment  for  each  $1,000.  Persons  en- 
gaged in  blasting,  coal  mining,  submarine 
operations,  making  highly  inflammable  or 
explosive  materials,  aeronauts,  electric  line- 
men, etc.,  are  not  eligible  to  membership  on 
account  of  the  extra  hazardous  nature  of 
the  occupations;  in  addition  to  which,  prin- 
cipals or  agents  or  employees  in  the  manu- 
facture or  sale  of  spirituous  or  malt  liquors, 
and  those  addicted  to  the  intemperate  use 
of  intoxicating  liquors,  are  ineligible  to 
membership. 

The  total  membership  of  the  Knights, 
December  1,  1896,  of  which  more  than  one- 
third  is  in  Michigan,  was  about  182,000, 
distributed  throughout  forty  States  and 
Provinces,  and  the  death  rate  in  1895  was 
only  5.54  in  1,000,  which  was  exceptionally 
low.  Fully  $5,000,000  in  benefits  have 
been  paid  since  the  Order  was  founded. 
The  total  membership,  Knights  and  Ladies 
combined,  December  1,"  1896,  was  248,000, 
and  the  combined  benefits  distributed  had 
amounted  to  more  than  $7,000,000. 

Knights  of  the  Star  of  Bethlehem. — 
See  Order  of  the  Star  of  Bethlehem. 

Ladies  of  the  Golden  Eagle. — The 
women's  social  and  beneficiary  branch  of 
the  mutual  assessment  fraternal  society, 
the  Knights  of  the  Golden  Eagle.  (See  the 
latter. ) 

Ladies  of  the  Maccabees. — As  nearly 
all  the  prominent  beneficiary  secret  societies 
have  auxiliary,  or  women's,  branches,  to  aid 
in  charitable  work  and  assist  socially  and 
otherwise  in  promoting  the  interests  of  the 
parent  organizations,  so  the  Knights  of  tlie 
Maccabees  are  supplemented  by  the  Ladies 
of  the  .Alaccabees.  To  Mrs.  A.  G.  Ward  of 
Muskegon.  Mich.,  belongs  the  credit  of 
having  suggested  and  planned  the  Ladies 


LADIES    OF  THE   MACCABEES 


165 


of  the  Maccabees.  She  drafted  the  original 
constitution  for  the  first  Hive,  composed  of 
wives  of  the  Knights,  at  Muskegon.  At  first 
this  society  was  local  and  purely  social  in 
character,  but  in  1886  application  was  made 
to  the  Great  Camp  for  Michigan,  at  Kala- 
mazoo, for  recognition  as  an  auxiliary  branch 
to  aid  local  Tents  socially,  and  for  laws  to 
provide  for  life  and  disability  benefits  to  be 
managed  by  the  auxiliary  society  itself.  The 
request  was  not  granted,  and  a  second  ap- 
plication in  1887  met  with  another  refusal. 
But  the  efforts  of  the  would-be  Lady  Mac- 
cabees were  not  relaxed,  and  as  many  of  the 
leading  Knights  had  become  convinced  of 
the  determination  and  ability  of  the  ladies 
to  accomplish  what  they  had  undertaken, 
the  Great  Camp,  which  met  at  Port  Huron 
in  1888,  recognized  the  organization  of  a 
Great  Hive  for  Michigan,  auxiliary  to  the 
Great  Camp.  A  Great  Hive  was  finally  or- 
ganized, its  laws  approved  by  the  Great 
Camp,  and  its  officers  elected  and  installed 
by  Major  N.  S.  Boynton,  Great  Record 
Keeper,  in  May,  1890.  Organizers  were 
appointed,  and  the  ladies'  Order  was  rapidly 
introduced  throughont  Michigan  in  connec- 
tion with  various  Tents  of  the  Maccabees. 
By  August,  1890,  the  total  membership  of 
the  Ladies  of  the  Maccabees  was  only  170, 
but  from  that  time  onward  its  growth,  suc- 
cess, and  ])opularity  among  ladies,  relatives 
of  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees,  and  others, 
have  been  continuous.  For  some  years  the 
growth  of  the  society,  owing  to  its  charter, 
was  confined  to  Michigan.  Hives  were  sub- 
sequently organized  by  (ireat  Camps  in 
other  States  ;  but  in  New  York  and  Ohio 
Great  Camps  retained  control  of  subordi- 
nate Hives  and  of  tlieir  funds.  This  for 
a  time  prevented  Hives  in  the  States  named 
from  being  represented  in  the  Supreme 
Hive  of  the  Order  of  the  Ladies  of  the 
Maccabees  of  the  World,  restricting  their 
enjoyment  of  social  and  "fraternal''  bene- 
fits of  the  Order  in  other  States  than  their 
own.  But  the  Supreme  Hive  of  the  Ladies 
of  tlie  Maccabees  of  the  World  was  organized 


October  1,  1892,  to  harmonize  the  workings 
of  various  Great  Hives,  and  to  render  their 
social,  ritualistic,  and  other  work  uniform, 
and,  as  its  name  suggests,  the  Supreme 
Hive  is  to-day  the  supreme  authority  of  the 
Ladies  of  tlie  Maccabees.  It  is  made  up 
of  representatives  of  Great  Hives,  and  is 
the  auxiliary  branch  of  the  Supreme  Tent 
of  the  Knights  of  the  Maccabees  of  the 
World,  the  supreme  governing  body  of  the 
Knights. 

The  Ladies  of  the  Maccabees  is  claimed 
to  be  the  first  movement  of  the  kind  among 
women  offering  death  benefits,  making  its 
own  laws,  and  transacting  its  own  bu.siness. 
Its  successful  career  has  surprised  many, 
even  among  its  well-wishers,  and  has  shown 
that  women  may  safely  be  intrusted  with 
the  conduct  and  management  of  many  of 
the  broader  business  affairs  of  life.  The 
total  membership  of  the  Ladies  of  the  Mac- 
cabees, December  1,  1896,  of  which  fully 
one-half  is  in  Michigan,  had  increased  to 
66,000  since  the  formation  of  the  Great 
Hive  for  Michigan  in  1888,  and  may  be 
found  in  more  than  one-half  the  States  of 
the  Union  and  in  the  Canadian  Dominion. 
It  aids  its  sick  and  distressed  members, 
cares  for  the  living,  buries  its  dead,  and  pays 
death  and  disability  benefits.  Women  be- 
tween the  ages  of  sixteen  and  fifty-two, 
socially  acceptable,  are  admitted  to  life 
benefit  membersliip,  after  passing  a  medical 
examination.  They  receive  death  benefit 
certificates  for  $500,  $1,000,  and  §2,000,  and 
in  case  of  permanent  or  total  disability,  or 
on  reaching  the  age  of  seventy  years,  they 
receive  annually  one-tenth  of  the  sum  named 
in  their  certificates.  Thus  far  tiie  death 
rate  among  the  Ladies  of  the  Maccabees  has 
been  remarkably  low.  Tlie  social,  ritualis- 
tic, literary,  and  educational  exercises  are 
prominent  features.  In  view  of  its  unique 
character,  the  society  being  the  first  of  its 
kind  managed  exclusively  by  women,  it  is 
proper  to  add  that  to  Lady  Lillian  M. 
Hollister  of  Detroit  and  Lady  Bina  M.  West 
of   Port  Huron  is  larfjelv  due  the  success 


15(5 


LEAGUE  OF  FRIENDSHIP,  SUPREME  MECHANICAL  ORDER  OF  THE  SUN 


and  present  high  standing  of  the  auxiliary 
branch  of"  tlie  Maccabees. 

League  of  Frieiidsliii),  Supreme  Me- 
dia iiieal  Order  of  tlie  Snii. — A  benefi- 
ciary labor  organization,  now  extinct,  mem- 
bers of  which  formed  the  Ancient  Order  of 
United  Workmen  in  1868.     (See  the  latter, ) 

Legion  of  the  Red  Cross. — One  of  the 
smaller  mutual  assessment  beneficiary  so- 
cieties, founded  in  1885  by  members  of  the 
Knights  of  tlie  Golden  Eagle,  which  insures 
the  lives  of  its  members  in  the  sum  of 
$1,000,  seeks  to  procure  emjaloyment  for 
them,  and,  so  far  as  possible,  to  assist  them 
in  business.  All  acceptable  white  men,  be- 
tween eighteen  and  fifty  years  of  age,  who 
can  pass  the  required  physical  examination, 
are  eligible  to  membership.  It  is  governed 
by  a  Supreme  Council,  made  up  of  its  offi- 
cers and  representatives  of  Grand  Councils, 
which  have  jurisdiction  over  subordinate 
Councils  in  States  where  established.  It 
furnishes  sick  as  well  as  death  benefits,  and, 
since  it  was  founded,  has  paid  nearly  $160,- 
000  to  beneficiaries.  The  ritual  is  based  on 
the  history  and  traditions  of  the  Crusades, 
but,  as  may  be  supposed,  has  no  direct  or 
other  relation  to  the  Masonic  or  other  or- 
ders of  the  Red  Cross.  The  total  member- 
ship, about  4,500,  is  centred  in  Maryland, 
Delaware,  Pennsylvania,  New  Jersey,  and 
New  York,  and  its  headquarters  are  at  Bal- 
timore. The  emblem  is  a  red  Maltese  Cross, 
slightly  modified  from  the  conventional 
sliape,  with  the  letters  L.  0.  E.  C.  in  the 
arms,  and  a  circle  in  the  centre  containing 
a  representation  of  the  Cross  and  Crown. 
(See  also  Knights  of  the  Golden  Eagle.) 

Light  of  the  Ages. — An  Indiana  fra- 
ternal beneficiary  society,  with  its  head- 
quarters at  Indianapolis,  which  in  1897 
dropped  its  fraternal  features,  and  continued 
business  as  an  ordinary  insurance  company. 

Loyal  Additional  Benefit  Associa- 
tion.— A  fraternal  beneficiary  society, 
formed  in  1889  by  members  of  the  Royal 
Arcanum,  to  which  only  the  latter  are  eli- 
gible as  members.     (See  Royal  Arcanum.) 


Loyal  Circle. — A  new  fraternal  benefi- 
ciary society,  organized  at  Champaign,  111. 

Loyal  Knights  and  Ladies. — An  out- 
growth of  the  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Honor. 
The  latter  society  M'as  connected  with  the 
Knights  of  Honor,  and  Mizpah  Lodge,  Bos- 
ton, Avas  one  of  the  most  wide-awake  Lodges. 
The  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Honor  severed 
its  connection  with  the  Knights  of  Honor, 
and  the  membership  of  Mizjoah  Lodge,  dis- 
satisfied with  the  action  of  the  society,  dis- 
solved its  connection  with  the  Knights  and 
Ladies  of  Honor  and  set  u]}  housekeeping 
on  its  own  account  as  the  Loyal  Knights 
and  Ladies.  The  first  meeting  was  held 
November  11,  1881,  in  Boston.  The  for- 
mation of  the  other  Courts  devolved  upon 
Court  Mizjjah,  and  until  the  fifth  Court 
had  been  instituted  no  attempt  at  a  higher 
body  was  made.  At  that  time  delegates 
were  sent  from  the  five  Courts,  and  upon 
these  devolved  the  duty  of  establishing  the 
governing  body.  The  Imperial  Court  was 
formed  December  6,  1883,  though  it  was 
known  as  the  High  Court  until  February  23, 
1884.  No  esjsecial  attempt  was  made  to 
push  matters  until  after  the  incorporation  of 
the  society,  June  18,  1895,  when  some  im- 
portant changes  were  made  in  its  constitu- 
tion. At  the  present  time  the  Order  is 
growing  slowly  though  very  satisfactorily. 
The  death  rate  of  the  Order  has  been  very 
low. 

The  strongest  claim  the  Order  has  upon 
its  members  is  the  genuine  feeling  of  frater- 
nity, which  has  held  it  together  when  so 
many  stronger  societies  have  gone  to  the 
wall.  Very  much  is  done  by  all  the  Courts 
to  encourage  this  sentiment,  and  many  enter- 
tainments are  given.  The  ritualistic  work 
also  is  very  good.  It  is  a  secret  beneficiary 
society,  admitting  all  socially  acceptable 
white  persons  of  suitable  age  who  can  jiass 
the  required  physical  examination.  It  pays 
a  death  benefit  not  to  exceed  $1,000,  though 
the  actual  amount  paid  has  never  reached 
that  sum.  A  sick  benefit  is  provided  for  if 
desired,    though   few   of    the    Courts   have 


MODERN   WOODMEN   OF   AMERICA 


157 


adopted  the  system.  Xo  other  form  of 
benefit  is  attached,  neither  accident,  dis- 
ability, annuity,  or  endowment.  The  so- 
ciety has  at  the  present  time  about  GOO 
members,  about  100  of  whom  are  social  or 
non-beneficiary.  The  amount  of  the  benefit 
averages  II  per  assessment. 

Miriam  OogToe  :  Forestor.s. — l>enetl- 
ciary  and  social  branch  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  Foresters,  to  which  only  mem- 
bers of  the  latter  and  women  relatives  and 
friends  are  eligible.  (See  Independent  Order 
of  Foresters  and  Independent  Order  of 
Foresters  of  Illinois.) 

Modern  Aiuerioaii  Fraternal  Order. 
— Organized  at  Effingham,  111.,  in  180G,  by 
William  B.  Wright  atid  others,  to  pay  death, 
disability,  and  old  age  benefits  by  means  of 
mutual  assessments.  Men  and  women  are 
eligible  to  membership.  About  1.000  have 
joined. 

Modern  Knights'  Fidelity  League. — 
A  mutual  assessment  beneficiary  society  for 
men  and  women,  organized  in  Kansas  in 
1S91  by  members  of  the  Royal  Arcanum, 
National  Union,  Woodmen  of  the  World, 
and  other  fraternal  beneficiary  associations, 
and  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  the  State 
of  Kansas  in  1S93,  with  its  chief  offices  at 
Kansas  City,  Kan.  Membership  is  re- 
stricted to  persons  between  eighteen  and 
fifty-six  years  of  age  residing  in  the  more 
healthful  portions  of  the  country.  Its  gov- 
ernment is  on  the  widespread  plan  found 
among  like  societies,  consisting  of  a  Supreme 
or  governing  body  made  up  of  its  officers 
and  representatives  from  Grand  or  State 
Councils,  which  have  direct  charge  of  the 
subordinate  Councils.  Its  plan  of  insurance 
is  to  combine  a  number  of  risks  in  one  cer- 
tificate, such  as  a  death  and  endowment 
benefit  and  annuity  after  the  member  shall 
have  reached  the  age  of  seventy  years.  Sepa- 
rate tables  of  graded  rates  are  employed  to 
arrive  at  the  cost  of  such  benefits  according 
to  the  age  at  time  of  joining.  Weekly  bene- 
fits of  from  13.50  to  810  are  also  paid  in 
cases  of  sickness  or  accident.    A  reserve  fund 


to  provide  for  old  age,  total  and  partial  dis- 
ability benefits,  and  for  death  benefit  assess- 
ments in  excess  of  twelve  annually,  has  been 
formed  by  setting  aside  30  per  cent,  of  the 
assessments  on  benefit  certificates.  Widows 
and  orphans  of  members  receive  from  $100 
to  $1,000,  $3,000,  or  $3,000.  On  reaching 
life's  expectation  the  aged  members  may  re- 
ceive $500,  $1,000,  or  $1,500,  and  to  per- 
manently disabled  members  $100,  $200,  or 
$300  is  paid  annually  for  five  years,  all  sums 
paid  for  permanent  disability  and  at  life's 
expectation  being  deducted  from  the  death 
benefit.  This  League  of  Modern  Knights 
presents  three  highly  instructive  and  inter- 
esting degrees  for  the  consideration  of  those 
who  desire  to  become  members,  and  curi- 
ously founds  its  ritual  on  the  life  and  adven- 
tures of  Don  Quixote  and  his  companion 
Sancho  Panza.  It  numbers  about  5,000 
members.  In  that  the  ritual  is  based  upon 
incidents  in  the  life  of  these  well-known 
characters  in  Spanish  fiction,  it  forms  one 
of  the  two  successful  organizations  which 
have  based  their  unwritten  work  on  stories 
wliich  underlie  great  and  popular  works  of 
fiction. 

Modern  TVoodmen  of  America. — 
Among  the  many  successful  fraternal  orders 
guaranteeing  death  benefits  to  members,  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America  stands  out 
prominently,  numerically,  financially,  and 
fraternally.  Its  benefit  certificates  provide 
for  the  payment  of  $500,  $1,000,  $3,000,  or 
$3,000  to  the  families  of  deceased  mem- 
bers, and  for  care  and  attention  during 
sickness.  The  Order  is  an  Illinois  corpora- 
tion, working  under  a  charter  granted  ^May 
5,  1884.  It  was  founded  at  Lyons,  la.,  in 
1883,  by  Joseph  C.  Root,  a  prominent  Free- 
mason, an  Odd  Fellow,  a  Knight  of  Pythias, 
member  of  the  American  Legion  of  Honor, 
and  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Work- 
men. The  first  Camp,  as  its  Lodges  are 
called,  was  instituted  January  5,  1883, 
which  is  regarded  as  the  birth  of  the  Order, 
although  its  beginning  really  dates  back 
to    1880.      Since   its   incorporation   it  has 


158 


MODERN   WOODMEN   OF   AMERICA 


increased  from  a  membership  of  600  in 
1884  to  210,000  in  4,180  local  Camps  on 
September  1,  189G. 

The  territory  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  is 
confined  by  its  charter  to  the  States  of  Illi- 
nois, Minnesota,  Iowa,  Nebraska,  Wiscon- 
sin, Michigan,  Kansas,  North  Dakota,  South 
Dakota,  Missouri,  Indiana,  and  Ohio,  from 
which  the  cities  of  Chicago,  Detroit,  Mil- 
waukee, St.  Louis,  and  Cincinnati  are  ex- 
cluded. This,  it  is  claimed,  makes  its  ter- 
ritory the  healthiest  in  the  country.  In 
addition,  persons  engaged  in  hazardous  oc- 
cupations are  not  eligible  to  membership.* 

Assessments  to  jiay  benefits  are  graduated 
according  to  the  age  of  the  j)erson  joining, 
the  grading  being  in  jiroportion  to  the  aver- 
age expectancy  of  life  by  the  standard  of 
American  tables.  The  rate  remains  the 
same  as  at  the  beginning,  the  special  induce- 
ment being  to  young  and  middle-aged  men. 
Ordinary  expenses  of  the  local  and  head 
Camps  are  j^aid  by  the  semi-annual  dues. 

*  As  qualifications  for  membership  in  the  Wood- 
men of  America  are  as  exceptional  among  like  rules 
in  similar  societies  as  is  the  rapid  annual  increase 
in  membership,  these  are  given  in  full  :  Persons  to 
become  members  must  be  white  males,  over  eighteen 
and  under  forty-five  years  of  age,  of  sound  health, 
exemplary  habits,  and  good  moral  character.  One 
who  is  over  forty-five  years  of  age,  if  but  for  a  sin- 
gle day,  is  ineligible.  Persons  engaged  in  the  fol- 
lowing kinds  of  business  or  employment  will  not  be 
admitted  as  members  of  this  Fraternity  :  Railway 
brakeman,  railway  engineer,  fireman,  and  switch- 
man, miner  employed  under  ground,  mine  inspector, 
pit  boss,  professional  rider  and  driver  in  races,  em- 
ployee in  gunpowder  factory,  wholesaler  or  manu- 
facturer of  liquors,  saloon  keeper,  saloon  bartender, 
aeronaut,  sailor  on  the  lakes  and  seas,  plough  polisher, 
brass  finisher,  professional  base-ball  player,  profes- 
sional foot-ball  player,  professional  fireman,  sub- 
marine operator,  or  soldier  in  regular  army  in  time 
of  war.  One  who,  after  joining  the  Order,  engages 
in  any  prohibited  occupation,  thereby  himself  A'oids 
his  contract  with  the  Order  and  renders  his  certifi- 
cate null  and  void,  but  may  obviate  this  difficulty 
and  retain  his  membership  by  filing  with  the  Head 
Clerk  a  waiver  of  all  right  to  benefits  in  case  death 
results  by  reason  of  such  prohibited  occupation — 
except  where  engaged  in  the  sale  of  intoxicant 
liquors. 


The  record  made  by  the  Modern  Wood- 
men of  America  shows  that  the  cost  of  pro- 
tection has  not  increased  within  seven  years; 
that  it  is  furnishing  insurance  at  a  cost  of 
14.96  for  $1,000  per  annum;  that  the  cost 
of  management  is  78  cents  per  member; 
that  the  average  age  of  membership  is  35.96 
years,  and  that  the  average  death  rate  per 
1,000  is  5.05.  No  other  secret  beneficiary 
society  ever  showed  such  an  increase  in 
membership  within  a  year  as  that  of  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  which  w^as, 
in  round  numbers,  45,000.  There  were  692 
death  claims  paid  that  year,  amounting  to 
$1,408,500  and  the  total  amount  paid  to 
beneficiaries  since  organization  is  16,522,385. 
The  total  increase  in  membership  during 
eight  months  of  1896  broke  the  Society's 
own  record,  49,350.  On  September  1, 1896, 
it  had  1515,000,000  of  insurance  in  force. 
Under  the  Order's  charter  the  head  office  is 
located  at  Fulton,  111.,  Avhere  C.  W.  Hawes 
has  charge  of  the  record  dejiartment.  The 
general  supervision  of  the  Order  comes  un- 
der the  direction  of  Head  Consul  W.  A. 
Northcott  of  Greenville,  111.  Colonel  A.  H. 
Hollister  of  Madison,  Wis.,  is  intrusted 
with  the  funds  of  the  Order,  and  the  finan- 
cial supervision  is  under  the  control  of  the 
following  gentlemen,  who  form  the  Board  of 
Directors:  A.  R.  Talbot,  Chairman,  Lincoln, 
Neb. ;  J.  W.  W^hite,  Eock  Falls,  111. ;  J.  N. 
Reece,  Springfield,  111. :  Marvin  Quacken- 
bush,  Dundee,  111.;  and  B.  D.  Smith,  Man- 
kato,  Minn.  The  membership  of  the  Order 
includes  many  prominent  men,  among  them 
former  Comptroller  of  the  Currency  James 
H.  Eckles,  William  J.  Bryan,  ex-Governor 
Hoard  of  Wisconsin,  and  Congressman  La 
Follette. 

While  making  a  point  of  being  particular 
to  restrict  its  operations  to  the  healthiest 
States  in  the  Union,  and  to  receive  only 
young  and  healthy  men  so  as  to  keep  the 
cost  of  insurance  as  low  as  the  lowest,  the 
Modern  Woodmen  of  America  makes  a 
strong  feature  of  the  social  and  fraternal 
side  of  secret  societv  life.     This  is  indicated 


MYSTIC   WORKERS   OF   THE   WORLD 


159 


by  the  following  extract  from  an  address 
before  the  orgauizi^.tion  in  1894  by  its  then 
Head  Banker  (Treasurer)  D.  C.  Tink : 

The  "  Woodmen  "  in  one  form  or  another  existed 
centuries  before  the  Golden  Fleece  or  the  Roman 
Eagle  was  dreamed  of ;  that  the  Orders  of  the  Star 
and  Garter,  the  Red  Cross,  and  the  Legion  of 
Honor  are  things  of  yesterday  as  compared  with 
them.  Far  back  in  the  dim  and  misty  ages,  before 
the  creatures  were  born,  before  the  first  stones 
were  laid  in  the  eternal  city,  in  regions  unlike 
those  we  see  round  about  us,  where  snow-crowned 
peaks  stand  guard  like  sentinels,  where  babbling 
brooks  and  murnuiring  rills  discoursed  soft  music 
to  the  nodding  jiines,  the  first  Camp  of  Woodmen 
was  organized.  With  the  axe  they  cleared  the 
forest,  with  the  wedge  they  opened  up  the  seei-et 
resources  of  nature,  and  with  the  beetle  they  bat- 
tered down  the  opposition  of  unworthy  tribes  that 
sought  to  bar  their  progress.  So,  my  friends,  we, 
as  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  have  the  same 
axe,  beetle,  and  wedge,  and  we  are  destroying  the 
abiding  places  of  poverty,  as  they  did  the  wild 
beasts,  so  that  the  blooming  roses  of  happiness,  the 
waving  grain  of  plenty,  the  lowing  herds  of  sym- 
pathy, the  rumbling  machinery  of  industry,  and 
the  stately  cities  of  the  home  of  the  beneficiaries 
are  thus  maintained  and  protected. 

The  reference  to  the  emblems  of  the 
Society  makes  evident  the  effort  of  the 
organizers  to  be  as  original  as  possible  in 
formulating  ritual  and  ceremonies.  Yet 
so  much  had  been  done  in  the  way  of  creat- 
ing secret  societies  prior  to  1880-83  that 
some  Avell-traveled  ground  had  to  be  cov- 
ered. Thus,  notwithstanding  the  rela- 
tively novel  emblems,  the  beetle  and 
wedge,  we  find  the  chief  official  to  be  a 
Head  Consitl,  which,  with  the  employment 
of  certain  forms  derived  from  ancient  Kome, 
suggests  a  partial,  though  perhaps  uncon- 
scious duplication  of  some  of  the  rites  of  the 
English  secret  beneficiary  society  known  as 
the  Ancient  Order  of  the  Golden  Fleece. 
The  abolition  of  State  jurisdiction  is  a  step 
in  advance  among  American  secret  bene- 
ficiary societies,  particularly  when  the  re- 
striction of  territory  is  considered  in  which 
the  Woodmen  operate. 

Royal  Neighbors  of  America  is  the  title  of 
theauxiliarybrauchof  the  Modern  Woodmen, 


to  which  members  of  the  latter  and  women 
relatives  are  eligible.  It  has  been  estab- 
lished only  a  few  years,  but  gives  promise 
of  ably  supplementing  the  Camps  of  AVood- 
men  as  have  so  many  similar  auxiliary  or- 
ganizations attached  to  other  beneficiary 
Orders.  This  branch  of  the  Order  pays 
death  benefits  also.  The  membership  is 
of  two  varieties,  beneficiary  and  fraternal, 
there  being  about  3,000  of  the  former  and 
13,000  of  the  latter. 

Mystic  Workers  of  the  WoiUl. — 
Founded  by  G.  AV.  Clendenen  of  Fulton, 
111.,  and  incorporated  under  the  laws  of 
Illinois  in  1892,  to  pay  death  and  disability 
benefits  by  means  of  mutual  assessments. 
Both  men  and  women  between  sixteen  and 
fifty-five  years  of  age  may  join  and  be  in- 
sured for  8500,  81,000,  81,500,  or  82,000. 
Those  unable  to  pass  the  required  physical 
examination  may,  if  elected,  become  social 
members.  A  member  who  becomes  perma- 
nently and  totally  disabled  by  sickness,  acci- 
dent, or  old  age  is  entitled  to  one-twentieth 
of  his  certificate,  or  policy,  semi-annually 
until  it  is  cancelled.  This  disability  clause 
is  not  effective  "until  the  Order  can  pay  a 
maximum  policy  in  full."  No  assessments 
are  levied  after  members  arrive  at  the  age 
of  seventy  years,  and  one-twentieth  of  the 
amount  of  their  policies  will  be  paid  them 
every  six  months  until  cancelled,  or  if  death 
takes  i^lace  before  such  time,  the  remaining 
portion  will  be  paid  the  beneficiary.  Fol- 
lowers of  the  customary  list  of  hazardous 
occupations  are  not  eligible  to  membership. 
The  founder  of  the  ^lystic  Workers  was  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity,  of  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America,  Knights  of  the  Maccabees,  and 
Woodmen  of  the  World,  from  which  it  may 
be  inferred  that  the  Mystic  Workers  is  the 
legitimate  offspring  of  some  of  the  most 
representative  of  the  older  and  modern  fra- 
ternities. Its  emblem  includes  two  columns 
or  pillars  surmounted  by  two  globes,  and 
between  them  an  open  Bible,  the  scales  of 
justice,  a  plane   and  square.      The   ritual 


160 


NATIONAL  FRATERNAL   CONGRESS 


emphasizes  Charity,  as  described  in  I.  Cor- 
inthians xiii.  There  are  about  3,000  Mys- 
tic Workers  enrolled. 

National  Fraternal  Congress. — (Con- 
tributed l)y  N.  S.  Boynton,  Past  President.) 
At  the  Fourteenth  Annual  Session  of  the 
Supreme  Lodge  of  the  Ancient  Order  of 
United  Workmen,  held  at  Minneapolis  in 
June,  1886,  a  resolution  was  adopted  which 
led  to  the  organization  of  the  National 
Fraternal  Congress.  The  following  is  a 
copy  : 

Resolved,  That  the  incoming  Supreme  Master 
Workman  be  authorized  to  appoint,  upon  the  basis 
hereinafter  stated,  a  committee,  who  shall  also  act 
as  delegates  on  the  part  of  the  Supreme  Lodge,  to 
bring  about  a  meeting  and  permanent  organization 
of  representatives  of  fraternal  beneficiary  societies  ; 
that  such  committee  invite  other  beneficiaiy  socie- 
ties to  unite  in  such  an  association  ;  that  repre- 
sentation in  such  association  for  the  first  meeting 
to  be  one  delegate  for  the  first  40,000  beneficiary- 
members,  or  part  thereof,  or  any  organization  tak- 
ing part,  and  one  delegate  for  each  additional 
40.000  members  or  fractional  part  thereof  in  excess 
of  20,000  ;  and  that  such  committee  have  power  to 
arrange  further  details  to  secure  the  perfect  organ- 
ization and  perpetuation  of  such  an  association  of 
representatives. 

Supreme  Master  Workman  Badgerow  ap- 
pointed as  such  committee :  A.  L.  Levi, 
Minneapolis,  Minn.  ;  Hon.  0.  F.  Berry, 
Carthage,  111.,  and  Warren  Totten,  barris- 
ter, Woodstock,  Ont.,  with  Leroy  Andrus 
of  Buffalo  as  chairman.  A  call  was  ac- 
cordingly issued  for  a  preliminary  meet- 
ing of  representatives  of  various  fraternal 
beneficiary  societies,  to  be  held  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  November  16,  1886.  After 
reciting  the  foregoing  resolution  the  call 
set  forth  the  objects  of  the  convention  sub- 
stantially as  follows  : 

The  widely  extended  influence  and  vast  pecun- 
iary interests  connected  with  and  represented  by 
the  great  beneficiary  societies  of  the  present  time 
render  them  a  most  important  and  interesting 
feature  of  social  development  in  this  country. 
There  are  a  large  number  (not  less  than  fifty)  of 
those  societies,  each  having  a  considerable  member- 
ship, carrying  on  a  purely  fraternal,  beneficiary 
business  in  the  United  States,  and  among  these  are 


not  included  any  merely  speculative  assessment  or 
non-fraternal  cooperative  concerns.  Their  meth- 
ods are,  in  a  very  great  degi'ee,  the  same,  and  their 
interests  are  based  on  principles  which  are  iden- 
tical. It  is  confidently  believed  that  the  formation 
of  a  national  body  will  prove  of  great  advantage  to 
every  organization  represented.  The  cooperative 
plan  of  insurance  as  ,carried  on  by  our  societies 
has  not  wholly  laid  aside  the  character  of  an  ex- 
periment, and  the  fundamental  principles  upon 
which  their  future  depends  have  never  been  fully 
proven  or  even  investigated.  It  would  be  as  unrea- 
sonable to  expect  a  successful  importing  merchant 
to  carry  on  business  in  ignorance  of  foreign  and 
domestic  markets,  the  rate  of  exchange,  etc.,  as  to 
expect  our  great  fraternities  to  achieve  the  highest, 
and  especially  a  continued,  success,  knowing  noth- 
ing of  the  rules  which  govern  admissions,  lapses, 
death  rates,  and  other  questions  relating  to  such 
organizations.  These  ideas  are,  of  course,  not 
new  to  you  who  have  had  much  experience  in  the 
work  of  fraternities,  and  it  is  of  course  evident  to 
you  that  the  investigation  of  these  principles  can 
best  be  conducted  through  cooperation,  and  that 
their  efficiency  and  value  are  increased  in  propor- 
tion as  the  study  is  made  common  to  all.  There 
are  many  other  results  which  an  association  of 
these  societies  may  accomplish  and  which  may  be 
productive  of  good,  not  the  least  of  which  is  that 
a  "fraternity  of  fraternities"  will  be  formed  and 
the  fraternal  character  of  our  organization  be 
more  firmly  fixed.  The  following  subjects  are  sug- 
gested as  among  those  which  would  be  of  the  ut- 
most interest,  although  the  field  of  discussion  may 
profitably  be  extended.  First,  the  laws  relating 
to  cooperative  associations  and  the  necessity  of 
further  legislation  in  aid  of  fraternal  societies  and 
the  securing  of  uniform  laws  ;  second,  the  discus- 
sion of  means  by  which  inore  perfect  medical  ex- 
aminations can  be  secured,  etc. ;  and,  third,  the 
general  principles  necessary  to  the  successful  cari-y- 
ing  on  of  fraternal  cooperative  societies.  Repre- 
sentatives of  non-fraternal  assessment  associations 
are  not  eligible  to  membership. 

The  meeting  was  held  pursuant  to  call, 
and  Leroy  Andrus  of  Buffalo  was  elected 
temporary  chairman,  and  E.  C.  Hill  of 
Buffalo  secretary.  The  societies  repre- 
sented were  as  follows  : 

Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  Leroy 
Andrus,  Warren  Totten,  A.  L.  Levi,  and 
0.  F.  Berry,  Carthage,  HI. 

Knights  of  Honor,  W.  H.  Barnes,  San 
Francisco,  Cal. 


NATIONAL   FRATERNAL   CONGRESS 


161 


United  Order  of  Honor,  A.  W.  Wishard, 
Indiunapolis,  Ind. 

Order  United  American  Mechanics,  C. 
H.  Stein,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Order  United  Friends,  0.  M.  Shedd, 
Poughkeepsie,  N.  Y. 

Empire  Order  Mutual  Aid,  J.  H.  Meech, 
Bumilo,  N.  Y. 

Select  Knights,  Ancient  Order  United 
Workmen,  E.  C.  Hill,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

Endowment  Rank,  Knights  of  Pythias, 
Halvor  Nelson,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Equitable  Aid  Union,  E.  N.  Seaver,  Co- 
lumbus, Pa. 

Knights  of  the  Maccabees,  N.  S.  Boyn- 
ton.  Port  Huron,  Mich. 

Eoyal  Arcanum,  A.  0.  Trippe,  Baltimore, 
Md.;  J.  Haskell  Butler,  Boston,  Mass. 

Knights  of  Columbia,  C.  P.  Kriezer, 
New  York  City. 

Knights  of  the  Golden  Rule,  J.  D.  Ir- 
ving, Toledo,  0. 

United  Order  of  the  Golden  Cross,  A.  M. 
McBath,  Washington,  D.  C. 

Eoyal  Templars  of  Temperance,  C.  K. 
Porter,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

Home  Circle,  J.  H.  Butler,  Boston,  Mass. 

The  orders  and  membership  rei^resented 
were  as  follows  :  Ancient  Order  of  United 
Workmen,  175,000 ;  Knights  of  Honor, 
130,000  ;  Eoyal  Arcanum,  76,000  ;  Order 
of  United  American  Mechanics,  40,000 ; 
Eoyal  Templars  of  Temperance,  2:2,000 ; 
Equitable  Aid  Union,  17,000  ;  Endowment 
Eank,  Knights  of  Pythias,  16,000;  Order 
of  United  Friends,  12,000  ;  Select  Knights, 
Ancient  Order  United  Workmen,  11,000  ; 
Knights  of  the  Maccabees,  11,000 ;  United 
Order  of  the  Golden  Cross,  9,000  ;  Empire 
Order  of  Mutual  Aid,  8,000  ;  United  Order 
of  Honor,  7,000  ;  Knights  of  the  Golden 
Eule,  9,000  ;  Home  Circle,  5,000  ;  Knights 
of  Columbia,  2,000  ;  a  grand  total  of 
535,000,  with  outstanding  life  benefits 
amounting  to  $1,200,000,000.  After  a  dis- 
cussion the  following  permanent  officers  were 
chosen  :  President,  Leroy  Andrus  ;  First 
Vice-President,  W.  H.  Barnes ;  Second 
11 


Vice-President,  John  Haskell  Butler  ^  Ee- 
cording  Secretary,  E.  C.  Hill  ;  Corres})ond- 
ing  Secretary,  0.  M.  vShedd  ;  and  Treasurer, 
Halvor  Nelson.  The  following  declaration 
was  adopted  :  "  This  association  shall  be 
known  as  the  National  Fraternal  Congress. 
Its  objects  are  hereby  declared  to  be  the 
uniting  permanently  of  all  legitimate  fra- 
ternal benefit  societies  for  i)ur[)oses  of  mu- 
tual information,  benefit,  and  protection. 
Its  membership  shall  be  composed  of  its 
officers,  standing  committees,  and  of  repre- 
sentatives as  follows  :  Each  society  of  40,000 
members  shall  be  entitled  to  one  representa- 
tive, and  for  each  additional  40,000  mem- 
bers, or  fraction  of  40,000  over  20,000,  an 
additional  representative.  At  any  meeting 
when  a  test  ballot  or  vote  shall  be  required, 
and  any  society  not  fully  represented,  the 
representative  or  representatives  present 
shall  be  authorized  to  cast  the  full  vote  to 
which  his  or  their  order  may  be  entitled. 
No  fraternal  society,  order,  or  association 
shall  be  entitled  to  representation  in  this 
Congress,  unless  said  society,  order,  or  as- 
sociation works  under  a  ritual,  holds  regular 
lodge  or  similar  meetings,  and  pays  endow- 
ment moneys  to  the  beneficiaries  of  its  de- 
ceased members.  This  Congress  shall  meet 
annually  on  the  third  Tuesday  of  November, 
at  such  place  as  may  be  selected." 

After  a  two  days'  session,  during  which  a 
number  of  papers  were  read  and  discussed, 
the  Congress  adjourned  to  meet  in  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.,  on  the  third  Tuesday  in  No- 
vember, 1887. 

The  next  annual  meeting  was  held  in 
Philadelphia,  November  15,  1887.  The 
attendance  was  smaller  than  at  Washing- 
ton the  year  before,  and  the  feeling  at  first 
was  strongly  in  favor  of  abandoning  the  or- 
ganization ;  but  it  was  finally  decided  to 
continue  the  Congress.  Papers  were  read, 
topics  of  interest  to  the  orders  were  dis- 
cussed, and  several  societies  not  represented 
the  year  before  were  admitted.  The  fol- 
lowing officers  were  elected  :  President, 
John  Haskell  Butler,  Boston,  Mass.;  First 


163 


NATIONAL  FRATERNAL  CONGRESS 


Vice* President,  Warren  Totten,  Woodstock, 
Ont.;  Second  Vice-President,  R.  N.  Seaver, 
M.D.,  of  Pennsylvania  ;  Recording  Secre- 
tary, Samuel  Nelson  of  New  York  ;  Cor- 
responding Secretary,  0.  M.  Shedd  of  New 
York  ;  and  Treasurer,  George  Hawkes  of 
Pennsylvania. 

At  the  second  annual  session,  held  in 
Murray  Hill  Hotel,  New  York  City,  No- 
vember 20  and  21,  1888,  with  increased  at- 
tendance and  greater  interest,  seven  Orders 
Avere  admitted  as  new  members.  Paj^ers  on 
various  subjects  were  read  and  discussed, 
and  the  constitution  and  laws  were  amended 
so  as  to  do  away  with  the  office  of  Second 
Vice-President,  and  to  merge  the  ofiBces  of 
Corresi^ouding  and  Recording  Secretaries. 
Officers  elected  at  this  session  were  :  Presi- 
dent, John  Haskell  of  Boston  ;  Vice-Presi- 
dent, Warren  Totten  ;  Corresponding  and 
Recording  Secretary,  0.  M.  Shedd  ;  and 
George  Hawkes,  Treasurer. 

The  third  annual  session  was  held  in  Bos- 
ton, November  12  and  13,  1889.  Twenty- 
six  societies  were  represented,  and  four 
others  were  admitted.  The  following  offi- 
cers were  elected  :  President,  D.  H.  Shields  ; 
Vice-President,  A.  R.  Savage,  Lewiston, 
Me.;  Secretary,  0.  M.  Shedd  ;  Treasurer, 
George  Hawkes. 

The  fourth  annual  session  was  held  in 
Pittsburg,  Pa.,  November  11  and  12,  1890, 
with  a  still  larger  attendance,  societies  rep- 
resented having  a  total  membership  of  over 
one  million.  The  Committee  on  Legisla- 
tion was  directed  to  draft  a  uniform  law, 
with  the  object  of  having  separate  and  dis- 
tinct laws  for  the  regulation  of  frateral 
beneficiary  societies  passed  by  the  State 
legislatures.  The  following  officers  were 
chosen  ;  President,  A.  R.  Savage  ;  Vice- 
President,  Adam  Warnock  of  Boston, 
Mass.;  and  Secretary  and  Treasurer,  0. 
M.   Shedd. 

The  fifth  annual  session  was  held  in 
Washington,  D.  C,  November  10,  11,  and 
12,  1891,  when  thirty-two  societies  were 
represented,   with   a  total   membership   of 


over  one  million  two  hundred  thousand. 
During  the  session  the  Congress,  as  a  body, 
visited  the  White  House  and  met  President 
Harrison.  Among  the  more  important 
papers  read  was  one  by  J.  E.  Shapherd, 
"  Can  a  fraternal  society  safely  transact  an 
endowment  business  and  pay  a  stated  sum 
at  the  end  of  a  stated  number  of  years,  or 
sooner  in  the  event  of  death  ?"  and  one  by 
N.  S.  Boynton  on  "  Should  assessment 
notices  be  dispensed  with  ?"  Others  were: 
^'Should  medical  examiners  be  elected  by  the 
lodge,  appointed  by  the  chief  medical  ex- 
aminer, or  chosen  by  the  supreme  body?'* 
Dr.  J.  Foster  Bush  ;  and  the  ''  Uses  of  a 
ritual  and  secret  ceremonies  in  benefit  or- 
ders," by  C.  W.  Hazzard.  Frank  N.  Gage 
read  a  paper  on  the  ''  Advisability  of 
abolishing  the  per  capita  tax  and  levying 
all  revenues  for  the  general  fund  ujjon  the 
same  basis  as  assessments  are  levied  to  pay 
death  benefits  ; "  and  B.  F.  Nelson  one  on 
the  tojjic,  "'Is  it  advisable  for  fraternal 
benefit  societies  to  prohibit  the  admission 
of  men  engaged  personally  in  the  sale  of  in- 
toxicating liquors  ?"  A  special  committee 
was  appointed  to  confer  with  the  Postmaster- 
General,  with  reference  to  the  circulation 
of  fraternal  society  journals  through  the 
United  States  mails,  by  paying  the  rates 
fixed  for  second-class  matter.  Officers 
elected  were  as  follows  :  President,  Adam 
Warnock  ;  Vice-President,  M.  G.  Jeffris, 
Janesville,  Wis.;  Secretary  and  Treasurer, 
0.  M.  Shedd. 

The  sixth  annual  session  was  held  at 
Washington,  D.  C,  November  15,  16,  17, 
1892.  Delegates  were  present  from  thirty- 
three  societies  with  a  total  membershij)  of 
1,250,000.  Among  papers  read  were : 
"The  typical  frater,^'  by  Louis  Maloney  : 
"Am  I  my  brother's  keeper  ?"  by  W.  S. 
Bailey;  "Increasing  membership,"  by  John 
J.  Acker  ;  "  Press  and  societies,"  by  J.  D. 
Smith  ;  "  The  state  and  its  relations  to  fra- 
ternal beneficiary  societies,"  by  Howard  H. 
Morse  ;  "  Securing  legislation,"  by  D.  E. 
Stevens  ;  and  "  Fraternal  duties,"  by  A.  L. 


NATIONAL   FRATERNAL   CONGRESS 


mi 


Barbour.  A.  R.  Savage,  from  the  Com- 
mittee on  Laws,  presented  a  report  on  the 
revision  of  uniform  laws  in  the  form  of  a  bill 
entitled,  ''An  Act  regulating  fraternal  ben- 
eficiary societies,  orders,  or  associations,'* 
which  was  adopted,  and  action  taken  look- 
ing toward  the  passage  of  the  bill  through 
the  legislatures  of  the  different  States  and 
in  the  Provinces  of  Canada.  The  following 
officers  were  elected:  President,  M.G.  Jeffris; 
Vice-President,  N.  S.  Boynton  ;  Secretary 
and  Treasurer,  0.  M.  Shedd. 

The  seventh  annual  session  was  held  at 
Cincinnati,  0.,  November  21,  23,  and  23, 

1893,  when  thirty-six  organizations,  having 
a  total  membership  of  nearly  one  million 
three  hundred  and  fifty  thousand,  were  rep- 
resented. A  very  large  number  of  valuable 
papers  was  read  and  discussed,  as  in  previ- 
ous sessions.  A  committee  to  be  known  as 
the  Committee  on  Fraternal  Press  was  ap- 
pointed to  secure,  if  possible,  the  passage  of 
an  act  by  Congress  which  would  permit 
fraternal  publications  to  be  mailed  as  sec- 
ond-class matter.  A  paper  on  "Women  in 
fraternal  societies"  was  presented  by  Mrs. 
Emma  M.  Gillette  of  Washington,  D.  C. 
The  following  officers  were  elected  :  Presi- 
dent, N.  S.  Boynton  ;  Vice-President,  S.  A. 
Wills,  Pittsburg,  Pa; ;  Secretary  and  Treas- 
urer, 0.  M.  Shedd. 

The  eighth  annual  session  was  held  at 
Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  November  20,  21,  and  22, 

1894.  Forty  orders,  having  a  total  member- 
ship of  1,300,000,  were  represented.  The 
Committee  on  Fraternal  Press  reported  they 
had  succeeded  in  securing  legislation  admit- 
ting to  the  mails  all  fraternal  journals  as 
second-class  matter.  The  following  officers 
were  chosen  :  President,  S.  A.  Wills  ;  Vice- 
President,  W.  R.  Spooner,  New  York  ;  Sec- 
rotary,  M.  W.  Sackett,  Meadville,  Pa. 

The  ninth  session  was  held  at  Toronto, 
Can.,  November  19,  20,  and  21,  1895  ; 
forty  orders,  having  a  total  membership 
of  1,400,000,  were  represented.  The  Com- 
mittee on  Statistics  submitted  a  report 
showing  that  the  total   benefits  paid  since 


their  organization  by  forty  orders  repre- 
sented, amounted  to  %228,447,120,  and  that 
during  1894  more  than  $28,000,000  had 
been  disbursed.  The  ratio  of  expense  to 
benefits  was  $G5.67  for  each  $1,000,  and  the 
ratio  of  expense  to  membership  was  $1.27 
per  capita,  and  the  average  rate  of  mortal- 
ity was  9.92  per  1,000.  Certificates  in  force 
amounted  to  $2,855,018,610.  The  medical 
section,  formed  of  medical  examiners-in- 
chief  of  orders  represented,  met,  and  a  num- 
ber of  papers  were  submitted.  The  follow- 
ing officers  were  elected  :  President,  W.  R. 
Spooner ;  Vice-President,  John  G.  John- 
son, Peabody,  Kan.,  and  Secretary,  M.  W. 
Sackett. 

The  tenth  annual  session  was  held  at 
Louisville,  Ky.,  November  17,  18,  and  19, 
1896.  Forty-three  orders,  with  a  total  mem- 
bership of  1,587,859,  were  represented. 
President  Spooners  annual  address  stated 
that  material  progress  had  been  made  in 
securing  legislation  in  the  interest  of  fra- 
ternal beneficiary  orders.  At  this  session, 
too,  the  necessity  for  increasing  rates  of 
assessments  was  considered,  basing  them  on 
some  recognized  mortality  tables,  so  as  to 
provide  an  emergency  fund  with  which  to 
meet  an  increased  death  rate,-  which  it  was 
held  would  appear  as  the  Orders  grow  older. 
The  concensus  of  opinion  favored  the  pro- 
posed change.  The  following  officers  were 
elected  :  President.  J.  G.  Johnson,  Peabody, 
Kan.  ;  Vice-President,  James  E.  Shepard, 
Lawrence,  Mass.;  Secretary  and  Treasurer, 
M.  W.  Sackett ;  Chaplain,  Rev.  J.  G.  Tate, 
Grand  Island,  Neb.  The  titles  of  the  or- 
ganizations represented  at  Louisville  in 
1896,  together  with  the  names  of  delegates 
there,  contrasted  with  like  data  respecting 
the  first  Congress,  that  held  at  Washington 
in  1886,  fitly  represent  the  growth  of 
the  "fraternity  of  fraternities"  sentiment 
throughout  the  country. 

Titles  of  Orders  and  names  of  delegates 
at  the  National  Fraternal  Congress  of  1896  : 

American  Legion  of  Honor,  Adam  War- 
nock.  Boston,  Mass. 


164  NATIONAL  FRATERNAL  CONGRESS 

Ancient  Order  of  the  Pyramids,  E.   S.  Pa.  ;  B.  F.  Nelson,  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  and  L. 

McClintbck,  Topeka,  Kan.  A.  Gratz,  Louisville,  Ky. 

Ancient     Order    of    United    Workmen,  Knights  of  the  Loyal  Guard,  Mark  W. 

Joseph  E.   Riggs,   Lawrence,   Kan.;  J.  G.  Stevens  and  Orson  Millard,  M.D.,  Flint, 

Tate,    Grand    Island,    Neb. ;    and    D.  H.  Mich. 

Siiields,  M.D.,  Hannibal,  Mo.  Order  of  the  Maccabees,  D.  D.  Aitkin, 

Artisans'    Order  of    Mutual   Protection,  Flint,  Mich.  ;  Thomas  Watson,  Mrs.  M.  M. 

Louis  Maloney,  Philadelphia,  Pa.  Danforth,    and    R.    E.    Moss,    M.D.,    Port 

Chosen   Friends,    Louis   A.    Steber,    St.  Huron,   Mich.  ;  George  J.  Seigle,  Buffalo, 

Louis,  Mo.  ;  William  B.  Wilson,   Newark,  N.  Y.  ;   Edward  L.  Young,  Norwalk,  0.; 

N.  J.  ;  Henry  Jamison,  M.D.,  Indianapo-  Mrs.   Lillian  M.  Hollister,  Detroit,  Mich., 

lis,  Ind.  and   Mrs.    Frances   E.    Burns,    St.    Louis, 

Empire   Knights   of    Relief,    Frank  E.  Mich. 

Munger,    Buffalo,    N.    Y.,   and   Philip  A.  Legion  of  the  Red  Cross,  H.  F.  Ackley, 

McCrae,  M.D.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y.  Camden,  N.  J. 

Equitable   Aid   Union,    Albert   Morgan,  Loyal    Additional    Benefit    Association, 

Corry,  Pa.  Frank  S.  Petter,  Jersey  City,  N.  J. 

Fraternal    Aid   Association,  William  T.  Modern   Woodmen   of  America,   Jasper 

Walker,    Kansas    City,    Kan.,    and    Levi  N.  Reece,  Springfield,  111.  ;  W.  A.  North- 

Horner,  M.D.,  Wichita,  Kan.  cott,    Greenville,    111.;  Charles  W.  Hawes, 

Fraternal  Legion,  J.  W.  P.  Bates,  M.D.,  Fulton,    111.  ;    A.    0.   Faulkner,    Lincoln, 

Baltimore,  Md.  Neb.;  Benjamin  D.  Smith,  Mankato,  Minn,, 

Fraternal  Mystic  Circle,  D.  E.  Stevens,  and  C.  A.  McCollum,  M.D.,  Minneapolis, 

Philadelphia,   Pa.,    and  F.   S.  Wagenhals,  Minn. 

M.D.,  Columbus,  0.  Mutual  Protection,  Dr.  W.  K.  Harrison, 

Golden  Chain,  J.  A.  Baden,  M.D.,  Balti-  Chicago,  111. 

more,  Md.  National   Provident  Union,   Edward  S. 

Home  Circle,  Julius  M.  Swain,  Boston,  Peck,  New  York  city. 

Mass.  National    Reserve    Association,    F.    W. 

Improved  Order  of   Heptasophs,    F.   L.  Sears  and  J.  T.  Craig,  M.D.,  Kansas  City, 

Brown,  Scranton,  Pa.  ;  John  G.  Mitchell,  Mo. 

Baltimore,    Md.,    and    J.    H.    Christian,  National   Union,   W.  M.   Bayne,   Cleve- 

M.D.,  Baltimore,  Md.  land,  0.;  J.  W.  Meyers,  Toledo,  0.,  and 

Independent  Order  of  Foresters,  Oron-  M.  R.  Brown,  M.D.,  Chicago,  111. 

hyatekha,    M.D.,    Toronto,    Ont.  ;    A.    E.  New  England  Order  of  Protection,  Lucius 

Stevenson,    Chicago,    111.  ;    J.    D.    Clark,  P.  Deming,  New  Haven,  Conn. 

Dayton,  0.,  and  Thomas  Millman,  M.D.,  Order     United     Friends,    John    G.    H. 

Toronto,  Ont.  Meyers,  New  York  city. 

Iowa  Legion  of  Honor,  Dr.  E.  R.  Hutch-  Protected  Home   Circle,   W.    S.   Palmer 

ins,  Des  Moines,  la.  and  S.  Heilman,  M.D.,  Sharon,  Pa. 

Knights  and  Ladies  of  Security,  W.  B.  Royal  Arcanum,  John  E.  Pound,  Lock- 

Kirkpatrick,   Topeka,    Kan.,    and   H.    A.  port,   N.   Y.  ;    J.   A.    Langfitt,   Pittsburg, 

Warner,  M.D.,  Topeka,  Kan.  Pa.  ;  Justin  F.  Price,  New  York  city;  W. 

Knights    and    Ladies    of    the     Golden  0.    Robson,    Boston,    Mass.,   and    J.    M. 

Star,    Rev.    Samuel    P.    Lacey,    Newark,  McKinstry,  Cleveland,  0. 

N.  J.  Royal  League,  C.  C.  Linthicum  and  Wal- 

Knights  of  Honor,  John  Mulligan,  Yon-  lace  K.  Harrison,  M.D.,  Chicago,  111. 

kers,  N.  Y.  ;  J.  W.  Goheen,  Philadelphia,  Royal   Society   of   Good  Fellows,   D.   S. 


NATIONAL  FRATERNAL   CONGRESS 


165 


Biggs,  Arlington,  Mass.,  and  W.  G.  Weaver, 
M.D.,  Wilkesbarre,  Pa. 

Eoyal  Templars  of  Temperance,  T.  N. 
Boyle,  D.D.,  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  and  J.  W. 
Grosvenor,  M.D.,  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 

Select  Friends,  Dr.  J.  T.  Tinder,  Parsons, 
Kan. 

Shield  of  Honor,  James  H.  Livingston, 
Baltimore,  Md. 

Supreme  Tribe  of  Ben  Hur,  D.  W.  Gerard 
and  J.F.  Davidson, M.D.,Crawfordsville,Ind. 

United  Order  of  Pilgrim  Fathers,  J. 
Albion  Briggs,  Somerville,  Mass. ;  J.  S. 
Taft,  Keene,  N.  H. 

United  Order  of  the  Golden  Cross,  John 
:N".  Ehle,  Washington,  D.  0.  ;  J.  D.  Young, 
M.D.,  Winthrop,  Mass. 

Woodmen  of  the  World,  W.  0.  Rogers, 
M.D.,  and  Joseph  C.  Root,  Omaha,  Neb.  ; 
F.  A.  Falkenberg,  Denver,  Col. 

The  above  societies,  with  probably  ten 
others  not  represented  in  the  Congress, 
although  eligible,  constitute  the  fraternal 
beneficiary  system  of  the  country,  and  are 
in  no  way  to  be  classed  witli  the  old  line  life 
or  open  business  assessment  associations, 
nor  with  any  orders  or  associations  not 
recognized  by  the  National  Fraternal  Con- 
gress as  a  part  of  the  fraternal  beneficiary 
system  of  life  protection.  The  foregoing 
orders  hud  a  combined  membership  of  over 
one  million  and  a  half  in  189G,  and  had 
paid  out  within  a  year  for  life  benefits  the 
sum  of  828,034,855  ;  total  paid  out  since 
organization,  $231,043,180  ;  total  value  of 
life  benefit  certificates  in  force,  $3,026,- 
545,042.  The  net  increase  of  membership 
during  the  year  was  165,544,  all  of  which 
goes  to  show  what  the  fraternal  beneficiary 
system  of  the  country  as  represented  in  the 
National  Fraternal  Congress  has  accom- 
plished in  a  little  over  a  quarter  of  a  century. 

In  view  of  the  extraordinary  results  from 
this  form  of  cooperation  since  the  close  of 
the  Civil  War,  it  is  important  to  carefully 
distinguish  between  the  three  distinct  sys- 
tems of  life  protection  now  in  operation. 

First,  the  "  old  line  life  insurance,  or  level 


premium  system,'"  with  its  endowment,  ton- 
tine, and  semi-tontine  features.  In  this 
there  is  a  contract  between  the  company  and 
the  insured  called  a  policy,  and  profit  is  the 
controlling  object.  In  every  State  there  are 
laws  providing  for  the  incorporation  of  com- 
panies using  tliis  system  and  for  governing 
their  operations. 

Second,  the  open  business  assessment  sys- 
tem, in  which  the  contract  between  the  asso- 
ciations and  the  insured  is  sometimes  called 
a  policy  and  sometimes  a  certificate.  This 
system  has  no  lodges  or  fraternal  bond  to 
bind  the  insured  together,  and  the  associa- 
tions are  merely  business  concerns  without 
a  representative  form  of  government,  gen- 
erally close  corporations.  In  every  State, 
also,  laws  are  found  for  their  incorporation 
and  supervision. 

Third,  the  fraternal  beneficiary  system, 
composed  of  societies  having  a  representa- 
tive form  of  government,  subordinate 
lodges,  and  ritualistic  work,  furnishing 
financial  assistance  to  living  members  in 
sickness  or  destitution,  providing  for  the 
payment  of  benefits  to  living  members  in 
case  of  partial  or  total  physical  disability 
arising  from  sickness  or  old  age,  and  pro- 
viding benefits  at  the  death  of  members  for 
their  families  or  dependent  blood  relatives. 

The  lines  of  demarcation  between  the  three 
are  clear  and  distinct,  and  have  been  kept  so 
in  all  legislative  enactments  relating  to  them. 

The  uniform  bill  adopted  by  the  National 
Fraternal  Congress,  which  has  been  en- 
grafted on  the  statute  books  of  several  of 
the  States,  defines  what  constitutes  a  fra- 
ternal beneficiary  society  in  the  following 
terms:  Section  1.  A  fraternal  beneficiary 
association  is  hereby  declared  to  be  a  cor- 
poration, societ}',  or  voluntary  association, 
formed  or  organized  and  carried  on  for  the 
sole  benefit  of  its  members  and  their  bene- 
ficiaries and  not  for  profit.  Each  associa- 
tion shall  have  a  lodge  system,  with  ritual- 
istic form  of  work  and  representative  form 
of  government,  and  shall  make  provision 
for  tlie  payment  of  benefits  in  case  of  death. 


166 


NATIONAL   FRATERNAL   CONGRESS 


aud  may  make  provision  for  the  payments 
of  benefits  in  case  of  sickness,  accident,  or 
old  age,  provided  the  j^eriod  in  life  at  which 
payment  of  physical  disability  benefits  on 
acconnt  of  old  age  commences  shall  not  be 
under  seventy  (70)  years,  subject  to  their 
compliance  with  its  constitution  and  laws. 
The  fund  from  which  the  payment  of  such 
benefits  shall  be  made  and  the  fund  from 
which  the  expenses  of  such  association  shall 
be  defrayed  shall  be  derived  from  assess- 
ments or  dues  collected  from  its  members. 
Payments  of  death  benefits  shall  be  to  the 
families,  heirs,  blood  relatives,  affianced 
husbands,  affianced  wives,  or  to  persons  de- 
pendent upon  the  members.  Such  associa- 
tions shall  be  governed  by  this  act,  and  shall 
be  exempt  from  the  provisions  of  insurance 
laws  of  this  State,  and  no  law  hereafter 
passed  shall  apply  to  them  unless  they  be 
expressly  designated  therein. 

The  laws  of  the  National  Fraternal  Con- 
gress declare  that  no  fraternal  society, 
order,  or  association  shall  be  entitled  to 
rejoresentation  in  it  unless  the  latter  "  works 
under  a  ritual,  holds  regular  lodge  or  sim- 
ilar meetings,  where  the  purposes  are  con- 
fined to  visitation  of  the  sick,  relief  of  dis- 
tress, burial  of  -the  dead,  protection  of  wid- 
ows and  orj)hans,  education  of  the  orjihan, 
payment  of  a  benefit  for  temporary  or  per- 
manent disability  or  death,  and  where  these 
principles  are  an  obligated  duty  on  all  mem- 
bers, to  be  discharged  without  compensation 
or  pecuniary  reward;  where  the  general 
membership  attend  to  the  general  business 
of  the  order,  and  where  a  fraternal  interest 
in  the  welfare  of  each  other  is  a  dut}^  taught, 
recognized,  and  practised  as  the  motive  and 
bond  of  organization.''  The  mutual  agree- 
ment between  the  fraternal  society  and  the 
member  is  not  a  policy  or  contract  like  that 
entered  into  between  a  life  insurance  com- 
pany and  its  policy-holder.  Fraternal  soci- 
eties simply  issue  a  certificate  of  member- 
ship, in  which  the  member  agrees  to  comply 
with  all  rules  and  regulations  in  force  at  the 
time  he  becomes  a  member,  and  with  all 


changes  in  the  laws,  etc.,  that  may  be  law- 
fully made  during  his  membershij).  He  has 
no  vested  or  property  rights  while  living 
and  belonging  to  such  societies  unless  he 
should  become  sick  or  disabled,  and  then 
only  after  his  claim  has  been  allowed.  After 
the  death  of  a  member  who  has  complied 
with  the  laws,  the  beneficiary  has  a  vested 
or  property  right  to  the  amount  of  a  de- 
ceased member's  certificate,  as  provided  by 
the  society's  laws.  These  orders  are  co- 
operative bodies,  members  mutually  agree- 
ing to  protect  each  other  and  their  families 
and  dependents  in  case  of  sickness,  disabil- 
ity, or  death  by  contributing  a  .  certain 
amount  of  money  from  time  to  time  to  pro- 
vide for  the  jjayment  of  the  sum  specified  in 
the  certificate.  No  term-endowment,  ton- 
tine, or  any  other  form  of  speculative  cer- 
tificates are  issued,  neither  can  a  certificate 
within  the  objects  and  purposes  of  a  legiti- 
mate beneficiary  order  be  made  payable  to  a 
member  or  his  creditor,  nor  can  it  be  used 
as  collateral  for  a  loan  or  have  a  surrender 
value.  The  holder  can  transfer  it  to  any 
legal  beneficiary  without  the  consent  of  the 
person  named  in  the  certificate,  but  the 
policy  of  a  life  insurance  company  cannot 
be  so  transferred.  The  courts  hold  that  a 
beneficiary  of  a  member  has  no  vested 
rights  in  the  certificate,  but  that  a  per- 
son named  as,  the  payee  has  such  rights. 
The  decision  of  the  supreme  court  of 
Pennsylvania  in  the  Dickinson  case,  "  Ella 
M.  Dickinson  vs.  Grand  Lodge  of  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen  of  Pennsylva- 
nia," defines  the  objects  and  purposes  of 
fraternal  beneficiary  societies,  and  holds  that 
they  are  not  insurance  corporations,  but 
purely  benevolent  associations,  as  follows: 
'•'  The  first  specification  charges  error  in 
admitting  the  application  thus  referred 
to.  This  is  grounded  on  the  assumption 
that  defendant  (the  A.  0.  U.  W.)  is  an  in- 
surance company,  and  the  contract  sued 
on  is  a  contract  of  assurance  on  the  life  of 
plaintiff's  husband  for  her  benefit.  Such 
assumption,  however,  is  unwarranted.     The 


NATIONAL   PROVIDENT    UNION 


l(i7 


defendant  is  not  an  insurance  company,  but 
belongs  to  the  distinctly  recognized  class  of 
organizations  known  as  benevolent  associa- 
tions. AVhat  is  known  as  a  benevolent  or- 
ganization, however,  has  a  wholly  different 
object  and  purpose  in  view.  The  great  un- 
derlying purpose  of  the  organization  is  not 
to  indemnify  or  secure  against  loss;  its  de- 
sign is  to  accumulate  a  fund  from  the  con- 
tributions of  its  members  for  beneficial  or 
protective  purposes,  to  be  used  in  their  own 
aid  or  relief,  in  the  misfortunes  of  sickness, 
injury,  or  death.  The  benefits,  although 
secured  by  contracts,  and  for  that  reason,  to 
a  limited  extent,  assimilated  to  the  proceeds 
of  insurance,  are  not  so  considered.  Such 
societies  are  rather  of  a  philanthropic  or 
benevolent  character;  their  beneficial  fea- 
tures may  be  of  a  narrow  or  restricted  char- 
acter; the  motives  of  the  members  may  be 
to  some  extent  selfish,  but  the  principle 
upon  which  they  rest  is  founded  in  the  con- 
siderations mentioned.  These  benefits,  by 
the  rule  of  their  organizations,  are  paying  to 
their  own  unfortunate,  out  of  funds  which 
the  members  themselves  have  contributed 
for  the  purpose,  not  as  an  indemnity  or 
security  against  loss,  but  as  a  protective  re- 
lief in  case  of  sickness  or  injury,  or  to  pro- 
vide the  means  of  a  decent  burial  in  the 
event  of  death.  Such  societies  have  no  cap- 
ital stock.  They  yield  no  profit,  and  their 
contracts,  although  beneficial  and  protective, 
altogether  exclude  the  idea  of  insurance,  or 
of  indemnity,  or  of  securing  against  loss.'' 
Hence  it  will  be  seen  that  the  fraternal 
beneficiary  orders  are  purely  cooperative  and 
non-speculative,  and  do  not  in  any  sense 
furnish  life  insurance.  Neither  can  they 
be  classed  with  the  open  business  assessment 
associations;  there  is  nothing  in  common 
between  them. 

National  Fraternity. — Organized  at 
Philadelphia  in  1893  by  members  of  the 
Ancient  Order  of  United  "Workmen,  a  fra- 
ternal mutual  assessment  beneficiary  soci- 
ety, which  both  men  and  women  between 
eighteen  and  fifty  years  of  age  may  join. 


It  pays  deatii  benefits  of  from  §500  to 
13,500 ;  total  disability  benefits  of  from 
$250  to  $1,250;  and  sick  and  accident  bene- 
fits of  from  $5  to  $25  weekly,  with  a  cash 
distribution  at  stated  periods  of  all  earnings 
and  accumulations,  and  a  savings  dividend 
every  five  years  of  membership.  Lodges 
are  governed  by  Sections,  corresjtondiiig  to 
Grand  or  State  bodies,  and  the  Fraternity 
at  large  is  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the 
Board  of  Control,  made  iip  of  its  officers 
and  representatives  of  the  Sections.  By  the 
system  of  five-year  credits  it  is  proposed  to 
cancel  all  sick  benefits  drawn  during  that 
period.  Any  excess  is  to  be  carried  over 
against  a  succeeding  five-year  credit  period. 
Sick  benefits,  previously  drawn,  are  de- 
ducted from  total  disability  claims,  and 
likewise  all  benefits  drawn  for  permanent  or 
temporary  disability  are  deducted  from  the 
ultimate  death  benefit,  unless  already  can- 
celled by  the  five-year  credits.  ''In  this 
manner  those  who  never  draw  sick  benefits 
will  not  suffer  from  those  who  do."  The 
former  A.  0.  U.  W.  plan  of  fixed  assess- 
ments of  $1.10  characterizes  the  organiza- 
tion, the  headquarters  of  which  are  at 
Philadelphia.  The  ritual  of  the  Society  is 
based  on  the  history  of  the  United  States, 
and  its  leading  emblem  is  the  dome  of  the 
capitol.  Like  so  many  other  similar  fra- 
ternities, it  has  a  motto  in  three  words  : 
-'  Charity,  Union,  and  Fellowship.  ''  The 
total  number  of  members  is  about  3,000. 

National  Provident  Union. — An  as- 
sessment, beneficiary  and  patriotic  organi- 
zation, founded  at  Xew  York  in  1883.  It 
is  governed  by  a  Congress  ])atterned  after 
the  United  States  House  of  Kejiresentatives. 
Its  10,000  members  are  found  principally  in 
New  England  and  the  Middle  States,  but 
the  Order  i.s  pushing  its  way  rapidly  to  the 
front  and  is  already  establishing  new  Coun- 
cils in  Central  and  Western  States.  Its 
democratic  character  is  shown  by  there 
being  300  ineml)er8  of  its  Congress.  Its 
death  benefits  range  from  $1,000  to  $5,000, 
and  the  live  interest  taken  in  securing  the 


168 


NATIONAL   RESERVE   ASSOCIATION 


most  advanced  system  of  assessments  to  meet 
death  benefit  payments  is  indicative  of  the 
exceptional  vitality  of  the  organization.  It 
is  very  strong  in  Greater  Xew  York,  where 
it  maintains  permanent  headquarters. 

National  Reserve  Association. — 
Founded  in  1891  at  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  by 
F.  W.  Sears,  32°,  an  Odd  Fellow,  a  Kni.sjht 
of  Pythias,  and  a  member  of  several  f  r.aternal 
beneficiary  orders.  It  receives  acceptable 
white  men  and  Avomen  on  ec[ual  terms,  to 
whom  or  their  beneficiaries  it  pays,  by  means 
of  assessments,  permanent,  total,  and  death 
benefits.     Total  membership  about  5,000. 

National  Union. — One  of  the  more  pro- 
gressive fraternal  assessment  beneficiary  so- 
cieties, organized  in  Mansfield,  0.,  and  in- 
corporated under  the  laws  of  Ohio,  May  11, 
1881,  by  Dr.  A.  E.  Keyes,  N.  N.  Leyman, 
E.  V.  Anders,  George  W.  Cole,  and  others. 
Dr.  Keyes,  who  was  elected  Medical  Di- 
rector, had  been  Supreme  Director  of  the 
Knights  of  Honor  and  Supreme  Eegent  of 
the  Eoyal  Arcanum.  N.  N.  Leyman  was 
also  a  man  of  experience  among  fraternal 
societies,  and  for  years  was  chairman  of  the 
Committee  on  Laws  of  the  Supreme  Council 
of  the  Eoyal  Arcanum.  George  W.  Cole 
was  a  Freemason.  Among  the  first  Board 
of  Officers  were  Dr.  W.  G.  Graham  of  "Win- 
field,  Kan. ;  George  L.  Fuller  of  Bingham- 
ton,  N.  Y.,  and  J.  "W".  Meyers  of  Columbus, 
0.,  each  of  whom  had  had  experience  in 
similar  societies. 

The  special  purposes  of  the  Order,  as  set 
forth  at  the  time  of  organization,  were:  That 
the  National  Union  is  a  distinctively  Ameri- 
can, secret,  beneficiary  Order,  formed  to  as- 
sociate white  male  citizens  of  good  moral 
character,  sound  bodily  health,  between 
twenty  and  fifty  years  of  age,  to  advance  its 
members  morally,  socially,  and  intellectually; 
to  provide  for  the  relief  of  sick  and  dis- 
tressed members  and  their  families,  and  to 
secure  a  benefit  fund  from  which,  upon  the 
death  of  a  member,  a  sum  not  exceeding 
15,000  shall  be  paid  to  such  beneficiaries 
related  to  the  deceased  member  as  mav  have 


been  designated  in  accordance  with  laws 
of  the  Order.  Certificates  are  issued  in 
amounts  of  $1,000,  $2,000,  $3,000,  $4,000, 
or  $5,000. 

The  feature  in  which  the  National  Union 
diflEered  from  the  fraternal  societies  that 
preceded  it  was  in  the  adoption  of  a  system 
of  assessments  graded  according  to  age, 
advancing  each  year  with  the  age  of  its 
members,  on  the  ^'step-rate  ^'  principle,  by 
which  each  member  pays  from  year  to  year 
the  actual  cost  of  the  protection  afforded. 
This  system  is  based  on  the  increasing  cost 
of  insurance  as  a  member  advances  in  age. 
The  vitality  of  the  Order  does  not,  therefore, 
depend  upon  new  members  alone,  but  is  also 
preserved  by  the  increasing  rate  of  assess- 
ments of  members,  thus  overcoming  the  ob- 
jection commonly  urged  against  assessment 
societies  which  do  not  have  reserve  funds. 
The  argument  is  that  the  inducement  for 
new  members  to  join  will  always  be  the 
same,  thereby  preserving  the  life  of  the 
Order  by  taking  in  younger  members  who 
have  the  advantage  of  paying  assessments 
at  their  own  ages,  but  who  are  not  com- 
pelled to  carry  the  burden  of  older  members, 
as  each  bears  his  equitable  proportion  of 
the  actual  cost. 

The  National  Union  is  patriotic  in  char- 
acter, and  the  American  flag  appears  in  its 
ritualistic  work.  The  government  of  the 
Order  is  modelled  after  that  of  the  United 
States,  its  Supreme  body  being  called  a 
Senate,  to  which  representatives  are  elected 
by  the  different  State  Assemblies  or  Legis- 
latures. Eepresentatives  to  the  Assemblies 
are  elected,  in  turn,  by  delegates  from  the 
different  Councils  in  the  various  States. 
The  Order  thus  has  a  Senate,  Assemblies, 
and  Councils,  or  Lodges,  the  latter  being 
subordinate  bodies.  The  principal  emblem. 
is  a  badge  representing  a  shield.  A  lapel 
button  is  also  worn,  which,  like  the  shield, 
displays  the  national  colors. 

The  membership  has  steadily  progressed, 
but  not  phenomenally,  and  in  personnel 
is  unexceptionable,  comprising  business  and 


NEW  ENGLAND  ORDER  OF  PROTECTION 


1G9 


professional  men  of  high  character  as  well 
as  those  in  tlie  humbler  walks  of  life.  The 
Order  has  Councils  estal)lished  in  the  follow- 
ing States  :  Ahibama,  Arizona,  Arkansas, 
California,  Colorado,  District  of  Columbia, 
Georgia,  Illinois,  Indiana,  Iowa,  Kansas, 
Kentucky,  Maryland,  Michigan,  Minnesota, 
Missouri,  Montana,  Nebraska,  New  Jersey, 
New  York,  North  Carolina,  North  Dakota, 
New  Mexico,  Ohio,  Oregon,  Pennsylvania, 
Texas,  Tennessee,  Utah,  Virginia,  West 
Virginia,  "Washington,  and  AVisconsin.  At 
the  close  of  189G  there  were  48,000  mem- 
bers, and  at  that  time  there  had  been  paid 
to  beneficiaries  the  sum  of  87,500,000. 

The  table  of  rates  of  assessments  in  the 
National  Union  is  given  in  full,  owing  to 
the  system  constituting  a  marked  t^tep  in 
advance  in  the  history  of  the  development 
of  fraternal  assessment  societies. 

TABLE  OF  ASSESSMENT  KATES  PER  $1,000. 


[Inci 

eased  on  all  members  every  year,  thus  avoidinj; 

increas- 

ing  frequency 

of  assessments.] 

Cost  of 

Cost  of 

Cost  of 

Cost  of 

Age. 

each 

Age.      each 

Age. 

each 

Age. 

each 

Assess. 

Assess. 

Assess. 

Assess. 

20.. 

..§0  40 

32... SO  64 

44. 

. .  SO  96 

56 

..  SI  58 

21.. 

..       42 

33...       66 

45. 

..     1  00 

57. 

..    1  68 

22.. 

44 

34...      68 

46. 

..     1  04 

58. 

..     1  78 

23.. 

..       46    , 

35...      70 

47. 

..     1  08 

59. 

..   1  as 

24.. 

..       48 

36...      72 

48. 

..     1  12 

60. 

..     2  00 

25.. 

..      50 

37...      74 

49. 

..     1  16 

61. 

..     2  12 

20.. 

..       52 

:38..        76 

*50. 

..     1  20 

62. 

..     2  26 

27.. 

..       54 

39...       78 

51. 

..     1  26 

63. 

..     2  40 

28  . 

56 

40...      80 

52. 

..     1  32 

64. 

. .     2  60 

29.. 

..      58 

41 . . .      84 

53. 

..     1  38 

t65. 

..     2  80 

30.. 

..      60 

42...      88 

.54. 

..     1  44 

31.. 

62 

43...       92 

55. 

..     1  50 

*The  maximum  age  of  admission  is  fifty  years. 
tAge  at  which  assessments  cease  to  increase. 


No  certificates  are  issued  to  persons  over 
forty  years  of  age  for  more  than  $3,000. 
Not  more  than  ten  assessments  in  one  3'ear 
have  ever  been  levied  by  the  National  Union 
under  this  system  in  the  sixteen  years  of  its 
existence.  The  Order  is  prosperous,  pays 
its  losses  promjitly,  and  is  recognized  as  a 
beneficiary  fraternity  of  high  standing. 

Native  Sous  of  the  Golden  West. — 
Founded  July  11,  1875,  by  General  A.  :M. 
Winn  and  others,  at  San  Francisco,  for  the 
payment  of  sick  and  death  benefits.  !Mem- 
bershipis  restricted  to  citizens  of  California, 


and  among  its  0,500  members  are  many  of 
the  foremost  representatives  of  the  State. 

New  I^iiglaiKl  Order  of  Protection. — 
Organized  on  October  '^H,  ls.s7,  and  incor- 
porated under  the  laws  of  Massachusetts, 
November  12,  1887.  The  New  England 
Order  of  Protection  is  one  of  that  vast  num- 
ber of  fraternal  beneficiary  societies  which 
within  the  last  thirty  years  has  brought  hope 
to  the  heart  of  man  by  emphasizing  brother- 
hood and  by  caring  for  the  widowed  and  the 
fatherless.  The  founders  were  William  II. 
Martin,  H.  M.  Wentworth,  Edward  L. 
Noyes,  T.  F.  Boylen,  Charles  P.  Walker, 
William  M.  Bartlett,  B.  M.  Snow,  Samuel 
B.  Logan,  George  H.  Howard,  B.  B.  Law- 
rence, Granville  Cash,  A.  F.  Boylen,  Charles 
H.  Burr,  Fred  L.  Pool,  and  E.  L.  Noyes; 
to  which  are  added,  as  life  members  of  the 
Supreme  Lodge,  Samuel  P.  Tenney,  John 
J.  Whipple,  AVilliani  B.  Adams,  Albert  C. 
Loomis,  Levi  W.  Shaw,  John  K.  Thomp- 
son, Norman  M.  Stafford,  Milon  0.  Cluff, 
Charles  E.  Reed,  Eben  S.  Hinckley,  Wil- 
liam E.  Elliott,  Charles  II.  Thomas,  Henry 
F.  Burrill,  James  II.  Swallow,  James  II. 
Russ,  Daniel  M.  Frye,  Salmon  A.  Granger, 
Herbert  A.  Chase,  M.D.,  Leonora  M.  ]Mar- 
tin,  John  A.  Follet,  Mary  C.  Noyes,  Mary 
L.  AValker,  Sarah  C.  Hinckley,  Emma  F. 
Boylen,  Hannah  J.  Tenney,  Helen  M.  Whip- 
ple, Adam  W.  ^lartin,  Sarah  F.  Boylen, 
Maggie  Wentworth,  Eliza  Cash,  J.  E.  Lo- 
gan, Mary  J.  Campbell,  Clara  J.  Bartlett, 
Catherine  A.  Thomas,  ^largarette  Shaw, 
Percy  A.  Dame,  Daniel  E.  Frasier,  Mrs. 
Daniel  E.  Frasier,  Leonora  F.  Lathe,  and 
Kate  D.  Chase.  The  founders  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Knights  of  Honor,  Ignited  Order 
of  Pilgrim  Fathers,  United  Order  of  the 
Golden  Cross,  Order  of  United  Friends, 
Royal  Society  of  Good  Fellows,  the  Royal 
Arcanum,  Ancient  Order  of  United  AVork- 
men.  Knights  and  Ladies  of  Honor,  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men,  Knights  of  Pythias,  and 
the  Masonic  Fraternity.  It  may  be  said  to 
be  an  outcome  of  theKnisfhts  and  Ladies  of 


170 


NORTH  AMERICAN   UNION 


Honor  on  the  question  of  separate  juris- 
diction which  arose  in  that  Order.  At  the 
Supreme  Lodge  of  the  Knights  and  Ladies 
of  Honor,  in  Philadelphia,  September  14, 

1887,  the  petition  of  twenty-one  Xew  Eng- 
land Lodges,  with  over  1,300  members,  for  a 
New  England  jurisdiction  was  referred  to 
the  committee  on  the  state  of  the  order. 
A  majority  of  that  committee  reported  in 
favor  of  the  petition,  and  a  minority  ad- 
versely; but  the  minority  rejjort  was  adopted. 
Inspired  by  the  success  of  the  Ancient  Order 
of  United  Workmen  under  a  separate  New 
England  jurisdiction,  those  who  had  agitated 
the  question  were  confident  that  an  order 
confined  within  the  limits  of  the  six  New 
England  States  could  be  made  successful, 
and  one  month  later  the  new  society  was 
formed.  Its  objects  are  to  unite  fraternally 
all  white  persons  of  good  moral  character 
and  steady  habits;  to  provide  for  and  com- 
fort the  sick;  to  establish  relief  and  benefit 
funds  from  which,  ujoon  satisfactory  proof 
of  the  death  of  a  beneficiary  member,  a  sum 
not  exceeding  $3,000  shall  be  paid  to  his 
or  her  family  as  directed  by  the  member. 
The  first  Lodge  was  instituted  November 
17,  1887,  with  46  members.     On  April  30, 

1888,  the  total  membership  waa  2,117;  on 
April  30,  1889,  it  amounted  to  6,213;  on 
April  1,  1892,  to  11,949;  on  April  1,  1894, 
to  15,656;  on  April  1,  1896,  to  19,722,  and 
on  January  1,  1897,  to  21,122.  The  Order 
on  January  1,  1897,  carried  137,812,000 
j)rotection,  and  had  paid  out  $1,311,000.  It 
pays  $1,000, 12,000,  and  $3,000  benefits,  and 
is  conducted  on  the  graded  assessment  plan, 
with  an  increase  in  the  rate  of  assessment,  as 
shown  in  the  following  table: 


1st 

2d 

3d 

Between 

the 

Rate 

Rate 

Rate 

Ages. 

$1,000 

$2,000 

$3,000 

18  and 

25 

30 

60 

90 

25     " 

30 

35 

70 

1  05 

30     " 

35 

40 

80 

1  20 

35     " 

40 

45 

90 

1  35 

40     " 

45 

50 

1  00 

1  50 

45     " 

46 

55 

1  10 

1  65 

46     " 

47 

60 

1  20 

1  80 

47     " 

48 

65 

1  30 

1  95 

48     " 

49 

70 

1  40 

2  10 

49     " 

50 

75 

1  50 

2  25 

Subordinate  Lodges  are  under  the  imme- 
diate control  of  a  Grand  Lodge,  Past  War- 
dens of  subordinate  Lodges  being  members 
of  Grand  Lodges.  The  Supreme  Lodge  is 
composed  of  officers,  standing  commitee,  all 
Past  Supreme  Wardens,  incorporators  of  the 
Supreme  Lodge  named  in  the  original  certifi- 
cate of  incorporation,  and  such  others  as 
were  elected  previous  to  the  session  of  1888, 
and  representatives  of  Grand  Lodges,  elected 
annually  to  serve  for  two  years.  Each 
Grand  Lodge  has  three  representatives  and 
three  alternates  for  the  first  1,000  members 
in  the  State,  and  one  for  each  additional 
1,000  and  majority  fraction  thereof.  The 
Supreme  Lodge  meets  annually,  on  the  sec- 
ond Tuesday  in  May,  in  the  city  of  Boston, 
and  as  it  is  the  legislative  body,  only  bene- 
ficiary members  are  admitted.  Both  men  and 
women  have  a  voice  and  vote  in  subordinate. 
Grand,  and  Supreme  bodies,  and  are  eligible 
to  any  office.  The  membership  by  States 
November  1,  1896,  was  as  follows: 

Men.  Women.  Totals. 

Maine 1,059  2,033  3,093 

New  Hampshire.   . . .  278  425  703 

Vermont 202  726  928 

Massachusetts 3,394  6.576  9,970 

Rhode  Island 205  600  805 

Connecticut 1,400  4,15^  5,553 

Totals 6,538  14,513  21,051 

The  Order  has  been  unusually  successful. 
It  paid  its  first  death  benefit  of  $1,000  at 
the  end  of  the  first  five  months  of  its  exist- 
ence, when  the  membership  was  only  2,117. 
Within  less  than  ten  years  it  has  made  a 
record  of  which  any  similar  Order  might  be 
proud,  and  the  six-j^ointed  star,  the  jewel 
of  the  society,  is  honored  alike  by  its  own 
and  by  members  of  other  fraternities. 

Nortli  American  Union. — A  new  fra- 
ternal beneficiary  association,  organized  at 
Chicago. 

Northwestern  Legion  of  Honor. — A 
benevolent  fraternity  formed  to  furnish 
members  with  life  insurance  at  cost,  to 
which  all  acceptable  white  persons  between 
eighteen  and  fifty  years  of  age,  whose  occu- 
pation is  not  extra  hazardous,  are  eligible. 


ORDER   OF   CHOSEN   FRIENDS 


171 


It  does  business  in  Kansas,  Nebraska,  Iowa, 
Minnesota,  North  and  South  Dakota,  and 
was  incorporated  March  12,  1884,  in  the 
State  of  Iowa.  It  is  governed  by  a  Grand 
Council  composed  of  its  officers  and  repre- 
sentatives from  subordinate  Councils,  thus 
avoiding,  like  the  Iowa  Legion  of  Honor, 
much  of  the  machinery  of  many  similar  or- 
ganizations. It  issues  beneficiary  certificates 
to  men  and  women  members  alike  for  $500, 
$1,000,  $2,000,  or  $3,000  each.  Assess- 
ments are  graded  according  to  age,  one-fifth 
of  each  assessment  going  into  the  reserve 
fund  from  which  losses  are  to  be  met  in  case 
of  epidemics  or  other  causes  of  increase  in 
the  death  rate.  This  Order  frankly  admits 
it  is  an  offspring  of  the  American  Legion  of 
Honor.  Its  ritual  teaches  benevolence. 
The  total  membership  is  about  2,500.  The 
emblem  of  the  Order  is  the  six-jiointed  star, 
with  the  abbreviations  of  the  names  of  the 
States  in  the  angles ;  the  motto,  ''  We 
work  together,"  in  the  centre,  surrounding 
"N.  ^\.  L.  of  IL,"  the  whole  overhung 
with  an  encircling  chain  of  seven  links. 
(See  American  Legion  of  Honor.) 

Order  of  Alfredians.— ^Dormant.  Ac- 
tive at  Boston,  Providence,  and  elsewhere 
in  New  England  more  than  twenty  years 
ago.  It  embodied  beneficiary  features,  but 
was  founded  for  the  "descendants  of  the 
wdse  and  good  King  Alfred.''  It  commemo- 
rated April  23d,  because  on  that  day  in  871 
Alfred  ascended  the  throne,  and  also  because 
Shakespeare  was  born  on  April  23d,  "the 
poet  of  all  time,  the  embalmer  of  the 
Anglo-Saxon  tongue." 

Order  of  American  Fraternal  Circle. 
— A  Baltimore  mutual  assessment  organiza- 
tion, founded  prior  to  18S9.    It  died  in  1S94. 

Order  of  Aniitie. — A  Philadelphia  mu- 
tual assessment  insurance  society.  Died  in 
1894. 

Order  of  Chosen  Friends. — A  frater- 
nal, benevolent,  and  protective  society,  or- 
ganized under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  In- 
diana. It  was  established  May  28,  1879,  at 
Indianapolis,  Ind.,  and  has  now  over  GOO 


Councils  and  26,000  members  in  the  United 
States  and  Canada.  It  makes  provisions 
for  payment,  in  addition  to  sick  and  death 
benefits,  one  to  aged  members,  and  also  one 
to  those  who  become  totally  disabled  by  rea- 
son of  disease  or  accident.  Its  objects  are 
to  unite,  fraternally,  acceptable  white  per- 
sons of  good  character,  steady  habits,  sound 
bodily  health,  and  reputable  calling,  who 
believe  in  a  Supreme  Being;  to  improve 
their  condition  morally,  socially,  and  mate- 
rially by  timely  counsel  and  instructive 
lessons,  encouragement  in  business,  and 
assistance  to  obtain  employment  when  in 
need;  to  establish  a  relief  fund  from  which 
a  sum  not  exceeding  $3,000  shall  be  jiaid, 
first,  when  disabled  by  old  age  (provided 
seventy-five  years  are  reached);  second, 
when  by  disease  or  accident  a  member  be- 
comes permanently  disabled;  and,  third, 
when  a  member  dies.  The  Supreme  Coun- 
cil makes  all  laws  for  the  government  of 
the  Order,  and  -has  entire  management  of 
the  relief  fund.  Beneficiary  membership  is 
optional.  A  medical  examination  is  re- 
quired before  an  apj)licant  can  become  a 
beneficiary  member.  Certificates  are  issued 
for  $500,  $1,000,  $2,000,  or  $3,000  as  de- 
sired, subject  to  the  approval  of  the  super- 
vising medical  examiner. 

Beneficiary  members  are  required  to  pay 
into  the  relief  fund  at  deaths  of  members 
sums  graded  according  to  age.  By  the 
equalization  plan  of  paying  assessments  all 
members  "pay  an  equal  amount  for  an 
equal  benefit.''  The  member  who  lives  out 
his  expectancy  of  life,  or  passes  his  seventy- 
fifth  birthday,  "pays  no  more  for  his  one- 
thousand-dollar  benefit  than  the  member 
Avho  is  so  unfortunate  as  to  die  within  a 
short  time  after  acquiring  membership." 
This  plan  "  in  this  respect  is  unique.''  It 
makes  the  cost  a  fixed  sum  for  each  $1,000. 
Where  this  is  not  done,  the  cost  would  be 
uncertain  and  assessments  frequently  come 
so  often  as  to  be  burdensome.  In  the  early 
part  of  February,  1878,  Albert  Alcon  and 
T.  B.  Linn,  residents  of  Indianapolis,  Ind., 


172 


ORDER   OF   CHOSEN   FRIENDS 


and  members  of  several  fraternal  orders, 
were  discussing  the  merits  and  demerits  of 
tlie  societies  to  which  they  belonged.  At 
that  time  there  Avere  a  number  of  organiza- 
tions paying  death  benefits,  but  none  paying 
disability  or  old  age  benefits  to  members 
through  a  national  organization.  It  was 
believed  that  there  was  not  only  room,  but 
a  demand,  for  an  order  with  that  feature. 
They  solicited  friends  to  unite  with  them, 
and  received  half-way  promises  from  some 
and  refusals  from  others;  but  a  meeting  was 
called  May  2,  1878,  and  another  on  June 
1st,  at  which  there  were  four  persons  pres- 
ent, among  them  J.  B.  Nickersou.  A  third 
meeting,  June  8th,  brought  in  Emi  Ken- 
nedy. During  the  summer  and  fall  of  1878 
Messrs.  Alcon,  Linn,  Nickerson,  and  Ken- 
nedy held  many  meetings  and  perfected  a 
plan,  constitution,  and  laws  for  the  new 
Order.  Mr.  Linn  acted  as  Secretary,  and 
upon  him  devolved  the  labor  of  formulat- 
ing the  ideas  agreed  to.  The  admission  of 
ladies  to  the  Order  was  a  subject  of  frequent 
and  prolonged  discussion,  but  finally  it  was 
decided  to  admit  them  on  the  same  terms 
and  in  the  same  manner  as  men.  Up  to 
that  date  a  few  orders  had  established  a 
women's  degree,  or  branch,  into  which  the 
wives,  mothers,  sisters,  and  daughters  of 
members  could  be  admitted;  but  the  Order 
of  Chosen  Friends  claims  the  honor  of  lead- 
ing in  recognizing  the  full  cooperation  of 
woman  in  the  fraternal  insurance  world. 
The  selection  of  the  ritualistic  work  gave 
the  founders  much  thought  and  study.  The 
perfect  number  "seven"  was  selected  as 
the  central  idea,  and  Mr.  Linn  was  chosen 
to  write  the  ritual.  He  perfected  the  plan 
and  composed  the  charges.  At  that  time, 
November,  1878,  Eev.  Dr.  T.  G.  Beharrell, 
a  minister  of  the  Methodist  Church,  and 
well  known  in  Masonic  and  Odd  Fellows' 
circles,  became  interested  in  the  movement, 
and  to  him  was  assigned  the  revision  and 
completion  of  the  ritual.  To  be  in  harmony 
with  the  central  idea  of  the  ritual,  the 
"  chain  of  seven  links  "  was  selected  as  the 


leading  emblem.  By  May  28,  1879,  the 
Order  of  Chosen  Friends  was  declared  an 
established  fact,  with  twenty-three  charter 
members  on  its  rolls.  The  first  set  of  offi- 
cers and  members  is  as  follows:  Supreme 
Councillor,  Rev.  Dr.  T.  G.  Beharrell,  In- 
dianajiolis,  Ind. ;  Supreme  Assistant  Coun- 
cillor, Albert  Alcon,  Sheridan,  Ind. ;  Su- 
preme Vice-Councillor,  Emi  Kennedy;  Su- 
preme Recorder,  T.  B.  Linn;  Supreme 
Treasurer,  W.  W.  Douglass;  Supreme  Medi- 
cal Examiner,  Charles  D.  Pearson,  M.D.,  all 
of  Indianapolis;  Supreme  Prelate,  Hon.  Wil- 
liam Cumback,  Greensburg,  Ind. ;  Supreme 
Marshal,  C.  Bradford;  Supreme  AVarden, 
J.  B.  Nickerson,  both  of  Indianapolis;  Su- 
preme Guard,  C.  H.  Buttner,  Cleveland,  0. ; 
and  Supreme  Sentry,  M.  C.  Davis,  Indian- 
apolis, Ind. ;  Supreme  Trustees,  W.  H. 
Page,  Hon.  J.  F.  Wallick,  Hon.  John 
Cavin,  G.  H.  Webber,  and  B.  F.  Rogers, 
all  of  Indianapolis.  Other  original  mem- 
bers were  Joseph  Greenwood,  M.  D.  Losey, 
William  H.  Partlow,  Hamilton  McCoy,  F.  D. 
Somerby,  0.  S.  Hadley,  and  C.  H.  Behar- 
rell, all  of  Indianapolis. 

On  June  30,  1879,  the  first  subordinate 
Council,  Alpha,  No.  1,  of  Indiana,  was  or- 
ganized at  Indianapolis  with  30  charter 
members  present.  Ohio  Council,  No.  1,  of 
Ohio,  was  instituted  Jul}^  15, 1879,  at  Woos- 
ter,  with  24  charter  members  present;  and 
Lincoln  Council,  No.  2,  of  Ohio,  at  Cleve- 
land, October  8,  1879,  with  34  present.  At 
the  first  annual  session  of  the  Supreme 
Council,  held  in  Indianapolis,  October  21, 
1879,  the  Supreme  Recorder  reported  three 
Councils  with  a  membership  of  150.  A 
year  later  this  had  grown  to  60  Councils 
and  3,536  members  in  eleven  States.  The 
Order  rapidly  increased  during  the  follow- 
ing year,  numbering  10,133  members  in  176 
Councils  located  in  24  States,  at  the  end  of 
the  fiscal  year  closing  June  30,  1881.  This 
had  further  increased  to  12,392  members 
and  221  Councils  by  September  30th,  when 
a  season  full  of  troubles  followed.  A  dis- 
sension   arose   among  the  members  of  the 


ORDER   OF  CHOSEN   FRIENDS 


173 


Grand  Council  of  California,  resulting  in 
schism,  by  which  the  Order  lost  about  3,000 
members.  The  superintendent  of  insur- 
ance in  the  State  of  New  York  attempted  to 
rule  the  Order  out  of  that  State  on  account 
of  its  old  age  disability  features,  going  so 
far  as  to  threaten  with  arrest  and  inqirison- 
ment  officers  and  members  if  they  did  not 
cease  working  in  Xew  York.  The  Order 
appealed  to  the  courts,  and  after  a  pro- 
longed and  bitter  contest  was  sustained  in 
its  position — viz.,  that  it  was  legally  tloing 
business  in  New  York.  The  situation  there 
called  attention  to  other  States,  and  it  was 
found  that  some  of  them  made  no  jirovi- 
sions  for  the  payment  of  disability  benefits 
by  a  fraternal  society,  and  such  defects  had 
to  be  remedied  through  the  legislatures  of 
such  States.  These  contests  caused  a  loss 
of  7,001  members  during  the  fiscal  year 
ending  June,  30,  1882  ;  but  8,126  new 
members  were  added,  making  a  net  gain 
for  the  year  of  925.  The  following  years 
were  in  the  main  prosperous,  and  the  Order, 
after  sixteen  years  of  experience,  had  on 
June  30,  1895,  a  membership  of  38,095,  and 
had  paid  to  beneficiaries  of  4,789  dead  mem- 
bers 88,839,704;  to  613  disabled  members, 
1)562,980;  to  16  members  disabled  by  old 
age,  $32,000;  and  45  advance  or  immediate 
payments  to  beneficiaries  of  dead  members 
whose  claims  were  in  process  of  adjustment, 
813,700;  in  all,  89,448,383.  The  Order  is 
eighteen  and  a  half  years  old,  has  paid 
$10,209,513  to  the  beneficiaries  of  5,579 
of  its  members  who  have  died;  8620,780  to 
734  members  who  became  permanently  dis- 
abled from  earning  a  livelihood;  and  8116,- 
872  to  61  members  disabled  by  the  burden 
of  old  age,  a  total  of  810,947,165.  It  has 
Councils  in  Arizona,  California,  Colorado, 
Connecticut,  District  of  Columbia,  Georgia, 
Illinois,  Indiana,  Kansas,  Kentucky,  Mary- 
land, Michigan,  Minnesota,  Missouri,  Mon- 
tana, Nebraska,  New  Jersey,  New  York, 
Nevada,  North  Carolina,  Ohio,  Ontario,  Ore- 
gon, Pennsylvania,  South  Carolina,  South 
Dakota,  Tennessee,  Texas,  Virginia,  "Wash- 


ington,  and  Wisconsin,  thirty-one   States, 
and  in  Canada. 

Most  of  the  original  members  were  mem- 
bers of  various  leading  fraternal  beneficiary 
secret  societies,  and  some  were  prominent 
Odd  Fellows  and  Freemasons.  It  is  par- 
ticularly noteworthy  that  several  of  the  lat- 
ter were  members  of  the  higher  degrees  in 
Scottish  liite  Masonry.  The  princi2)al  em- 
blem, a  seven-pointed  star  containing  the 
primary  colors  in  the  angles,  with  two  in- 
scribed triangles  containing  the  figure  7 
in  the  centre,  is  especially  significant  and 
points  to  the  popularity  of  the  mysticism 
hedging  about  these  ])articular  symbols 
among  modern  ritual  makers.  The  stu- 
dent who  is  also  a  Scottish  Rite  Mason  will 
find  something  in  this  to  interest  him  when 
considered  in  connection  with  the  historical 
sketch  of  the  Order  of  the  Heptasophs,  or 
Seven  Wise  Men.  Members  of  the  latter 
organization  and  of  the  Order  of  Chosen 
Friends  have  practically  identical  emblems. 
In  addition  to  the  foregoing  the  Chosen 
Friends  present  the  clasped  hands,  a  seven- 
linked  chain,  and  a  representation  of  the 
Good  Samaritan.  The  Order  is  also  note- 
worthy for  having  given  birth  to  five  similar 
organizations,  the  results  of  disaiTectiou  and 
schism.  The  first  was  the  secession  in  New 
York  State,  which  caused  a  good  deal  of  feel- 
ing. The  trouble  between  the  insurance 
department  of  the  State  of  New  York  and 
the  Order  of  Chosen  Friends  has  already 
been  referred  to.  The  result  was  the  for- 
mation of  the  Order  of  United  Friends  in 
New  York  in  1881.  The  Chosen  Friends 
in  California  demanded  a  separate  jurisdic- 
tion in  1882,  and  it  was  denied,  wliereujwn 
they  seceded  and  formed  the  Independent 
Order  of  Chosen  Friends.  It  flourished  for 
a  few  years  and  attained  a  membership  of 
7,000  or  8,000,  when  it  collapsed.  The 
United  Friends  of  Michigan  Avas  organized 
in  1889,  shortly  after  the  meeting  of  the 
Supreme  Council  of  the  Order  of  Chosen 
Friends  in  that  3'ear,  at  which  the  repre- 
sentative  of    the    Supreme    Council   from 


174 


ORDER  OF  FRATERNAL  HELPERS 


Michigan  failed  to  secure  the  recognition 
he  believed  himself  entitled  to.  It  was  or- 
ganized by  Dr.  G.  A.  Kirker  of  Detroit, 
and  E.  F,  Lamb  of  Mt.  Morris,  Mich.,  and 
has  grown  and  prospered.  In  the  years  1891 
and  1892  the  Order  had  some  difficulty  with 
the  laws  in  the  Province  of  Ontario.  It  was 
believed  by  some  members  there  that  a  sejja- 
rate  jurisdiction  would  remedy  the  matter, 
but  before  it  could  be  accomplished  a  schism 
occurred,  and  the  Canadian  Order  of  Chosen 
Friends  was  organized.  In  1895,  immedi- 
ately after  the  passage  of  the  Morse  equaliza- 
tion laws,  a  disappointed  aspirant  for  office 
headed  a  division  of  the  German  members 
in  Chicago,  and  formed  a  new  organization, 
called  the  United  League  of  America. 
Whether  the  movement  was  a  success  or 
not  is  not  known. 

Order  of  Fraternal  Helpers. — One  of 
the  numerous  local  mutual  assessment  in- 
surance Orders  founded  in  New  England. 
Letters  of  inquiry  returned  unopened. 

Order  of  Fraternal  Preceptors. — Mu- 
tual assessment,  beneficiary  society,  organized 
at  Grand  Haven,  Mich.,  prior  to  1889.  Un- 
known there  now. 

Order  of  Mutual  Aid. — Formed  at 
Memphis,  Tenn.,  where  it  collapsed  a  few 
years  later,  in  1878,  owing  to  the  ravages  of 
the  yellow  fever  epidemic.  It  was  a  South- 
ern offshoot  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United 
Workmen  and  of  the  Knights  of  Honor.  Its 
only  surviving  offspring  is  the  Knights  of 
the  Golden  Eule,  organized  at  Cincinnati  in 
1879.     (See  Knights  of  the  Golden  Eule.) 

Order  of  Mutual  Protection. — Organ- 
ized at  St.  Louis  in  1878,  an  outgrowth  of 
the  Order  of  Mutual  Aid,  and  incorporated 
under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Missouri. 
Men  and  women  between  eighteen  and  fifty 
years  of  age,  in  good  health,  not  engaged  in 
hazardous  occupations,  are  eligible  to  mem- 
bership. Members  enjoy  the  social  privi- 
leges of  Lodge  rooms,  the  moral  and  social 
advancement,  and  the  encouragement  in 
business  to  which  they  are  entitled  under 
the  "  laws  and  bonds  of  mutual  assistance." 


Death  benefit  certificates  of  $500, 11,000,  and 
13,000  are  issued,  except  to  women  and  to 
saloon  keepers,  who  are  restricted  to  $1,000. 
At  total  disability  a  member  is  entitled  to 
one-half  the  amount  of  his  or  her  certificate, 
and  on  reaching  the  age  of  seventy  years, 
the  whole  amount.  Sick  benefits  are  paid 
in  the  discretion  of  subordinate  Lodges.  No 
Lodges  are  established  in  the  Southern  States, 
excepting  the  two  Virginias,  Maryland,  in 
Kentucky,  and  in  the  District  of  Columbia. 
The  government  of  the  Order  is  vested  in 
a  Supreme  Lodge  composed  of  representa- 
tives of  subordinate  Lodges.  Total  mem- 
bership amounts  to  about  5,000,  and  about 
1600,000  has  been  paid  in  sick,  disability, 
and  death  benefits.  The  ritual  embodies 
features  found  in  the  secret  work  of  many 
similar  organizations.  The  office  of  the  Su- 
preme Secretary  is  at  Chicago. 

Order  of  Mogullians. — A  "side  de- 
gree "  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United 
Workmen.     (See  the  latter.) 

Order  of  Odd  Ladies. — A  New  Eng- 
land mutual  benefit,  assessment  society  mani- 
festly named  in  imitation  of  the  Odd  Fellows. 
No  replies  have  been  received  to  inquiries. 

Order  of  Protestant  Knights. — De- 
scribed in  the  census  of  1890  as  a  mutual 
assessment  beneficiary  organization,  with  the 
office  of  the  Secretary  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y. 
Not  known  there  now. 

Order  of  Shepherds  of  Bethlehem. — 
Organized  "in  America,"  November  19, 
189G,  by  Ira  A.  M.  Wycoff,  at  Trenton, 
N.  J.,  a  sick  and  funeral  benefit  association 
to  which  men  and  women  between  eighteen 
and  fifty-five  years  of  age  are  eligible.  Its 
membership  is  about  2,000.  The  Order  is 
evidently  drawn  from  the  same  source  as  the 
Order  of  the  Star  of  Bethlehem,  an  outline 
of  which  is  given  in  connection  herewith. 
Compare  the  latter  with  the  following  ex- 
tract from  the  "  History  of  the  Order  of  the 
Shepherds  of  Bethlehem  " : 

In  1875  a  prominent  officer  named  Sir  Fred  Holt 
came  to  New  York  and  started  two  Lodges,  which 
grew  nicely  until  Sir  Holt's  duties  as  Scribe  of  the 


ORDER  OF  THE  GOLDEN  CHAIN 


175 


Sovereign  Lodge  called  him  to  Europe,  -when  they 
quarrelled,  and  under  a  strange  name  ran  on  for  a 
time,  and  died  out,  with  the  exception  of  a  few  small 
Western  Lodges  that  had  their  start  from  them  and 
drifted  into  another  snuiU  Order  not  connected  with 
this.*  The  eJTort  was  ill-advised,  witii  no  good  re- 
sults. The  next  person  who  took  up  t  he  matter  was 
a  popular  antiquarian  who  went  to  the  Holy  Land 
to  study  the  Order  among  the  shepherds  as  it  origi- 
nally existed  and  is  now  in  the  home  of  these 
jincient  people  of  the  Holy  Land.  lie  learned  all 
the  old  legends  and  methods  of  the  Order,  and  on 
his  return  presented  tlie  Order  in  the  thoroughly 
original  form,  translated  and  put  in  modern  shape. 
By  special  arrangement  the  Supreme  Lodge  of 
Nortli  America  was  formed  in  189G,  and  instructed 
in  the  beautiful  ceremonies  of  this  old  and  won- 
drous Order.  The  Supreme  Lodge  of  North  Amer- 
ica, by  authority  of  the  Sovereign  Lodge,  is  supreme 
authority  in  North  America. 

There  are  marked  similarities  between  the 
two  Orders  of  Bethlehemites,  notably  the 
provision  that  membership  does  not  lapse  in 
either  for  non-payment  of  dues,  except  so 
far  as  the  right  to  share  in  benefits  is  con- 
cerned, and  the  custom  of  addressing  mem- 
bers by  the  titles  Sir  and  Lady.  The  rit- 
ualistic ceremonies  of  the  Shepherds  of 
Bethlehem  are  declared  to  be  beautiful  and 
elevating.  The  first  degree  is  entitled  that 
of  Light,  the  second  the  ShephercVs,  and  the 
third  the  Disciple's  degree.  (Com2)are  with 
Ancient  Order  of  Shepherds,  Order  of  the 
Star  of  Bethlehem,  and  Shepherds  of  Amer- 
ica.) When  one  reads  in  the  leaflets  of  these 
/  Bethlehemite  Orders  that  each  "is  without 
a  doubt  one  of  the  oldest  in  the  world,  and 
was  founded  as  an  Order  shortly  after  the 
birth  of  Christ,  by  the  shepherds  who 
watched  over  their  flocks  on  that  eventful 
night,  when  they  were  first  chosen  of  God 
to  hear  of  the  birth  of  our  Saviour  and  went 
at  once  to  see  and  worship  him,"  he  is  com- 
pelled to  wonder  at  the  audacity  of  the 
genealogist  who  constructed  the  society's 
family  tree. 

Order  of  Sparta. — Organized  by  J.  B. 
^Moffitt,  "Robert  A.  Welsh,  James  ^IcConnell, 
Alexander   J.  McCleary,   and    William   H. 

*  Order  of  the  Star  of  Bethlehem  ? 


Smith,  all  of  Philadelphia,  in  1879,  as  a 
mutiud  assessment,  death  benefit  society. 
Its  field  is  restricted  to  within  one  hundred 
miles  of  Philadelphia.  The  founders  were 
all  members  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United 
Workmen,  who  souglit  to  establish  a  com- 
pact secret  society  with  the  one-dollar  assess- 
ment of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Work- 
men. They  confined  membership  to  men 
between  twenty-one  and  fifty  years  of  age, 
of  good  physical  health,  "  believers  in  the 
Christian  faith.''  Its  ritual  is  founded  on 
the  history  of  ancient  Sparta,  thus  parallel- 
ing the  English  Order  of  Ancient  Eomans 
in  its  search  for  a  new  source  for  its  rites 
and  ceremonies,  and  the  (American)  Order 
of  Heptasophs,  or  Seven  Wise  j\Ien.  The 
Order  is  managed  conservatively,  and  has 
an  invested  permanent  fund  with  which  to 
pay  the  assessments  of  those  who  may  re- 
tain their  membership  twenty-five  years, 
and  a  relief  fund  with  which  to  pay  the 
assessments  of  members  who  through  sick- 
ness or  financial  disability  may  be  unable 
to  pay  them.  This  is  done  to  keep  worthy 
distressed  members  in  good  standing,  and  is 
accomplished  "  without  the  general  knoAvl- 
edge  of  the  organization."  The  total 
amount  of  benefits  paid  exceeds  $1,000,000. 
The  Order  is  governed  by  a  Great  Senate 
which  exercises  jurisdiction  over  tlie  subordi- 
nate Senates.  Its  7,000  members  are  drawn 
largely  from  the  mercantile  and  professional 
walks  of  life,  although  nearly  all  trades  are 
represented.  The  seat  of  the  Great  Senate 
contains  a  representation  of  a  shield  upon 
which  is  a  sword  and  the  words,  ''  With  it 
or  upon  it." 

Order  of  the  Black  Kiiig^ht. — A  Ger- 
man (Deutscher  Orden  Schwarze  Ritter) 
secret,  benevolent  society.  It  claims  an 
existence  here  of  about  thirty  years.  Its 
strength  is  principally  in  New  Jersey,  Penn- 
sylvania, New  York,  and  District  of  Colum- 
bia. Like  some  other  German  Orders,  it 
claims  great  antiquity. 

Order  of  tlie  Goldi'u  Chain. — Organ- 
ized at  Baltimore,   December  22,  1881,  by 


176 


ORDER  OF  THE  HEPTASOPHS,  OR  SEVEN  WISE  MEN 


members  of  the  Knights  of  Honor,  Royal 
Arcanum,  American  Legion  of  Honor,  and 
the  Masonic  Fraternity,  as  a  mutual  assess- 
ment beneficiary  society  to  which  men  be- 
tween twenty-one  and  fifty-one  years  of  age 
are  eligible.  It  insures  the  lives  of  mem- 
bers for  $1,000,  12,000,  or  13,000,  besides 
which  it  pays  sick  and  total  disability  bene- 
fits. It  employs  the  popular  step-rate 
graded  system  of  assessments,  and  enjoys 
the  enviable  record  of  having  paid  out  more 
than  $1,600,000  to  beneficiaries  since  organ- 
ization at  an  average  annual  cost  to  those 
insured  of  about  18  per  $1,000.  The  total 
membership  is  about  11,000,  and  is  steadily 
increasing.  The  ritual  seeks  to  exemplify 
the  meaning  of  the  golden  chain  of  friend- 
ship, which,  represented  by  twelve  links  of 
a  chain  surrounding  a  monogram  comjDOsed 
of  the  letters  0.  G.  C.  and  the  motto  of  the 
Order  in  Greek,  constitute  the  emblem  of 
the  society.  The  Order  is  incorporated 
under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Maryland, 
with  its  headquarters  at  Baltimore,  and  is  a 
worthy  sister  of  similar  organizations  which 
have  had  their  origin  in  that  city. 

Oi'der  of  the  Heptasoplis,  or  Seven 
Wise  Men. — This  is  one  of  the  oldest 
benevolent,  secret  organizations  in  the 
country,  and  possesses  the  attractively  mys- 
tical title  of  the  Order  of  the  Heptasoplis, 
or  Seven  Wise  Men.  It  is  far  from  being 
among  the  larger  societies  with  similar 
aims,  numbering  only  about  4,000  mem- 
bers in  eighteen  States.  This  is  all  the 
more  curious  when  one  recalls  that  it  is 
nearly  half  a  century  old,  and  possesses  an 
elaborate  and  exceptionally  beautiful  ritual, 
based  upon  some  of  the  ancient  mysticism 
which,  in  j^art,  had  remained  unapiarojDri- 
ated  by  older  and  better  known  secret 
societies.  The  organization  was  originally 
called  The  Seven  Wise  Men,  but  the  title 
was  changed  to  its  present  form,  because 
of  *'the  higher  excellence  "  impressed  upon 
its  ritual  "by  the  Hellenic  mind,''  the 
term  "  Heptasophs  "  being  derived  from  the 
Greek  Hepta,  seven,  and  Sophos,  wise.    The 


Order  gives  no  adherence  to  any  religious 
creed,  but  requires  from  its  candidates  the 
jirofession  of  a  belief  in  a  Supreme  Being. 
It  bears  aloft  the  motto,  ''In  God  We  Trust," 
admitting  to  its  mysteries  both  the  Jew 
and  the  Christian  on  the  common  ground  of 
mutual  dependence  and  universal  brother- 
hood under  the  Fatherhood  of  God.  To 
this  end  it  inculcates  the  principles  of 
''Wisdom,  Truth,  and  Benevolence."  The 
earlier  official  history  of  the  Order,  as  may 
have  been  antici2:>ated,  carried  the  inspira- 
tion of  the  society  back  to  the  Persian 
Magi,  or  Seven  Wise  Men,  the  initials  of 
the  original  title  being  given  in  this  form, 
S.  •.  W.  M.  •.,  the  missing  letters  being 
represented  by  seven  dots.  In  the  precise 
form  in  which  the  Order  "now  exists  in 
America,"  strict  succession  in  ritual,  for- 
mulge,  etc.,  from  the  Persian  Magi  was  not 
claimed.  "  In  the  transfer  from  Persia  to 
Greece,  from  Greece  to  Rome,  from  Rome 
to  Britain  and  to  the  Western  world,  it  was 
admitted  that  certain  changes  had  doubt- 
less been  made  in  the  course  of  adaptation 
to  races,  times,  civilizations,  and  forms  of 
government  ; "  but  its  legends,  traditions, 
and  teachings  were  claimed  to  be  "  as  true 
to  the  ancient  tyj^e  as  are  those  of  its  sister 
societies  to  their  venerable  predecessors." 
The  original  story  ran,  that  the  Order  of 
the  Seven  Wise  Men  was  "  introduced  into 
the  United  States"  at  New  Orleans,  La., 
April  6,  1852  ;  that  in  June  of  that  year 
the  Grand  Conclave  of  Louisiana  was  or- 
ganized, and  that  in  1854  it  was  incorpo- 
rated. It  was  not  stated  whence  the  Order 
came,  or  who  brought  it  to  New  Orleans. 
The  society  was,  however,  established  at  the 
Crescent  City,  and  a  Supreme  Conclave  was 
organized  in  1857,  in  which  year  the  latter 
was  said  to  have  held  its  first  "  communi- 
cation." This  body  was  and  is  the  Su- 
preme legislative  and  governing  authority 
of  the  Order.  The  admission  in  printed 
proceedings  that  the  Supreme  Conclave 
established  the  "  ritual,  regalia,  and  work- 
ing paraphernalia  now  in  use,"  evidently 


ORDER   OF   THE    HEPTASOPHS.  OR   SEVEN   WISE  MEN 


177 


appealed  to  later  chroniclers,  for  they  have 
since  admitted  that  the  Order  "had  its 
origin  in  the  city  of  New  Orleans."  When 
one  recalls  the  period  of  Jewish  history 
which  led  np  to  and  witnessed  the  comple- 
tion and  dedication  of  King  Solomon's  tem- 
ple, with  which  the  Fraternity  of  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons  link  so  many  of  their  tra- 
ditions ;  the  story  of  David  and  Jonathan, 
concerning  which  the  ritual  of  Odd  Fel- 
lowship has  much  to  say  ;  the  friendship 
of  Damon  and  Pythias,  which  is  so  closely 
identified  with  the  ceremonials  of  the 
Knights  of  Pythias  ;  the  legends  of  Eobin 
Hood  and  his  Merrie  Men,  which  have  been 
appropriated  by  the  Foresters  ;  the  man- 
ners and  customs  of  the  American  Indians, 
which  are  being  preserved  by  the  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men  ;  and  the  struggles  by 
the  various  Orders  of  ancient  Knighthood  to 
preserve  the  Holy  Land  from  defilement  at 
the  hand  of  the  Infidel,  which  have  given  us 
the  Masonic  Knights  Templars,  and  various 
other  secret  Orders  of  Knighthood  ;  Avhen 
one  contemplates  not  only  this  vast  amount 
of  material  in  the  hands  of  modern  secret 
society  ritualists,  but  the  use  of  Druidic 
lore  by  modern  Orders  of  Druids,  legends 
of  ancient  Shepherdry  by  existing  secret 
societies  of  shepherds,  the  symbols  of  wood- 
craft by  Modern  Woodmen,  and  of  other 
and  like  quarrying  for  material  on  Avhicli 
to  build  fraternal  and  beneficiary  secret 
organizations,  then  the  antiquity,  the  ap- 
propriateness, the  beauty,  and  the  mystical 
character  of  the  groundwork  of  the  ritual 
of  the  Order  of  the  Heptasophs  challenges 
attention.  The  Heptasophs  declared  that 
"  the  earliest  traces  of  the  Order  defy 
chronology,  reaching  far  back  into  the 
twilight  of  legend  and  tradition  clustering 
about  the  Magi  of  the  East,  which  ante- 
date the  Druids  of  Gaul  and  Britain,  and 
probably  the  Masons  who  existed  in  Judea." 
The  first  alleged  ''^ authentic  history"  of 
the  Seven  Wise  Men  is  so  ingenious  and  in- 
teresting as  to  merit  a  permanent  record. 
It  takes  the  Order  back  to  the  period  llO-l 
13 


B.C.,  and  couples  it  with  the  name  of  the 
first  Zoroaster,  who  is  said  to  have  been  the 
head  of  the  Magi  of  Persia  at  that  time. 

From  these  Magi,  Persian  kings  iuid  to  receive 
instructions  in  the  art  of  reigning  and  in  worship 
before  they  could  come  to  the  throne,  and  from  the 
most  ilhistrious  of  their  niunbers  the  king  had  to 
select  six  wise  men  as  counsellors,  who,  together 
with  the  monarch,  constituted  the  celebrated  coun- 
cil of  seven.  In  a  subterranean  cavern,  beneath 
the  royal  palace  at  Ispahan,  the  capital  of  Persia, 
was  the  only  spot  where  it  was  lawful  to  impart  the 
most  occult  mysteries  of  the  seven,  and  to  which 
the  heir  of  the  throne  was  only  admitted  for  merit 
and  not  of  right.  For  many  centuries  the  pliiloso- 
pliy  of  tlie  Seven  Wise  Men  formed  the  basis  of  the 
polity  of  the  Persian  dynasty,  and  without  whose 
advice  the  king  on  the  throne  determined  no  im- 
portant matter.  As  one  among  many  evidences  of 
this,  we  refer  to  the  language  of  Feridon  (200  years 
B.C.),  who,  under  the  advice  and  guidance  of  the 
seven,  after  twenty  years  of  exile  with  them,  suc- 
cessfully revolted  against  Zohak,  the  usurper,  and 
came  in  triumph  to  the  throne  of  his  fathers.  He 
said  (referring  to  the  S. *.  W.  M.\)  :  "Have  they 
not  for  centuries  been  the  advisers  and  counsellors 
of  the  mighty  rulers  of  this  spacious  realm  ?" 
Firdisi,  the  eminent  Persian  historian,  records  that 
in  the  time  of  the  illustrious  King  Kayomers,  who 
reigned  900  years  before  Christ,  the  council  of 
seven  were  styled  by  the  grateful  people  "  the 
earliest  distributors  of  justice."  On  his  deathbed 
this  great  ruler  exhorted  his  son  and  heir  to  the 
throne  to  adhere  to  the  teachings  of  the  Seven  Wise 
iMen,  which  was  religiously  done  by  him  and  his 
sons  after  him,  until  the  dynasty  of  the  Kayomers 
came  to  be  called  Pashdaidans,  which  means  dis- 
tributors of  justice.  It  appears  that  about  a.d. 
638,  Yezdefird,  King  of  Persia,  was  conquered  by 
Mohammed,  then  styled  ''Camel  Driver  of  Mecca," 
and  with  his  downfall  perished  the  influence  of  the 
Seven  Wise  Men  in  the  national  affairs  of  Persia. 
They,  however,  left  the  impress  of  their  philosophy 
and  wisdom  upon  the  history  of  that  country  run- 
ning through  a  succession  of  centuries,  rendering 
their  kingdom  glorious  and  its  subjects  happy  by 
(heir  devotion  to  justice  and  the  inculcation  of 
Wisdom,  Truth,  and  Benevolence  long  before  the 
brighter  and  grander  glories  of  Greece  dawned. 

This  brought  the  Order  down  to  the 
golden  era  of  Greece,  from  whence  ''the 
transfers  ...  to  Rome,  from  Rome  to 
l^ritain  and  the  Western  world  "  were  pre- 
sumed to  follow.    It  might  prove  interesting 


178 


ORDER  OF  THE  HEPTASOPHS,  OR  SEVEN  WISE  MEX 


to  speculate  on  the  possibility  of  the 
mysteries  of  the  Seven  AVise  Men  of  old 
having  been  carried  from  Rome  by  means 
of  the  workingmen's  guilds  of  the  early 
and  middle  ages  to  England,  as  an  inner 
circle  or  cult,  in  the  recesses,  as  it  were, 
of  ancient  craft  Masonry,  which,  some  have 
declared,  crossed  Europe  in  that  manner. 
Be  that  as  it  may,  the  original  Seven  Wise 
Men  in  America  builded  beautifully  and 
well  from  a  ritualistic  point  of  view.  That 
their  ceremonials  and  ritual  did  not  imbibe 
Freemasonry  from  Masonic  guardians  and 
protectors  on  a  secret  journey  from  Persia 
to  Greece,  through  Italy  and  iiortli  to  Eng- 
land, but  acquired  it  at  New  Orleans,  where 
the  Society  was  formed,  may  be  accepted 
as  a  fact.*  That  it  did  acquire  Masonic 
traditions  and  symbols  is  in  part  shown  in 
its  seven-pointed  star  enclosing  a  seven- 
branched  candlestick,  the  All-Seeing  Eye, 
the  ark  and  the  altar,  its  groups  of  seven, 
the  adoption  of  a  three-word  motto,  and 
other  features.  Efforts  to  learn  more  of 
the  origin  of  the  Order  than  its  officials 
could  furnish  have  been  fairly  successful. 
The  early  history  of  modern  secret  societies 
has  too  frequently  been  fragmentary  be- 
cause of  lack  of  interest  in  compiling,  or 
care  in  preserving,  records.  An  examina- 
tion of  the  "Greek  letter,"  or  college 
secret  society  system,  reveals  the  Mystical 

*  In  a  letter  from  George  W.  "Wright,  Supreme 
Secretary,  S.".  W.  M.'.,  Xovember  30,  1896,  it  is 
stated  :  "  The  Order  was  founded  at  Xew  Orleans, 
April  6,  1852,  by  Alexander  Leonard  Saunders,  a 
resident  of  that  city,  and  prominent  Freemasons, 
among  the  earlier  members  being  ex-governors, 
ex-mayors,  etc."  In  1855  Mr.  Saunders  "  moved  to 
Paducah,  Ky.,  where  his  son  published  a  newspa- 
per. It  was  understood  that  he  died  in  New  York 
city  in  1869."  Members  of  the  Order  tell  that  some 
of  its  ceremonials  are  based  on  Grecian  liistory. 
This  impress  of  "Hellenic  influence"  is  natural 
when  a  connection  between  this  society  and  the 
college  fraternity  M'orld  is  contemplateel.  The 
ritual  of  the  Mystical  Seven  includes  strikingly 
original  featui-es  with  traces  of  Scottish  Rite  Free- 
masonry, which  rank  it  among  the  first  of  such 
productions  by  American  college  fraternities. 


Seven  as  unique  among  college  fraterni- 
ties, in  that  it  was  not  given  a  Greek  letter 
title.  It  was  organized  at  Wesleyan  Uni- 
versity, Middletown,  Conn.,  in  1837,  by 
Hamilton  Brewer,  uncle  of  Judge  Brewer 
of  the  United  States  Supreme  Court,  fif- 
teen years  prior  to  the  appearance  of  the 
Seven  Wise  Men  at  New  Orleans.  Its 
chajDters  were  called  temples,  and  named 
after  its  emblems.  The  Wesleyan  Temple 
was  the  "  Wand  ; "'  that  at  Emory  College, 
Georgia,  where  it  was  taken  in  1841,  was 
"  Skull  and  Bones  ;  ''  and  that  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Georgia,  where  it  was  established 
in  1844,  the  "  Skull.''  In  all,  there  were 
ten  Temples,  eight  of  them  in  the  South, 
two  being  at  colleges  in  Georgia,  and  one 
each  in  Mississippi  (1857),  Louisiana  (1857), 
Tennessee  (1867),  and  Virginia  (1867). 
Temples  were  also  placed  at  two  colleges 
in  North  Carolina  as  late  as  1884.  Thus, 
out  of  eight  Southern  Temples,  two — those 
at  Emory  College,  Oxford,  Ga.,  and  the 
University  of  Georgia,  Athens — were  es- 
tablished, respectively,  eleven  and  eight 
years  prior  to  the  introduction  or  founding 
of  the  Seven  Wise  Men  at  New  Orleans  in 
1852.  The  mother  Temple,  at  Wesleyan, 
became  dormant  in  1861,  but  was  revived 
some  years  later  as  a  local  senior  society. 
With  other  surviving  Temples  it  united  in 
1887  with  and  became  absorbed  by  the 
widespread  college  secret  society.  Beta 
Theta  Pi.  The  significance  of  this  refer- 
ence to  the  first  college  secret  society  to  be 
established  in  tlie  Soutli  *  is  due  merely  to 
two  of  its  Temples  having  been  j^laced  in 
Georgia  some  years  prior  to  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Seven  Wise  Men  at  New 
Orleans  and  the  strength  of  the  society 
haying  been  largely  at  the  South.  Baird, 
the  author  of  "  American  College  Fraterni- 
ties,'' says  of  the  Mystical  Seven  : 

The  customs  of  the  Fraternity  were  quaint  and 
interesting.  Much  is  made  of  the  number  "7," 
and  the  membership  in  each  Cliapter  was  for  many 

*  Baird's  American  College  Fraternities,  New 
York,  4tli  edition,  p.  60. 


ORDER  OF  THE  HEPTASOPHS,  OR  SEVEN  WISE  MEN 


179 


years  retained  at  that  figure,  or  a  multiple  of  it. 
The  badge  of  the  Fraternity  is  a  seven-pointed 
star,  each  point  containing  a  Hebrew  letter  ;  within 
the  centre  field  of  the  star  is  displayed  a  caiddron 
and  ladle  over  a  bundle  of  burning  faggots,  encir- 
cled by  a  snake.  The  color  of  the  J^raternity  is 
white,  and  each  Chapter  was  assigned  one  of  the 
primary  colors."  ^ 

The  conclusion  is,  therefore,  suggested 
tliat  graduate  or  other  members  of  tlic 
Mystical  Seven,  or  of  the  Rainbow  Society, 
a  college  society  originating  at  Oxford, 
Miss.,  in  1848,  and  strongly  resembling  the 
Mystical  Seven,  were,  in  whole  or  in  part, 
responsible  for  the  birth  of  the  Seven  Wise 
Men,  especially  when  secret  and  jiublic 
characteristics  of  the  two  societies  are 
found  to  have  had  so  much  in  common. 
Even  the  Greek  letter  nomenclature  of 
various  subordinate  bodies  is  or  has  been 
similar  in  both  organizations.  It  was  the 
"  Zeta "  Conclave  of  the  Heptasophs,  or 
Seven  Wise  Men,  in  Baltimore,  from  which 
sprung  the  Improved  Order  of  Heptasophs 
in  1878.  It  is  unnecessary  to  explain  why 
resemblances  of  the  ritual  of  the  Mystical 
Seven  (now  incorporated  within  the  Beta 
Theta  Pi)  to  that  of  the  Heptasophs,  or 
Seven  Wise  Men,  cannot  be  given  at  length  ; 
but  they  leave  little  room  for  doubt  that 
the  benevolent,  and  afterward  beneficiary, 
secret  society,  the  Heptasophs  or  Seven 
Wise  Men,  of  1852,  is  an  indirect  de- 
scendant of  the  Mystical  Seven  college  fra- 
ternity, founded  in  1837.  During  the 
period  1830-1840  the  birth  and  growth  of 
college  and  other  secret  societies  were  no- 
ticeable, due  in  part  to  the  reaction  which 
followed  the  anti-Masonic  agitation.  The 
latter  brought  before  the  public,  as  never 
before,  the  whole  subject  of  secret  societies, 
their  ceremonials  and  objects,  with  the  re- 
sult that  much  not  secret,  but  which  had 
not  been  discussed  out  of  Lodge  rooms, 
found  its  way  into  daily  papers,  almanacs, 
pamphlets,  and  other  publications,  late  in 
the  second  and  early  in  the  third  decade 
of  this  century.  When  the  storm  raised 
by  the  ''good  enough  Morgan  until  after 


election  "  blew  over,  there  was  a  reaction. 
At  Hamilton  College,  N.  Y.,  in  1832,  the 
Alpha  Delta  Phi  was  born,  one  of  the  first 
of  the  great  college  fraternities,  and  in  the 
same  year,  at  Yale  College,  Skull  and 
Bones,  the  famous  local  senior  society,  first 
saw  the  light ;  Psi  Upsilon  made  its  ap- 
pearance in  1833,  at  Union  College,  stimu- 
lated by  a  desire  to  rival  Kappa  Alpha, 
Sigma  Phi,  and  Delta  Phi,  which  had  been 
founded  there  seven  or  eight  years  before, 
after  which  the  Mystical  Seven  appeared 
at  Wesleyan,  with  a  ritual,  as  explained, 
having  distinct  Masonic  thumb-marks.* 
It  was  about  this  period,  also,  that  tlie 
Ancient  Order  of  Foresters  was  introduced 
into  the  United  States  from  England,  and 
that  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Afen,  of 
distinctly  American  origin,  was  revived 
and  entered  on  a  career  of  prolonged  pros- 
perity. Coincident  with  these  evidences 
of  appropriation  of  the  secret  society  idea 
by  the  general  jiublic  as  well  as  by  college 
students,  the  Freemasons  and  the  Odd 
Fellows  were  enjoying  seasons  of  renewed 
interest  and  rapidly  increasing  member- 
shij).  It  was  on  this  wave  that  the  Mysti- 
cal Seven  floated  out  to  sea,  and  from  it 
undoubtedly  arose,  substantially  as  out- 
lined, the  Seven  Wise  Men,  afterwards  re- 
christened  Order  of  the  Heptasophs,  or 
Seven  Wise  Men,  the  first  general  secret 
society,  so  far  as  learned,  to  find  its  origin 
in  one  of  the  American  college  fraternities. 
Several  of  the  larger  and  better  known  col- 
lege secret  societies  have  found  their  inspi- 
ration in,  or  have  been  established  by  Free- 
masons, Odd  Fellows,  Foresters,  and  other 
general  fraternities  ;  but  the  springing  of 
the  Seven  AVise  Men  from  the  Mystical 
Seven,  which  fact  is,  apparently,  known  to 
or  ajipreciated  by  few,  if  any,  of  its  living 
members,  marks  the  incident  as  unique 
and  warrants  the  space  given  it.  The 
earlier  growth  of  the  Heptasojihs,  or  Seven 

*  This  could  be  made  plain  to  any  "mystic" 
who  is  also  a  Scottish  Rite  Freemason,  S.'.  P.". 
R.-.  S.-. 


180 


ORDER   OF   THE   IROQUOIS 


Wise  Men,  was  principally  in  the  Southern 
States,  and  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil 
War  it  naturally  lost  many  of  its  members 
and  much  of  its  influence.  It  liad  always 
been  conservative,  and  little  effort  had  been 
made  to  carry  it  north,  east,  or  west.  Its 
ritualistic  work  now  consists  of  an  intro- 
ductony  degree,  with  beautiful  scenes  and 
impressive  ceremonies,  designed  to  teach 
due  reverence  for  the  Supreme  Archon  of 
the  Universe  and  the  beauties  of  a  blame- 
less life,  whicli  "  never  fails  to  make  a  last- 
ing impression  on  the  initiates,''  and  three 
additional  degrees,  emblematic  of  the  vicis- 
situdes encountered  in  pursuing  the  course 
of  duty.  To  satisfy  the  modern  demand 
for  a  military  feature,  a  uniformed  rank  has 
been  introduced,  but  membership  in  it  is 
not  compulsory.  The  life  insurance  branch 
was  established  in  1880.  It  is  called  the 
endowment  rank,  and  is  composed  of 
members  in  good  standing  who  desire  to 
join  and  can  pass  the  medical  examination. 
The  amount  paid  beneficiaries  is  1300,  and 
the  total  membership  is  about  1,000.  The 
Order  has  also  established  what  is  known  as 
the  Heptasophian  Mutual  Benefit  Fund,  to 
give  aid  to  widows,  heirs,  or  assignees  of 
deceased  members  to  the  amount  of  $500, 
the  management  being  in  the  hands  of  a 
Board  of  Directors  formed  of  officers  of 
the  Supreme  Conclave.  Wives  of  members 
are  also  eligible  to  membership  in  the  Fund, 
which  is  met  by  an  assessment  of  twenty- 
five  cents. 

Membership  in  the  Order  is  limited  to 
white  men  of  good  moral  character,  be- 
lievers in  a  Supreme  Being,  2:)ossessed  of 
some  known  reputable  means  of  support, 
free  from  any  mental  or  physical  infirmity, 
and  having  sufficient  education  to  sign 
their  own  applications  for  membership. 
No  person  under  eighteen  years  of  age  can 
be  admitted.  Each  Conclave  is  allowed  to 
determine  the  maximum  age  of  applicants. 
There  is  no  auxiliary  branch  for  women. 
The  organization  of  the  society  is  similar 
to  that  of  other  well-known  like  societies. 


consisting  of  Subordinate  Conclaves  acting 
under  charters  issued  by  Grand  Conclaves, 
or  by  the  Supreme  Conclave  when  in 
territory  where  Grand  Conclaves  have  not 
been  formed.  Grand  (State)  Conclaves 
are  composed  of  Past  Archons  (presiding 
and  former  presiding  officers)  of  subordi- 
nate Conclaves,  and  the  Supreme  Conclave  is 
made  up  of  Past  Grand  Archons.  After  the 
conclusion  of  the  Civil  War  the  Order  began 
to  grow  again,  and  early  in  the  seventies  took 
on  something  like  a  rapid  increase  of  mem- 
bership. In  1872  it  provided  that  Conclaves 
might  arrange  to  pay  benefits  at  option. 
Prior  to  that  year  the  Order  had  been 
benevolent  rather  than  beneficiary,  and  its 
membership  had  remained  small.  Its  total 
of  about  4,000  members,  within  a  year  or 
two,  is  the  largest  in  its  history.  The  busi- 
ness depression  (1873  to  1879)  checked  its 
growth,  after  which  a  movement  gained 
headway  in  favor  of  a  j^lan  for  the  general 
payment  of  death  benefits.  This  excited 
opposition,  and  a  number  of  brethren  of 
Zeta  Conclave,  Baltimore,  becoming  dis- 
satisfied with  a  decision  of  the  Supreme 
Conclave,  the  result  was  a  schism,  a  number 
of  members  leaving  in  1878  to  found  the 
Improved  Order  of  Heptasophs.  The  an- 
tagonism between  the  two  Orders  was  con- 
spicuous for  a  few  years,  but  gradually  died 
out.  The  parent  society  has  continued  its 
way  conservatively,  but,  as  explained,  has 
vindicated  the  position  of  some  of  its  former 
members  by  adopting,  in  1880,  the  system  of 
payment  of  death  benefits  by  means  of 
assessments.  While  its  membership  is  not 
as  large  as  that  of  its  offspring,  its  paths 
are  those  of  peace,  and  its  prosperity  is 
attested  by  the  loyalty  of  its  members. 

Order  of  the  Iroquois. — Organized  June 
26,  1896,  by  some  of  the  representative 
citizens  of  Buffalo,  N.  Y.,  among  them  Dr. 
Ernest  Wende,  Health  Commissioner  ;  C. 
Lee  Abell  ;  Walter  A.  Eice,  its  Supreme 
Secretary  ;  D.  Clark  Kalph,  and  others,  a 
fraternal  beneficiary  society  for  men  only, 
the   ritualistic   work    of    which    seeks    to 


ORDER   OF   SELECT    FRIENDS 


181 


perpetuate  tlie  name  and  fame  of  tlic  Iro- 
quois Confederation,  so  intimately  associ- 
ated with  the  early  history  of  the  country. 
What  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  have 
done  for  the  Delaware  Tribe  the  Lenni 
Lenape,  the  Order  of  the  Iroquois  seeks 
to  do  for  the  Tribe  from  which  it  takes 
its  name.  The  society,  wliilo  distinctly 
patriotic  in  its  teachings,  demands  no 
religions  or  political  tests  from  those  who 
seek  to  join  it.  The  prospectus  of  the 
Order  bears  upon  the  title  page  a  cut  of  the 
noted  Indian  chief  and  orator.  Red  Jacket, 
who  was  one  of  the  most  conspicuous 
figures  in  the  Iroquois  Confederation. 
The  cut  of  Red  Jacket  is  also  used  as  the 
design  of  the  Supreme  Lodge  Seal  and  for 
gold  buttons  worn  by  members.  The  bene- 
ficiary department  presents  a  plan  that  is 
easy  to  understand.  Its  feature  is  a  table 
of  certificates  graded  according  to  ages. 
Only  men  between  the  ages  of  twenty  and 
fifty-five  are  admitted  to  membership. 
The  average  benefit  certificate  is  $1,500, 
and  all  members  pay  regular  dues  of  II  per 
month,  or  $12  per  annum. 

Another  feature  is  the  accumulation  of  a 
reserve  fund  for  the  payment  of  benefits 
in  case  of  necessity.  The  name  of  John 
E.  Pound,  Past  Snpreme  Regent  of  the 
Royal  Arcannm,  is  at  the  head  of  the 
charter  list  of  the  Order  of  the  Iroquois. 
The  government  of  the  Order  is  based* 
upon  that  of  local,  or  subordinate  Lodges  ; 
State,  or  Grand  Lodges  and  a  national, 
or  Supreme  Lodge.  The  first  Lodge  was 
organized  with  over  one  hundred  charter 
members,  and  is  known  as  Red  Jacket, 
No.  1.  In  the  first  eight  months  the 
Order  received  over  500  applications  for 
membership. 

Order  of  Red  Cross  and  Kiiigrhts  of 
the  Red  Cross. — Usually  referred  to  as 
Knights  of  the  Red  Cross,  founded  in 
1879  by  memJaers  of  the  Ancient  Order  of 
United  AVorkmen  and  other  similar  so- 
cieties as  a  fraternal  beneficiary  organiza- 
tion, having  for  its  fundamental  principle. 


charity,  and  for  its  motto,  "Omnia  pro 
Caritate."  Its  ritual  .is  based  on  Biblical 
incidents,  and  from  the  fact  that  both  men 
and  women  are  admitted  as  members,  it 
may  be  inferred  that  its  title  constitutes 
about  all  the  similarity  there  is  between  its 
ritual  and  rituals  of  Masonic  and  other  Or- 
ders of  the  Red  Cross.  It  pays  death  bene- 
fits and  numbers  about  7,000  members,  most 
of  Avliich  are  residents  of  central  Western 
States.  More  than  $200,000  has  been 
paid  to  beneficiaries  since  the  society  M'as 
founded.  The  emblem  is  as  pretentious  as 
those  of  some  older  and  better  known 
Orders  of  the  Red  Cross,  consisting  of  a 
red  Greek  cross  surmounted  by  a  crown, 
a  white  five-pointed  star  in  the  centre,  with 
the  motto  of  the  Order  on  a  blue  band  en- 
circling it.  The  similarity  between  this 
design  and  the  emblem  of  the  Order  of  the 
Golden  Cross,  a  like  organization,  founded 
by  Freemasons  in  187G,  is  suggestive,  but 
no  particulars  are  at  hand  to  show  a  direct 
relationship. 

Order  of  Select  Friends. — One  of  the 
several  fraternal  beneficiary  Orders  of 
"  Friends,"  inspired,  directly  or  otherwise, 
by  the  Order  of  Chosen  Friends.  It  was 
organized  in  Kansas  in  1888  and  incor- 
])orated  under  the  laws  of  that  State,  to  do 
a  fraternal  insurance  business  in  all  States, 
except  those  subject  to  yellow  fever  epi- 
demic. It  issues  death  benefit  certificates 
for  $1,000,  $2,000,  or  $3,000  ;  pays  sick, 
disability,  and  old  age  benefits  ;  and  admits 
men  and  women  between  eighteen  and  fifty 
years  of  age  to  membership  on  equal  terms. 
Followers  of  certain  extra  hazardous  occu- 
pations are  not  eligil)]e  to  mem])ership. 
Subordinate  Lodges  are  governed  direct  by 
the  Supreme  Lodge.  Assessments  to  meet 
death  benefits  are  graded  according  to  age 
at  time  of  joining  (thirty-five  cents  per 
$1,000  at  eighteen  years  of  age,  and  seventy- 
five  cents  at  fifty  years),  and  are  not  in- 
creased with  advancing  years.  The  Order 
has  paid  over  $200,000  to  beneficiaries  since 
it  was  founded.     Its  motto  is  "  Friendship, 


182 


ORDER   OF  THE   SANHEDRIM 


Hope,  and  Protection."  The  total  mem- 
bersliip  is  over  5,0Q0,  relatively  the  larger 
proportion  being  in  Kansas.  (See  Order  of 
Chosen  Friends.) 

Order  of  the  Sauhedrim. — Organized 
at  Detroit,  July  2G,  1887.  A  beneficiary 
society  of  members  of  the  press  and  others 
in  Michigan  and  elsewhere.  It  is  divided 
into  Priests,  Elders,  and  Scribes,  together 
with  ''one  who  sits  in  Moses'  seat."  The 
National  Sanhedrim  is  the  governing  body. 
There  are  also  State  Sanhedrims  and  sub- 
ordinate or  little  Sanhedrims. 

Order  of  the  Star  of  Bethlehem.— 
''  Permanently  established  ''  in  America  in 
1869,  where  it  was  introduced  into  New 
York  and  Pennsylvania,  according  to  its 
official  legend,  by  Albert  Gross  of  New- 
castle-on-Tyne,  England.  At  that  period 
it  was  known  as  the  Knights  of  the  Star  of 
Bethlehem.  The  Grand  Commandery  of 
Pennsylvania  was  instituted  in  1870,  and 
the  Eminent  Grand  Commandery  of  North 
America  in  1871.  The  Order  prospered  for 
several  years,  but  fell  behind  in  membership 
between  1878  and  1884,  when  an  entire 
change  was  made  in  the  officers,  and  the  so- 
ciety reincorporated  under  its  present  title. 
The  headquarters  are  at  Detroit,  in  which 
city  there  are  sixteen  Lodges  of  the  Order. 
It  exists  in  nineteen  States  of  the  Union 
and  reports  a  total  membership  of  more 
than  seventeen  thousand  men  and  women. 
The  objects  of  the  society  are  to  unite  ac- 
ceptable men  and  women  who  are  respec- 
tively eighteen  and  sixteen  years  of  age  or 
over,  and  believers  in  a  Supreme  Being,  in 
social  and  fraternal  bonds,  to  "perpetuate 
the  traditions  of  the  Order;"  pay  death, 
sick,  accident,  and  disability  benefits ;  to 
defend  the  life,  limb,  and  reputation  of 
members  from  unjust  assault ;  and  to  assist 
members  to  obtain  employment  and  to 
settle  disputes  by  arbitration.  Members 
in  arrears  for  dues  lose  the  right  to  speak 
and  vote  at  meetings,  and  forfeit  pecuniary 
benefits,  but  are  not  debarred  from  the 
social  advantages  of  Lodge  meetings.  "  The 


government  of  the  Order  in  America"  con- 
sists of  the  Eminent  Grand  Commandery, 
Grand  Councils,  Uniformed  Conclaves,  and 
Subordinate  Lodges.  Some  of  the  official 
history  of  the  organization,  prior  to  its 
introduction  into  the  United  States,  par- 
ticularly the  more  recent  portion  of  it,  is 
probably  founded  on  fact.  Much  of  it, 
particularly  that  which  reaches  far  back 
into  the  distant  past,  would  seem  to  rank 
with  traditions  once  current,  which  brought 
Entered  Apprentices,  Fellowcrafts,  and 
Master  Masons  in  Masonic  Lodges,  organ- 
ized as  at  present,  in  an  unbroken  line 
down  to  to-day,  from  the  building  of  King 
Solomon's  temple. 

The  story  of  the  Bethlehemites,  much 
abridged,  states  that  it  is  '"'believed  to  have 
been  originated  in  the  first  century  of  the 
Christian  era,"  exact  date  unknown,  '''as 
all  records  prior  to  the  thirteenth  century 
have  been  entirely  destroyed."  In  the 
thirteenth  century,  we  are  told,  '"it  was  an 
order  of  monks  called  the  Bethlehemites, 
who  dressed  like  the  Dominicans,  and 
wore  a  five-pointed  star  on  the  left  breast," 
.  .  .  ''.in  commemoration  of  the  star  that 
shone  over  Bethlehem,"  etc.  "In  the 
fourteenth  century  it  was  a  powerful  Order 
in  England,"  and  during  the  next  two  hun- 
dred years  "  seems  to  have  consisted  of  two 
branches,  the  Monastic  and  the  Knightly," 
evidences  of  which,  it  is  declared,  appear  in 
the  ritualistic  work  in  use  to-day.  It  seems 
unfortunate  that  the  expression,  "  Star  of 
Bethlehem  tradition  informs  us,"  or  some- 
thing similar,  is  not  prefixed  to  the  histori- 
cal revelations  made.  It  is  probably  true 
that  "  the  time  when  the  Order  in  France 
and  Spain  ceased  to  be  purely  Monastic, 
and  became  a  semi-military  organization^ 
will  never  be  known."  Other  extracts  in- 
clude those  which  identify  the  Order  with 
the  AYaldenses  in  1260,  and  state  that 
many  of  the  persecuted  meinbers  of  the 
Order  of  the  Temple,  after  its  destruction 
by  Clement  v.,  in  1313,  "  united  with  other 
Orders;"   "that   there   are    good   reasons 


ORDER   OF    rXITED   COMMERCIAL   TRAVELERS   OF   AMERICA 


183 


for  believing  that  quite  a  number  united 
with  the  Bethlehemites,  or  Kniglits  of  the 
Star  of  Bethlehem."  What  the  "good 
reasons  are  "  is  left  to  conjecture,  which  is 
to  be  regretted  when  one  realizes  this  new 
complication  jDut  upon  the  various  theories 
which  have  been  advanced  to  show  a  con- 
nection between  the  Knights  Templars  of 
to-day  and  their  fraters  who  were  person- 
ally acquainted  with  Jacques  de  Molay, 
Godfrey  de  Bouillon,  and  the  rest.  The 
Bethlehemite  legend  also  relates  that  the 
Knights  of  Bethlehem  (Equites  Bethlehe- 
mensis)  were  placed  under  the  ban  of  the 
Inquisition  at  Salamanca  in  1359  ;  that 
the  Order  was  introduced  into  France  by 
Sir  Jean  Lodet,  in  1470,  where  it  was  exter- 
minated by  the  massacre  of  1572,  and  that 
it  was  brought  to  England  from  Spain,  about 
1473,  by  George  Henry  Percy.  Nothing  was 
heard  of  it  there,  however,  ''  until  1571," 
by  which  time  the  Monastic  and  Knightly 
branches  "had  united  and  become  a  benevo- 
lent and  scientific  Order."  Here  there  is 
a  gap  of  180  years,  when  it  is  related  that 
Sir  Henry  Seymour  succeeded  Sir  Herman 
Oviedio  as  Grand  Commander,  and  after 
him  others  at  reasonably  short  intervals. 
As  women  Avere  admitted  to  some  com- 
manderies  and  not  to  others,  a  schism  took 
place  in  1813,  the  seceding  party,  presum- 
ably those  who  objected  to  women  as 
members,  "  uniting  with  others  at  Leeds  to 
form  the  '  Eoyal  Foresters.'  "  This  will  in- 
terest the  Ancient  Order  of  Foresters,  who 
omit  all  reference  to  this  in  their  account  of 
the  origin  of  their  society.  By  1857  it  is 
declared  the  Order  was  well  established 
throughout  England,  Scotland,  and  North 
Ireland,  but  it  declined  in  membership  in 
later  years,  because  each  commandery  was 
"made  a  Grand  Commandery  unto  itself," 
and  because,  owing  to  the  semi-religious 
character  of  the  Order,  it  refused  to  be  en- 
rolled under  the  friendly  societies  act.  It 
is  of  interest  to  learn  that  the  Knights  of 
Bethlehem  was  first  introduced  into  America 
in  1G91  by  Giles  Corey  of  London,  during 


the  war  between  England  and  France,  but 
was  suppressed  by  the  colonial  authorities  ; 
and  also  that  it  was  brought  to  New 
York  city  by  John  Bell  in  1849  or  1850, 
who  established  several  commanderies  at 
that  city  in  1S51,  which  did  not  long  sur- 
vive. A  reference  to  the  third  and  success- 
ful effort  to  bring  this  ancient  society  to 
America  has  been  given.  The  ritual  of  the 
American  branch  is  said  to  retain  only  the 
practical  teachings  on  truth,  fraternity, 
charity  and  the  moral  law,  drawn  from  the 
ancient  ritual.  ;   • 

There  is  an  auxiliary  society  within  the 
Order  of  the  Star  of  Bethlehem,  known  as 
the  Eastern  Star  Benevolent  Fund  of 
America,  organized  in  1893,  designed  to 
increase  the  pecuniary  benefits  available  to 
members  of  the  Order.  Only  members 
who  have  attained  the  Eastern  Star  degree 
may  join  it.  (See  Shepherds  of  Bethlehem 
and  Shepherds  of  America.) 

Order  of  the  Triang^le. — Registered  in 
the  United  States  census  reports  for  1890  as 
a  mutual  assessment  beneficiary  society,  with 
headquarters  in  Brooklyn.  Nothing  is 
learned  of  it  there  to-day. 

Order  of  True  Frieiid.s. — Organized  at 
New  York  in  1886  to  insure  its  members 
by  means  of  mutual  assessments.  It  paid 
death  benefits  of  ^200,  and  weekly  sick 
benefits  of  from  12.50  to  85.00.  Letters 
addressed  to  it  are  unanswered. 

Order  of  United  Coniiiiercial  Trav- 
elers of  America. — Organized  at  Colum- 
bus, 0.,  and  incorporated  September  25, 
1890,  under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Ohio 
by  John  C.  Fenimore,  Levi  C.  Pease,  S.  H. 
Strayer,  W.  E.  Carpenter.  John  Dickey,  C. 
S.  Ammel,  F.  A.  Sells,  and  Charles  B. 
Flagg  to  unite  fraternally  commercial  trav- 
elers of  good  moral  standing,  to  assist 
members  and  those  depending  on  them, 
and  to  pay  accident,  sick,  and  death  bene- 
fits. In  case  of  sickness  members  receive 
$25  weekly  for  not  to  exceed  fifty-two 
weeks,  or  during  illness,  and  a  like  Aveekly 
benefit    during    disabilitv   on    account    uf 


184 


ORDER   OF   UNITED   FRIENDS 


accident.  The  sum  of  $5,000  is  paid  to  bene- 
ficiaries of  a  deceased  member.  Tlie  total 
membership  of  the  Order  is  about  10,000. 
These  indemnity  features  have  been  main- 
tained at  an  average  cost  to  each  member  of 
$7  per  annum. 

Order  of  United  Friends. — Organized 
and  incorporated  in  New  York  State  in 
1881  by  John  C.  Nott,  Albany  ;  William 
H.  Lee  of  Boston,  Mass.  ;  A.  A.  Lamprey 
of  Lawrence,  Mass.;  0.  M.  Shedd  of  Pough- 
keepsie,  N.  Y.,  and  others.  A  secret  fi-a- 
ternal  beneficiary  society,  paying  death  and 
disability  benefits.  Men  and  women  are 
eligible  as  members.  The  ritual  is  based  on 
the  teachings  of  the  Golden  Rule,  and 
the  motto  is  "  Unity,  Friendship,  and  Se- 
curity." This  organization  was  the  out- 
come of  a  schism  in  the  Order  of  Chosen 
Friends,  and  numbers  more  than  20,000 
members.     (See  Order  of  Chosen  Friends.) 

Order  of  United  Fellowship. — Covered 
by  the  account  of  the  Golden  Rule  Alliance. 

Order  of  Unity. — A  mutual  assessment 
beneficiary  society,  organized  at  Philadel- 
phia in  1889,  by  members  of  the  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen,  by  Freemasons, 
Knights  of  Pythias,  and  others,  for  men 
and  women,  to  secure  the  payment  of  $500 
and  $1,000  death  benefits  and  weekly  sick 
and  accident  benefits  ranging  from  13.50  to 
130.  It  is  among  the  smaller  organizations 
of  its  class,  numbering  only  about  2,500. 
Total  benefits  paid  since  1889  amount  to 
about  $140,000.  The  Order  is  non-secta- 
rian, and  through  its  ritual  teaches  strength 
in  union,  justice  to  all,  and  protection 
through  fraternity. 

Patriarchal  Circle  of  America. — Or- 
ganized at  Milwaukee,  Wis.,  in  1880,  by 
Newell  Daniels,  General  A.  B.  Myens,  and 
six  others,  as  a  fraternal  beneficiary  society. 
It  has  3,000  members  and  confers  three  de- 
grees :  Preparatory,  Perfection,  and  the  Pa- 
triarchal Feast  and  Knighthood  ;  the  first 
two  written  by  Newell  Daniels  in  1893,  and 
the  last  prepared  by  G.  C.  Ridings,  the  Su- 
preme Secretary.    The  work  is  largely  mili- 


tary. The  colors  of  the  organization  are 
royal  purple  and  gold.  It  has  its  own  tac- 
tics for  drill  and  sword  exercise,  and  fur- 
nishes life  insurance  to  its  members,  based 
on  mutual  assessments.  Each  Temple  es- 
tablishes sick  and  funeral  benefits  at  its 
oj^tion.  The  principal  emblem  consists  of 
three  elongated  links,  connected  so  as  to 
form  a  triangle,  the  words  "Honesty,  Frater- 
nity, and  Fidelity  "  and  a  representation  of 
a  knight's  helmet  at  the  top.  The  auxil- 
iary for  women  is  called  the  Circle  of  the 
Golden  Band,  Temples  of  which  insure  the 
lives  of  its  members  and  establish  funeral 
and  sick  benefits  if  they  wish.  This  society 
was  originally  an  organization  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows, formed  to  confer  "  the  new  degrees 
for  Uniformed  Patriarchs."  It  was  re]3u- 
diated  by  the  Sovereign  Grand  Lodge  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  in 
1885  but  has  continued  to  exist  ever  since  in 
the  State  where  founded.  (See  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows.) 

Pennsylvania  Order  of  Foresters. — 
See  Foresters  of  America. 

Protected  Fireside  Circle. — Organized 
at  Detroit,  Mich.  ;  a  social,  beneficiary  se- 
cret society  for  men  and  women. 

Protected  Home  Circle. — While  in  no 
way  connected  with  the  Home  Circle  of 
Massachusetts,  the  Protected  Home  Circle, 
organized  at  Sharon,  Pa.,  in  1886,  and 
chartered  under  the  laws  of  Pennsylvania, 
presents  a  similarity  in  name  and  emblem, 
the  latter  being  a  monogram  formed  of 
the  letters  P,  H,  and  C.  As  the  first- 
named  secret  fraternal  beneficiary  associa- 
tion was  formed  seven  years  before  the 
latter,  the  likenesses  between  them  suggest 
and  has  been  declared  to  amount  to  more 
than  a  coincidence.  But  it  is  certain  that 
the  Protected  Home  Circle  resembles  the 
older  society  in  no  other  way  except  in 
that  it  has  been  successful  and  in  that  it, 
like  its  prototype,  admits  both  men  and 
women  to  membership.  But  it  makes  a 
radical  departure  in  that,  by  placing  twenty- 
five  per  cent,  of  all  monthly  assessments  in 


ROYAL   AID   SOCIETY 


185 


a  reserve  fund,  it  maintains  a  fixed  rate  of 
payment  and  a  definite  number  of  assess- 
ments annually  for  each  member.  Those 
who  join  the  society  and  preserve  their 
standing  and  jiay  all  dues  and  assessments 
for  five  years  may,  at  any  time  thereafter, 
take  paid-up  certificates  for  the  amount 
whicli  their  respective  portions  of  the  re- 
serve fund  warrant,  and  thereafter,  by  sim- 
ply keeping  up  the  j)ayments  of  dues,  be 
entitled  to  the  amount  of  said  certificates  at 
death.  Tlie  society  was  founded  by  promi- 
nent members  of  the  Equitable  Aid  Union, 
the  National  Union — both  secret  assessment 
beneficiary  societies — and  of  the  Indepen- 
dent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  possesses 
an  instructive  ritual  based  upon  biblical 
teachings.  It  pays  total  and  permanent 
disability  benefits,  death  benefits  ranging  in 
six  classes  from  $500  to  $3,000,  with  pay- 
ments adjusted  to  age,  rate,  and  risk.  Its 
motto  is  "  Safety,  Economy,  Fidelity,  and 
Purity,'*  and  its  jDrincipal  emblem  is  the 
representation  of  an  eagle  perched  on 
the  edge  of  its  nest,  guarding  its  young. 
The  fraternal  obligations  enjoined  are  cal- 
culated to  form  a  real  brotherhood,  and  its 
distinctive  feature  is.  the  requiring  of  a 
certain  number  of  payments  of  a  fixed 
amount  so  that  each  2)erson  becoming  a 
member  may  compute  the  exact  cost  of  his 
or  her  insurance  for  a  given  period.  The 
funds  are  divided  into  four  classes  for 
the  payment,  respectively,  of  death  and 
sick  benefits,  to  provide  for  the  regularity  of 
assessments  and  for  maintaining  and  con- 
ducting the  organization.  There  is  a  haz- 
ardous and  an  extra-hazardous  class  of 
occupations,  followers  of  which  are  eligible 
to  membership  at  special  rates.  Subordi- 
nate bodies  are  called  Circles,  and  the 
Order  is  governed  by  a  Supreme  Circle 
composed  of  the  founders  of  the  Society, 
otliers  elected  to  the  Supreme  Circle,  and 
representatives  from  subordinate  Circles,  as 
provided  in  the  constitution.  The  total 
amount  of  death  and  sick  benefits  paid  by 
the  Protected  Home  Circle  since  its  organi- 


zation is  about  $400,000,  and  its  total 
membership  is  over  2,000.  Its  permanent 
headquarters  is  at  Sharon,  Pa.,  but  its 
members  are  found  as  far  west  as  Missouri 
and  nortli  as  far  as  Miciiigan. 

Provideut  League  of  Aniericu. — A 
Detroit  assessment,  mutual  benefit  Order, 
referred  to  in  the  census  of  1890,  but  not 
known  to  the  postal  officials  at  Detroit  to- 
day. 

Prudent  Patricians  of  Pompeii  of  the 
United  States  of  America. — Organized  at 
Washington,  J).  C,  under  act  of  Congress, 
March  4, 1897,  tlie  first  fratermil  Ijeneficiary 
association  so  formed,  by  Dennis  T.  Flynn, 
delegate  in  Congress  from  Oklahoma  ;  Phi- 
lip Walker,  Orand  Vice-licgent  of  tlie  Royal 
Arcanum  ;  George  A.  Reynolds,  Grand 
Secretary  of  the  Benevolent  and  Protective 
Order  of  Elks  ;  W.  J.  Palmer,  Past  Noble 
Grand  Manchester  Unity,  Independent  Or- 
der of  Odd  Fellows,  and  others.  Its  objects 
are  to  provide  for  the  payment  of  death 
benefits  to  white  persons  of  both  sexes  on 
an  immediate  payment  ])lan  (the  customary 
one),  or  an  annuity  payment  plan,  at  the 
rate  of  ten  per  cent,  annually  ;  to  pay 
members  a  total  and  permanent  disability 
benefit  and  also  an  old  age  benefit  ;  to 
educate  members  socially,  morally,  and  in- 
tellectually ;  to  establish  a  bureau  of  infor- 
mation for  members  to  aid  them  in  obtain- 
ing employment,  and  to  assist  each  other  in 
business.  Members  who  reach  the  age  of 
seventy  years  are -to  be  free  from  assess- 
ments and  receive  ten  per  cent,  of  the  face 
of  certificates  annually.  The  President  of 
Prudent  Patricians  is  W.  S.  Linton,  Past 
Great  Commander  of  the  Knights  of  the 
Maccabees,  of  Michigan,  and  tlie  oftico  of 
its  prothonotary  is  at  Saginaw  in  that 
State. 

Royal  Aid  Society.  —  Organized  at 
Lynn,  Mass.,  early  in  1896,  to  pay  $1,000 
and  $3,000  to  beneficiaries  of  deceased 
members,  and  maintain  the  usual  accom- 
panying social  and  fraternal  features.  It 
differs  from  most  of  the  later  societies  of 


186 


ROYAL   ARCANUM 


this  character  iu  that  it  assesses  members  at 
a  flat  rate  of  50  cents  and  $1  per  thousand 
dollars  of  insurance  at  each  death,  instead 
of  at  the  graded  rate  according  to  age,  which 
the  older  and  larger  beneficiary  fraternities 
have  generally  adopted. 

Royal  Arcanum. — One  of  the  largest 
fraternal  mutual  assessment,  beneficiary, 
and  benevolent  secret  societies  in  the 
United  States,  founded  by  Darius  Wilson, 
C.  K.  Darling,  W.  0.  Eobson,  E.  M.  Craw- 
ford, J.  A.  Oummings,  G.  W.  Blish,  W. 
Bradley,  J.  H.  Wright,  and  J.  M.  Swain, 
of  Boston  and  vicinity,  in  1877,  and  incor- 
porated as  the  Supreme  Council  of  the 
Royal  Arcanum  under  the  laws  of  the  S"fi«te 
of  Massachusetts.  Several  of  the  founders 
were  members  of  the  Ancient  Order  of 
United  Workmen  and  of  the  Knights  of 
Honor  and  some  were  members  of  the 
Masonic  Fraternity  and  of  the  Indepen- 
dent Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  The  title  of 
the  society  suggests  a  '''royal  secret,"  and 
the  secret  is  declared  to  be  the  method  by 
which  to  obtain  '^ fraternal  society  'protec- 
tion '  at  less  cost  than  old  line  insurance 
companies  furnish  it."  The  Order  owns  a 
handsome  building  at  Boston,  where  the 
Supreme  or  Governing  Council  meetings 
are  held  and  where  the  general  business  of 
the  organization  is  transacted.  Subordinate 
Councils,  which  ai'e  found  throughout  the 
States  and  Territories  in  the  more  healthful 
districts  of  the  Union,  are  governed  by 
Grand  Councils,  or  by  the  Supreme  Coun- 
cil when  situated  Avhere  no  Grand  Councils 
exist,  and  the  Supreme  Council  consists  of 
its  officers  and  representatives  of  Grand 
Councils.  The  Order  is  composed  of  ac- 
ceptable men  between  twenty-one  ajid  fifty- 
five  years  of  age,  and  issues  benefit  certifi- 
cates for  $1,500  and  $3,000,  payable  at 
death.  Starting  with  nine  members  in 
1877,  its  membership  is  now  in  excess  of 
200,000,  and  it  has  paid  out,  in  death  ben- 
efits alone,  more  than  140,000,000.  Subor- 
dinate Councils  provide  funds  for  the  relief 
of  sick  or  disabled   members,  and  for  the 


necessities  of  their  families.  The  Supreme 
Council  has  charge  of  the  Widows'  and  Or- 
phans' Benefit  Fund,  as  the  life  insurance 
fund  is  called,  which  is  collected  by  and 
paid  out  on  order  of  subordinate  Councils. 
The  membership  of  the  Order,  while  drawn 
nominally  from  all  ranks  of  society,  aver- 
ages higher  than  in  many  organizations 
and  at  most  of  the  larger  centres  includes 
some  of  the  best  representatives  of  other 
fraternities,  as  well  as  of  business,  profes- 
sional and  official  life.  Its  chief  emblem  in- 
cludes a  royal  crown  Avithin  a  circle,  on  the 
circumference  of  which  are  ten  small  Mal- 
tese crosses  without  notches.  The  motto 
of  the  Order  is  "  Mercy,  Virtue,  and  Char- 
ity," which  is  mystically  referred  to  in  a 
manner  known  only  to  members. 

The  initiatory  ceremony,  which  has  been 
changed  once  or  twice,  is  quite  the  reverse 
of  that  found  in  the  American  Legion  of 
Honor,  being  an  elaborate  ceremonial 
"  well  calculated  to  impress  "  the  meaning 
of  the  motto  of  the  Order  uj^on  the  minds 
of  all  novitiates,  even  though  they  have 
passed  through  the  ordeals  required  by 
other  secret  societies.  But  the  almost  un- 
exampled jDrosperity  of  the  Royal  Arcanum 
in  its  fifth  of  a  century  of  existence  has 
not  blinded  its  leaders  to  the  necessity  for 
remodelling  its  system  of  assessments,  at 
one  time  the  best  among  those  employed 
by  like  societies  and  now  among  the  most 
advanced.  Signs  of  an  increasing  number 
of  assessments  appeared  in  1896,  and  the 
necessary  steps  were  taken  to  so  adjust  the 
method  of  collecting  them  as  to  continue 
the  success  and  prosperity  which  for  so 
many  years  marked  the  progress  of  the 
fraternity.* 

*  The  twenty-first  anniversary  of  the  society  was 
signalized  by  radical  action  looking  to  the  more 
efficient  protection  of  its  members.  This  was  done 
by  "  discarding  the  old  post-mortem  system"  ol 
assessments  at  deaths  of  members  and  establishing 
an  emergency  fund  and  "  i^rOviding  for  the  war 
hazard  "  by  laying  twenty-one  assessments  accord- 
ing to  the  existing  scale.  The  twenty-one  assess- 
ments are  based  on   expert   estimates  of  eighteen 


ROYAL   LEAGUE 


187 


In  order  to  enable  members  to  increase 
the  amount  of  their  insurance,  i>ractically 
within  the  ranks  of  the  Order,  the  Loyal 
Additional  Benefit  Association  was  formed 
in  1889  and  incorporated  in  1890  under 
the  laws  of  the  State  of  New  Jersey. 
Only  members  of  the  Royal  Arcanum, 
after  an  additional  medical  examination, 
are  eligible  to  join  the  Loyal  Additional, 
which  offers  benefit  certificates  payable  at 
death  for  11,000  or  $2,000  as  preferred, 
and  establishes  funds  for  the  relief  of  sick 
and  distressed  members.  William  E.  Hal- 
lenbeck  of  Jersey  City  founded  tlie  Loyal 
Additional,  which  numbers  more  than  6,000 
members.  The  Association  is  not  a  com- 
petitor of  the  Royal  Arcanum,  but  is  its 
supplement.  The  Supreme  Council  of  the 
Royal  Arcanum,  while  not  in  any  way  con- 
nected with  or  responsible  for  the  Asso- 
ciation, expressed  its  commendation  at 
its  session  in  Milwaukee,  in  1890,  of  the 
motives  that  prompted  the  organization 
and  extended  to  its  promoters  its  praise 
and  encouragement. 

Royal  Conclave  of  Knights  and  La- 
dies.— See  sketch  of  Golden  Rule  Alli- 
ance. 

Royal  Fraternal  Guardians.  — Organ- 
ized at  San  Francisco  in  December,  1805,  a 

assessments  to  meet  current  mortality  within  a 
year,  one  to  cover  war  risk,  and  two  assessments  to 
establish  an  emergency  fund.  These  assessments 
are  collected  in  twelve  equal  amounts,  thus  making  a 
regular  monthly  call.  The  new  system  was  adopted 
at  the  annual  session  of  the  Supreme  Council,  held 
at  Cleveland  in  1898  and  went  into  operation 
August  1st  in  that  year. 

By  the  new  plan,  $3,000  protection  at  the  age  of 
twenty-one  calls  for  an  annual  payment  of,  or 
twelve  monthly  payments  amounting  to,  $21.12  ;  at 
thirty-one  years,  $30.24;  at  forty-one,  $45.36;  at 
fifty,  $68.40,  and  at  fifty-nino  years,  $136.56. 
These  rates  promise  to  produce  an  emergency  fund 
of  about  two-thirds  of  a  million  dollars  annually. 
The  Order  is  to  be  congratulated  on  the  wise  and 
conservative  action  it  has  taken,  the  significance  of 
which  lies  in  the  fact  that  no  similar  organization 
of  like  age  has  so  low  a  death  rate  or  is  transacting 
a  like  volume  of  business  at  so  small  an  c.xihmisc. 


regular  mutual  assessment  beneficiary  so- 
ciety. 

Royal  Fraternity,  The. — Organized  at 
Minneapolis,  October  16,  1896,  by  N.  W. 
Bloss,  C.  F.  Underbill,  H.  AV.  Hatch  and 
others,  to  pay  death  and  various  other  bene- 
fits. Women  are  not  eligible  to  membership. 
The  chief  emblem  is  composed  of  three  tri- 
angles forming  a  nine-pointed  star,  with 
other  details  understood  only  by  members. 
In  less  than  a  year  the  society  reported  a 
total  membership  of  1,500. 

Royal  Knights  of  King  David. —  Re- 
corded in  the  census  of  1890  as  a  fraternal 
beneficiary  society,  but  no  evidence  of  its 
continued  existence  has  been  obtained. 

Royal  League,  The. — A  glance  at  the 
chief  emblem  of  this  mutual  assessment 
beneficiary  fraternity  suggests  that  it  is  an 
offspring  of  the  Royal  Arcanum,  as  it  con- 
tinues the  use  of  the  word  ''royal"  in  con- 
nection with  the  motto,  ''  Virtue,  Mercy, 
and  Charity."  Inquiry  corroborates  this,  the 
founders  of  the  Royal  League,  at  Chicago, 
in  1883,  being  members  of  the  Royal  Ar- 
canum. The  former  is  incorporated  under 
the  laws  of  the  State  of  Illinois,  and  its 
operation  is  confined  to  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illi- 
nois, Michigan,  Wisconsin,  Minnesota,  and 
all  the  States  and  Territories  west  of  the 
Mississippi  River,  north  of  the  thirty-sixth 
parallel.  It  was  evidently  organized  to 
introduce  some  modifications  of  the  then 
exceptionally  advanced  method  of  coopera- 
tive life  insurance  employed  by  the  Royal 
Arcanum,  and  bears  practically  the  same 
relationshij-)  to  the  latter  as  the  Iowa  Legion 
of  Honor  and  the  Northwestern  Legion  of 
Honor  bear  to  the  parent  fraternity,  the 
American  Legion  of  Honor.  The  Royal 
League  offers  to  unite  acceptable  men  be- 
tween twenty-one  and  forty-six  years  of  age 
to  provide  what  it  (and  the  Royal  Arcaiuuu) 
calls  a  widow's  and  orphan's  benefit  fund, 
from  which,  at  the  death  of  members,  to  pay 
$2,000  or  $4,000  to  their  families  or  depend- 
ents. The  option  of  $-3,000  or  $4,000  insur- 
ance (instead  of  $3,000  only)  constitutes  only 


188 


ROYAL   SOCIETY   OF   GOOD   FELLOWS 


one  difference  between  the  two  fraternities, 
as  the  younger  introduced  a  $50  and  a  $25 
week!}'  benefit  for  permanent  disability  (to 
be  deducted  from  the  death  benefit),  to  be 
paid  at  the  request  of  the  insured  and  the 
beneficiary,  and  it  prohibited  membershiiito 
followers  of  a  long  list  of  hazardous  occupa- 
tions. Following  in  the  footste2:)s  of  the 
Royal  Arcanum,  the  League  makes  a  feature 
of  the  social  side  of  the  organization,  with 
the  reading  of  papers,  debates,  and  other 
entertainments.  The  government  of  the 
latter  is  vested  in  a  Supreme  Council,  with 
Advisory  Councils  in  States  having  the 
necessary  membership.  There  were  about 
14,000  members  at  the  end  of  the  thir- 
teenth year  of  the  society's  existence, 
during  which  period  nearly  11,000,000  had 
been  paid  to  beneficiaries. 

Royal  Society  of  Good  Fellows. — An 
incorporated  fraternal  assessment  bene- 
ficiary society,  organized  on  the  lodge 
system  in  Ehode  Island,  in  1882,  by  mem- 
bers of  the  Ancient  Order  of  United  Work- 
men, Royal  Arcanum,  Knights  of  Honor,  the 
Masonic  Fraternity,  and  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  It  admits  men  and 
women  to  membership  and  pays  death  and 
sick  benefits.  Its  membership  is  principally 
in  the  New  England  and  Middle  States,  and 
aggregates  about  15,000.  Within  fifteen 
years  it  has  paid  nearly  13,000,000  to  bene- 
ficiaries. The  Good  Fellows'  emblem  con- 
sists of  the  re^iresentation  of  a  crown  sur- 
mounted by  a  small  Latin  cross,  the  whole 
surrounded  by  a  ring  of  twelve  small  tan- 
gent circles,  in  eleven  of  which  are  the 
letters  forming  the  words  "  Good  Fel- 
lows," and  in  the  twelfth  a  five-pointed 
star.  Tiie  office  of  the  Premier,  as  the 
chief  executive  officer  is  called,  is  in  New 
York   city. 

Royal  Standard  of  America. — A  mu- 
tual assessment  beneficiary  society,  which 
may  be  addressed  at  Jersey  City,  N.  J. 

Royal  Tribe  of  Joseph. — Incorporated 
under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  Missouri  in 
April,   1894,   as  a   fraternal    beneficial   so- 


ciety, with  headquarters  at  Sedalia,  in  that 
State,  by  John  N.  Dalby,  H.  G.  Clark,  Ira 
T.  Bronson,  J.  E.  Ritchey,  B.  H.  Ingram, 
E.  C.  Mason,  Philip  E.  Chappell,  R.  S.  C. 
Reaugh,  August  T.  Fleischmann,  E.  E. 
Durand,  Stephen  Pirkey,  and  William  H. 
Black.  H.  G.  Clark,  St.  Louis,  was  Gen- 
eral Superintendent  of  the  Missouri  Pacific 
Railway  ;  Philip  E.  Chappell,  Kansas  City, 
had  been  State  Treasurer  of  Missouri,  and 
August  T.  Fleischmann  of  Sedalia  was 
President  of  the  Missouri  State  Board  of 
Pharmacy.  White  men  between  twenty- 
one  and  sixty  years  of  age,  socially  and 
otherwise  acceptable,  able  to  read  and 
write,  believers  in  a  Supreme  Being,  not 
engaged  in  the  manufacture  of  or  traffic  in 
alcoholic  stimulants,  who  can  pass  the  re- 
qiiired  jihysical  examination,  are  eligible 
to  membership.  It  will  accept  railway 
engineers,  firemen,  freight  conductors,  ex- 
press messengers,  yardmasters,  and  postal 
clerks,  who  are  excluded  from  some  similar 
societies,  but  railroad  brakemeu  and  others 
engaged  in  extra-hazardous  occupations 
are  excluded.  Beneficiary  certificates  are 
issued  for  $1,000  or  12,000  below  the  age 
of  fifty  ;  for  $1,000  between  the  ages  of 
fifty  and  fifty-five,  and  $500  between  the 
ages  of  fifty-five  and  sixty,  thus  permitting 
a  person  below  fifty  to  carry  $4,000  if  de- 
sired ;  below  fifty-five,  $2,000,  and  below 
sixty,  $1,000.  One-half  the  face  of  the 
certificate  is  payable  in  case  of  total  dis- 
ability in  ten  annual  installments.  The 
payment  of  sick  benefits  is  optional  with 
subordinate  Lodges.  Death  benefit  certifi- 
cates may  be  taken  out  in  either  of  two 
divisions.  The  first  provides  a  graded  rate, 
which  increases  with  the  age  and  risk  of 
the  member,  and  is  payable  in  definite 
amounts  each  month.  The  other  division 
permits  a  certificate  being  paid  up  at  once, 
or  in  annual  installments,  during  various 
periods,  from  one  to  twenty  years.  A  cer- 
tificate in  the  latter  class  has  a  cash  sur- 
render value,  and  is  payable  as  disability 
benefit  when  a  member  reaches  the  asre  of 


THE  GRAND  FRATERNITY 


189 


expectancy,  or  to  his  beneficiary  at  deatli 
prior  to  that  period. 

This  society  operates  in  the  United  States 
and  Canada,  bnt  not  south  of  the  southern 
line  of  the  States  of  Virginia,  Ohio,  Indiana, 
Illinois,  and  Missouri,  nor  in  any  district 
known  to  be  unhealthful.  Its  form  of  gov- 
ernment is  the  usual  one  among  like  frater- 
nities, the  laM'-making  power  resting  in  the 
Supreme  Lodge,  under  which  Grand  (State) 
Lodges  have  jurisdiction  over  subordinate 
Lodges  in  particular  districts.  The  cere- 
mony of  initiation  is  confined  to  one  degree 
and  considerable  ingenuity  has  been  exer- 
cised to  render  it  attractive  and  impressive. 
It  is  based  on  Pharaoh's  dream,  its  inter- 
pretation by  Joseph,  and  the  measures  taken 
to  provide  food  for  the  residents  of  the  land 
of  Egypt  in  "the  seven  years  in  which  there 
shall  be  no  corn  crops."  Referring  to  this 
and  to  the  biblical  statement  that  "  in  all 
the  land  of  Egypt  there  was  bread,"  the 
Rev.  T.  De  Witt  Talnuige,  in  a  sermon  on 
*'  Life  Insurance,"  is  quoted  as  saying  "  this 
was  the  first  life  insurance  company ; " 
whence  the  suggestion  of  the  ritual  of  the 
Royal  Tribe  of  Joseph.  The  society  has 
over  3,000  members. 

Seven  Stars  of  Consolidation,  The. — 
Organized  at  Ilearne,  Tex.,  ten  years  ago, 
but  not  found  there  now  ;  beneficiary  and 
fraternal  in  its  features. 

Shield  of  Honor. — Organized  at  Balti- 
more in  18T7,  by  .John  W.  Mceks,  W.  J. 
Cunningham,  and  Henry  Duvall.  Cun- 
ningham was  a  Freemason  and  an  Odd  Fel- 
low. Acceptable  white  men  are  permitted 
to  become  members,  to  whom  sick  and  death 
benefits  are  paid,  the  former  through  sub- 
ordinate Lodges,  in  such  amounts  as  may  be 
determined,  and  the  latter  through  the  Su- 
preme Lodge,  for  stated  sums,  to  meet 
which  the  entire  fraternity  is  assessed. 
Death  and  sick  benefits  paid  during  the 
past  twenty  years  will  exceed  $500,000. 
The  ritual  is  based  on  an  incident  in  the 
life  of  a  prominent  character  in  the  Old 
Testament,  suggested    by  the   swords   and 


bow  and  arrow  on  an  open  Bible,  which, 
with  the  hour-glass,  form  the  seal  of  the 
society.  The  membership,  which  aggre- 
gates about  14,000,  is  relatively  heavy  in 
Maryland  and  Pennsylvania,  most  of  the 
officers  of  the  Supreme  Lodge  residing  at 
Baltimore  or  Philadelphia. 

Snprenie  Coniniandery  of  the  Uni- 
ver.sal  Brotherhood. — Founded  by  G.  F. 
Bowles,  at  Natchez,  Miss.,  as  a  secret 
beneficiary  organization  to  pay  sick,  acci- 
dent, disability,  old  age,  annuity,  and  death 
benefits.  It  is  unique  in  that  it  contains 
members  of  both  sexes,  black  and  white. 
That  an  exemplification  of  the  meaning  of 
its  title  is  possible  is  shown  by  a  total  mem- 
bership of  about  9,000.  The  headquarters 
of  the  Order  are  at  Natchez. 

Templars  of  Liberty. — An  organiza- 
tion by  this  name,  believed  to  have  been 
beneficiary  and  patriotic  in  its  objects, 
is  known  to  have  existed  in  Brooklyn  and 
New  York  in  recent  years. 

The  Grand  Fraternity. — Organized  at 
Philadelphia,  in  1885,  by  Michael  Nesbit 
of  Philadelphia,  Past  Grand  Master  of  Free- 
masons in  Pennsylvania,  member  of  the 
American  Legion  of  Honor,  Royal  Arca- 
num, and  Chosen  Friends;  Howard  H.Morse 
of  New  York,  also  a  member  of  the  three 
beneficiary  societies  named ;  W.  J.  Newton 
of  Washington,  D.  C,  Supreme  Treasurer 
of  the  Chosen  Friends,  and  Chester  Brad- 
ford of  Indianai:)olis,  Ind.,  a  Freemason 
and  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Honor, 
Royal  Arcanum,  and  Chosen  Friends  ;  a 
charitable  and  beneficiary  society  i)aying 
permanent  disability,  old  age,  and  death 
benefits,  and  annuities,  by  means  of  mutual 
assessments.  The  system  adopted  is  based 
upon  that  in  use  in  Great  Britain,  and  is 
designed  to  afford  a  protection  to  the  family 
and  support  in  old  age.  Men  and  women 
between  eighteen  and  fifty-five  years  of  age 
are  admitted  on  equal  terms.  On  the  death 
of  a  male  member,  an  annuity  is  paid  his 
widow  as  long  as  she  lives  without  remarry- 
ing ;  if  she  marries  again  it  goes   to   the 


190 


TRIBE    OF   BEN-HUR 


minor  children  until  they  become  of  age. 
On  reaching  the  old  age  limit  a  member 
receives  an  annuity  as  long  as  he  or  she 
lives,  and  if  permanently  disabled  prior  to 
reaching  the  old  age  limit,  a  member  be- 
comes entitled  to  a  half-rate  annuity  until 
reaching  the  old  age  limit, when  full  annuity 
is  paid.  There  are  six  classes  of  annuities, 
ranging  from  $100  to  $600,  on  which 
monthly  assessments  are  collected  (until  the 
old  age  limit  or  permanent  disability  inter- 
venes) of  from  fifty  cents  to  $3,  making  the 
total  annual  assessments  $6,  $12,  $18,  $24, 
$30,  and  $36.  The  experience  of  the  Fra- 
ternity during  its  first  decade  showed  a 
total  annual  revenue  of  $30,000  per  1,000 
members,  or  enough  to  support  seventy-five 
$400  annuitants.  During  the  jieriod  named, 
its  death  rate  had  been  only  four  to  1,000, 
at  which  rate  it  would  have  required  twenty 
years  to  produce  the  seventy-five  annuitants, 
during  which  time  the  annual  surpluses 
would  go  on  accumulating  at  compound 
interest.  The  organization  has  not  grown 
rapidly,  numbering  about  2,000  members, 
by  far  the  larger  proportion  being  men. 
Its  ritual  is  not  based  upon  any  so-called 
mystery  or  historical  incidents,  the  cere- 
monial being  confined  to  an  explanation  of 
the  principles  upon  which  the  society  seeks 
to  accomplish  its  objects.  Its  best  known 
emblem  is  a  four-leaf  clover,  with  the  let- 
ters composing  the  word  "help"  distrib- 
uted upon  the  leaves.  The  primary  aim  of 
the  society  is  not  to  pay  insurance  at  the 
death  of  a  member,  but  to  turn  over  an- 
nually during  the  lifetime,  or  the  lifetime 
of  relatives,  what  would  amount  to  the 
earnings  of  a  given  amount  of  insurance  if 
invested.  Thus,  one  who  secures  an  annuity 
of  $100  for  his  declining  years,  or  for  his 
family  in  the  event  of  his  untimely  death, 
has  practically  insured  himself  for  $2,000. 

Tribe  of  Beii-Hiir. — One  of  the  young- 
est of  the  better  known  secret  assessment 
beneficiary  societies  is  the  Tribe  of  Ben- 
Hur.  It  was  incorporated  in  Indiana, 
January  9,  1894,  and  on  the  16th  of  Jan- 


uary of  the  same  year  the  first  meeting  of 
the  Sujjreme  Tribe  was  held  in  the  city  of 
Crawfordsville,  Ind.  Ex-Governor  Ira  J. 
Chase  was  elected  the  first  Supreme  Chief. 
The  Order  grew  out  of  a  conference  be- 
tween D.  W.  Gerard  and  F.  L.  Snyder, 
both  of  Crawfordsville,  Ind.,  and  General 
Lew  Wallace,  the  author  of  the  book 
'"  Ben-Hur,"  at  the  latter 's  residence  in 
Crawfordsville,  Ind.,  in  November,  1893. 
Prior  to  this  interview  Messrs.  Gerard  and 
Snyder  had  carefully  considered  the  ad- 
visability of  founding  an  Order  upon  the 
book  "  Ben-Hur,"  providing  the  consent 
of  General  "Wallace  could  be  obtained  to 
use  some  name  which  would  be  suggestive 
of  that  book.  During  the  interview,  it  was 
suggested  that  the  name,  "  Knights  of 
Ben-Hur,"  be  selected,  but  General  Wal- 
lace dissented,  and  remarked  that  "  There 
were  only  tribes  in  those  days,"  and  sug- 
gested the  "Tribe  of  Ben-Hur"  as  appro- 
priate. This  was  adopted  and  General 
Wallace  gave  his  consent  to  the  founding 
of  the  Order  upon  the  story  of  "Ben-Hur," 
and  secured  the  consent  of  his  publishers, 
who  hold  the  copyright  on  the  book. 

Immediately  after,  the  preparation  of  the 
ritual  and  by-laws  was  begun,  and  in  a 
short  time  thereafter  several  prominent 
men  were  invited  to  join  in  the  work  of 
founding  the  Order.  Prominent  among- 
these  were  ex-Governor  Ira  J.  Chase  and 
Colonel  W.  T.  Royse,  both  of  Indianapolis, 
Ind.;  S.  E.  Yoris,  postmaster  of  Crawfords- 
ville ;  and  Dr.  J.  F.  Davidson  of  Craw- 
fordsville, Ind.,  all  men  of  experience  in 
fraternal  Orders,  and  most  of  them  promi- 
nent in  the  insurance  world,  notably  Messrs. 
Gerard,  Royse,  and  Voris. 

The  first  subordinate  Court  of  the 
Order  was  instituted  at  Crawfordsville, 
March  1,  1894,  and  was  named  "  Simoni- 
des  Court,  No.  1,  Tribe  of  Ben-Hur."  The 
beneficiary  plan  was  not  perfected  until 
April  5,  1894,  when  beneficial  certificate 
No.  1  was  issued.  The  popularity  of  the 
book  "Ben-Hur"   soon  made   the   Order 


UNION   FRATERNAL   LEAGUE 


191 


prominent.  By  January  1.  1895,  it  liad 
secured  a  membership  of  1,701,  and  by 
January  1,  189G,  5,050.  On  January  1, 
1897,  the  membership  was  12,322,  1,200  of 
which  joined  during  December,  1896. 

Since  its  organization  there  have  been 
thirty-one  deatlis,  representing  a  total  of 
$51,250  in  losses,  every  one  of  which  has 
been  paid  promptly  without  an  assessment. 
The  distinctive  features  of  tlie  Order  are  : 
(1)  ^len  and  women  admitted  to  member- 
ship upon  absolute  equality  ;  (2)  Uniform 
monthly  payments  of  §1  for  each  whole 
certificate ;  (3)  Insurance  graded  accord- 
ing to  age,  from  18  to  54  years  ;  (4)  No 
assessment  upon  death  of  members ;  (5) 
Certificates  paid  up  at  ''  expectancy  of 
life"  ;  (G)  A  reserve  fund  created  from  the 
beginning  ;  (7)  Two  beneficial  divisions, 
northern  and  southern. 

The  Order  has  collected  from  the  be- 
ginning a  stated  monthly  payment  from 
each  of  its  members,  which  has  enabled  it 
to  promptly  pay  all  losses,  and  to  accumu- 
late in  the  surplus  and  reserve  funds  $35,- 
664  within  the  first  thirty-three  months  of 
its  existence. 

The  Society  is  not  a  schism,  or  a  branch 
of  any  other  fraternal  Order,  but  its  found- 
ers brought  to  it  years  of  exiDcrience  in 
fraternal  Orders,  more  especially  in  the 
Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen,  from 
which  they  differed  in  being  strong  advo- 
cates of  the  necessity  for  and  Avisdom  of  a 
reserve  fund.  Its  ritualistic  inspiration  is 
drawn  wholly  from  the  book  ''  Ben-Hur." 
Its  beneficial  jilan  is  unique,  and  tends  to 
attract  attention.  Its  emblems  are  "  The 
Galley  Ship,"  with  ''T.B.  H."  upon  the 
sail,  the  "  Chariot  Race,"  and  the  seven- 
pointed  star.  It  is  operating  in  Indiana, 
Ohio,  Pennsylvania,  New  York,  New  Jer- 
sey, Michigan,  Illinois,  Kentucky,  Iowa, 
Missouri,  Nebraska,  Kansas,  California, 
Oregon,  Washington,  Colorado,  and  else- 
where. 

Every  applicant  for  beneficiary  member- 
ship must  pass  a  medical  examination,  and 


the  very  light  mortality  in  1896, 2|  to  1,000, 
attests  its  present  success.  The  Supreme 
Tribe  owns  a  home  in  Crawfordsville,  Ind., 
which  cost  S6,600.  The  Order  is  spread- 
ing rapidly  throughout  the  various  States, 
and  the  novelty  of  its  beneficiary  plan  un- 
doubtedly has  much  to  do  with  its  rapid 
growth.  Instead  of  insuring  the  lives  of 
members  for  a  stated  sum  or  sums,  in  all 
instances,  it  varies  the  full  amount  of  in- 
surance granted,  according  to  the  age  of  the 
applicant  for  membership,  from  $3,000  be- 
tween the  ages  of  eighteen  and  twenty-three 
down  to  $500  for  those  joining  between  the 
ages  of  fifty-four  and  sixty-five,  to  be  paid 
from  regular  monthly  dues  kept  steadily  at 
$1  monthly  in  all  instances.  The  latter 
feature  is  characteristic  of  the  Ancient 
Order  of  United  AVorkmen,  but  the  de- 
creasing scale  of  sums  for  which  members 
may  be  insured,  according  to  age  at  joining, 
constituted  a  new  departure  in  the  field  of 
fraternal  beneficiary  insurance.  On  half 
certificates  monthly  payments  are  50  cents, 
and  at  a  like  rate  on  one  and  one-half  and 
on  double  certificates,  but  not  more  than 
$3,000  is  granted  on  one  life,  nor  more  than 
a  whole  certificate  on  the  life  of  a  woman. 
,  Triple  Link  3Iutiial  Iiideinnity  As- 
sociation.— A  non-secret,  incorporated  and 
licensed  insurance  company,  chartered  un- 
der the  laws  of  the  State  of  Illinois  in  1890, 
by  members  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  who  were  also  members  of 
the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  to  insure 
the  lives  of  Odd  Fellows  and  Daughters  of 
Rebekah  (attached  to  the  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows)  who  are  under  sixty  years  of  age. 
The  insurance  is  met  by 'mutual  assess- 
ments graded  according  to  age.  The  home 
office  is  at  Chicago. 

Union  Beneficial  Association. — A  mu- 
tual assessment  insurance  society  at  Tren- 
ton, N.  J. 

Union  Fraternal  Leajjiie. — Organized 
as  at  present  at  Boston,  Mass.,  in  1895, 
by  members  of  the  Knights  of  Honor, 
Royal  Society    of    Good   Fellows,    Pilgrim 


192 


UNITED   AFRICAN   BROTHERHOOD 


Fathers,  Ancient  Order  of  United  Work- 
men, and  of  other  leading  fraternal  soci- 
eties, prominent  among  them  John  C. 
Barthelmes  of  Brookline,  Mass. ;  William  P. 
McKeever,  Salem,  Mass. ;  John  F.  Keynolds 
and  P.  Kirk  of  Somerville,  Mass.;  John  S. 
Smith,  Dorchester,  Mass.;  A.  Marois,  Mel- 
rose, Mass. ;  and  F.  X.  Desjardins  of  Mon- 
treal, Quebec,  as  a  beneficiary  society,  to  pay 
death  benefits  of  from  $250  to  $2,000,  and 
sick  and  accident  benefits  graded  from  $3.50 
to  $14  per  week.  Benefits  are  also  paid  for 
permanent  disability  due  to  chronic  illness, 
paralysis,  or  loss  of  eyes,  feet,  and  hands, 
one  or  both.  It  is  incorporated  under  the 
laws  of  the  State  of  Massachusetts,  and  ad- 
mits men  and  women  to  membership.  As- 
semblies, as  subordinate  bodies  are  called, 
are  found  in  the  provinces  of  Ontario  and 
Quebec,  in  most  of  the  New  England  and 
Middle,  and  some  of  the  Southern,  North- 
western, and  Pacific  States.  The  League's 
headquarters  are  at  Boston,  and  its  princi- 
pal officers  are  representative  business  men 
who  are  acquainted  with  the  management 
of  organizations  of  this  character.  The 
Union  Fraternal  League  was  originally  in- 
corporated under  the  fraternal  beneficiary 
laws  of  Massachusetts,  on  June  19,  1889, 
under  the  name  of  the  International  Fra- 
ternal Alliance,  by  J.  B.  Moses,  P.  Kirk, 
S.  Rothblum,  William  P.  McKeever,  J.  F. 
Reynolds,  William  Horwood,  and  James  T. 
McNamee,  and  began  business  as  a  frater- 
nal endowment  corporation.  It  issued  cer- 
tificates for  seven  hundred  dollars,  payable 
in  seven  years,  and  provided  death,  sick,  and 
disability  benefits.  The  Order  was  fairly 
successful  up  to  1893,  when  the  Massachu- 
setts Legislature  proposed  to  close  out  En- 
dowment Fraternal  Orders.  A  trustee  was 
therefore  appointed  to  wind  up  the  business, 
and  the  endowment  class  is  now  perma- 
nently closed.  Previous  to  closing  out  of 
the  endowment  class,  the  issue  of  certifi- 
cates was  begun  on  the  present  plan.  In 
1895  its  name  was  formally  changed  to 
the  Union  Fraternal  League,  as  there  was 


another  Order  of  the  same  name  operating  in 
another  State.     It  has  about  2,000  members. 

United  African  Brotherhood. — Organ- 
ized, as  indicated,  by  negroes,  at  Clinton, 
Tex.,  as  a  fraternal  beneficiary  society. 
Letters  sent  to  the  Brotherhood  at  Clinton 
were  returned  unopened. 

United  Friends  of  Michigan. — An 
incorporated  fraternal  beneficiary  secret 
society,  composed  of  both  men  and  women, 
which  pays  death,  disability,  and  old  age 
benefits  by  means  of  assessments,  and  does 
business  exclusively  in  Michigan.  Candi- 
dates for  beneficiary  membership  must  be 
over  eighteen  and  under  fifty-one  years  of 
age.  Its  distinctive  emblem  is  a  cornuco- 
jna,  or  horn  of  plenty,  across  a  shield  bear- 
ing the  American  colors  and  the  initials  U. 
F.  &  P.,  Unity,  Fraternity,  and  Protection. 
The  society  was  founded  at  Detroit  in  1889, 
by  Dr.  G.  F.  Kirker  of  that  city,  E.  F. 
Lamb  of  Mount  Morris,  Mich.,  and  oth- 
ers, and  numbers  nearly  10,000  members. 
(See  Order  of  Chosen  Friends.) 

United  Leag-ue  of  America. — A  dis- 
affection among  German  members  of  the 
Order  of  Chosen  Friends  at  Chicago,  in 
1895,  due  in  part  to  dissatisfaction  with  a 
projected  plan  for  equalization,  resulted  in 
a  schism  and  the  formation  of  an  indepen- 
dent fraternal  beneficiary  secret  society 
under  the  title  given  above.  It  is  not 
known  whether  it  is  still  in  existence.  (See 
Order  of  Chosen  Friends.) 

United  Order  of  America. — A  new 
beneficiary,  society,  organized  at  Los  An- 
geles, Cal. 

United  Order  of  Foresters. — The  orig- 
inal United  Order  of  Foresters  consisted,  in 
its  best  estate,  of  13,000  members,  practically 
the  American  membership  of  the  Indepen- 
dent Order  of  Foresters,  when  at  Albany, 
in  1881,  that  branch  of  the  Independent 
Order  changed  its  name  to  the  United 
Order  of  Foresters.  (See  IndeiDendent 
Order  of  Foresters.)  The  Canadian  branch 
refused  to  adopt  the  new  name  and  con- 
tinued  as   the   Independent   Order,   while 


UNITED   ORDER   OF   THE    PILGRIM   FATHERS 


193 


the  new  United  Order  disappeared  within 
a  few  years.  The  present  United  Order  is 
of  recent  origin,  having  been  founded  in 
1894,  and  its  Courts  are  located  princi- 
pally in  Chicago,  elsewhere  in  Illinois,  and 
through  Wisconsin  and  Minnesota.  Its 
approximate  total  membership  is  about 
1,200.  This  society  is  practically  an 
imitation  of  other  Orders  of  Forestry  so 
far  as  the  name,  titles,  and  emblems  are 
concerned  ;  and,  like  the  other  children  of 
the  parent  Order,  was  organized  by  mem- 
bers of  older  Orders  of  Foresters.  In 
general  government  and  objects  it  is  not 
unlike  the  latter,  except  that  its  Supreme 
Court  governs  the  Order  direct.  Its  mem- 
bers pay  regularly  each  month  into  the 
insurance  fund  a  due  proportion  of  the 
total  cost  of  carrying  the  risk  for  the  aver- 
age duration  of  life  instead  of  collect- 
ing for  death  benefits,  as  deaths  occur 
"  regardless  of  this  unavoidable  average 
cost."  The  United  Order  claims  the  latter 
system  (very  largely  in  use  by  prominent  fra- 
ternal beneficiary  societies)  works  cheaply 
the  first  five  or  ten  years,  while  the  death 
rate  is  below  the  average,  but  causes  a  short- 
age in  the  insurance  fund,  which  must  ulti- 
mately fall  on  surviving  members.  Al- 
though the  youngest  Order  of  Forestry,  it 
has  adopted  some  of  the  best  insurance 
features  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Fores- 
ters, which  was  founded  at  Newark,  N.  J., 
in  1874.  It  does  not  go  south  of  the  38th 
parallel  of  latitude  for  members.  Benefit 
certificates  for  $500,  §1,000,  82,000  and 
$3,000  are  issued,  one  quarter  of  which  is 
payable  upon  partial  permanent  disability, 
one-half  upon  permanent  disability,  and  the 
wiiole  amount  on  arriving  at  seventy  years 
of  age,  or  at  death. 

United  Order  of  Hoi>e. — The  address 
of  the  Supreme  Lodge  of  this  mutual  bene- 
fit organization  is  St.  Louis,  Mo.  Its  em- 
blem is  formed  of  a  monogram  of  the  let- 
ters 0.  H.  and  an  anchor.  No  replies  to 
inquiries  concerning  the  society  have  been 
received. 

13 


United  Order  of  th«  Pilgrim  Fathers. 

— Early  in  the  fall  of  1878,  the  following 
gentlemen   and   their   wives,    residents    of 
Lawrence,  Mass.,  some  of  them  members 
of  one  or  more  of  the  fraternal   insurance 
Orders,  Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen, 
United  Order  of  the  Golden  Cross,  Knights 
of  Honor,  Royal  Arcanum,  and  American 
Legion  of  Honor,  as  well  as  of  the  Masonic 
Fraternity  and  the  Odd  Fellows,  conceived 
the   idea   of   forming  an  insurance   Order 
which  would  confine  its  membership  to  the 
New  England  States  :  J.  C.  Bowker,  James 
E.    Shepard,    A.    J.    French,    Charles   R. 
Peters,   M.   B.   Kenney,   Fred  R.   Warren, 
Charles  Lloyd,   II.   A.  Wadsworth,  W.  L. 
Seaver,  A.  V.   Bugbee,   A.  W.  Allyn  and 
Henry  W.  Rogers.     Associated  with  them 
were    Miss   Mary  P.   Currier  and    Charles 
McCarthy.  Several  meetings  were  held,  and 
a  constitution  and  ritual  adopted,  and  plans 
perfected  for  organizing.     After  much  con- 
sultation the  name  United  Order  of  Pilgrim 
Fathers   was  adopted.      On  February  15, 
1879,    the    first    Colony    was    formed     in 
Lawrence,  Mass.,  which  took  the  name  May- 
flower,     Included  in  its  membership  were 
all    of  the   incorporators  and   seventy-five 
others,  in  all  one  hundred  and  one.     In  the 
following  month  thirteen  of  the  founders 
were  granted  a  charter  under  the  laws  of 
Massachusetts.     The  objects,  as  set  forth  in 
the   charter,  are  to  aid  members  when  in 
need,   and  assist  the  widows  and  orphans 
or  other  legatees  and  beneficiaries   of  de- 
ceased   members.      The    Supreme    Colony 
was  organized   immediately   and   Supreme 
officers   elected.       The    total    membership 
December    31,    189G,  was    21.4(13.       This 
society  presents  graded  assessments  insur- 
ing men  and  women  from  eighteen  to  fifty 
years  of  age,  for  8500,  81,000,  or  83,000,  and 
has  one  hundred  and  ninety-three  Colonies 
scattered   throughout    the    New    England 
States.     The  principal  emblems  consist  of 
a  representation  of  the  ship  '•  Mayflower," 
encircled  by  a  white  enamelled  band  with 
U.  0.  P.  F.  over  the  top,  E.  II.  F.  at  the 


19i 


UNITED   STATES   BENEVOLENT   FRATERNITY 


bottom,  with  the  dates  1620-1879.  The 
Supreme  Colony  meets  annually.  It  is 
comjjosecl  of  the  incorporators,  a  represen- 
tative from  each  subordinate  Colony,  and 
an  additional  representative  for  each  one 
hundred  members.  Five  trustees  are  elected 
at  each  annual  meeting,  who,  together  with 
the  Supreme  Governor,  Supreme  Lieuteiiant 
Governor,  and  Sui^renie  Treasurer,  consti- 
tute the  Board  of  Directors,  who  meet 
once  in  each  month  for  the  purpose  of 
approving  bills,  jjassing  upon  proofs  of 
death  and  ordering  assessments.  The  Or- 
der is  in  a  flourishing  condition.  It  has 
paid  nearly  $2,500,000  to  beneficiaries  of 
deceased  members. 

United  States  Benevolent  Fi-ater- 
nity. — Founded  by  Thomas  H.  McGechin, 
its  first  president,  at  Baltimore,  Md.,  Feb- 
ruary 22,  1881,  to  pay  death,  total  dis- 
ability, and  annuity  benefits.  It  admits 
white  men  and  women  on  equal  terms,  is  a 
lineal  descendant  of  the  Royal  Arcanum 
and  American  Legion  of  Honor,  and  num- 
bers about  1,000  members. 

United.  States  Benevolent  Fraternity. 
— Organized  at  Baltimore  j^rior  to  1890  as 
a  mutual  assessment  beneficiary  society. 
It  died  in  1894. 

"  V.  A.  S." — The  Vera  Amicitia  Sempi- 
terna  est,  or  True  Friendship  is  Eternal, 
was  organized  at  Grenell,  la.,  in  1879,  as  a 
graded  assessment,  fraternal  benefit  society, 
confined  to  the  State  of  Iowa.  It  paid 
death  benefits  of  12,000  each.  In  1891  it 
was  merged  into  the  Security  Life  Associa- 
tion of  Clinton,  la.  It  paid  all  obliga- 
tions up  to  the  date  of  loss  of  iden- 
tity. Its  successor  was  a  small  insurance 
company,  with  headquarters  at  Washing- 
ton ,  la. 

AVestern  Kuiglits  Protective  Associa- 
tion.— Founded  by  fifteen  members  of 
various  fraternal  societies  at  St.  Charles, 
Minn.,  its  present  headquarters,  as  a 
straight  death  benefit  organization,  to  unite 
all  acceptable  white  persons  between 
eighteen    and    fifty-four   years   of    age    in 


Lodges,  or  Assemblies,  as  they  are  called, 
to  their  moral,  intellectual,  social,  and 
financial  advantage.  Death  benefits  are 
paid  by  means  of  fixed  monthly,  quarterly, 
semi-annual  and  annual  payments,  or,  if 
pi'ef erred,  a  paid-up  "  benefit  bond  "  may  be 
secured  on  a  single  payment.  The  Associa- 
tion is  composed  of  its  local  Assemblies  ; 
its  Grand  Assemblies,  made  up  of  repre- 
sentatives elected  by  local  Assemblies  ;  and 
of  the  Supreme  Assembly,  the  legislative 
body  of  the  Association,  which  comprises 
representatives  from  Grand  Assemblies  and 
the  original  incorporators. 

Woodmen  of  tlie  World. — Organized 
as  a  fraternal  beneficiary  society,  June  3, 
1890,  at  the  Paxton  Hotel,  Omaha,  Neb. 
W.  0.  Rodgers,  M.D.,  of  Omaha,  presided, 
and  F.  A.  Falkenburg  of  Denver,  Col., 
was  secretary.  The  following  were  also 
present :  J.  Cullen  Root,  Lyons,  la.;  F.  F. 
Roose,  Lincoln,  Neb.  ;  W.  N.  Dorward, 
Omaha,  Neb.  ;  Robert  T.  Court,  Spring- 
field, 111.  ;  John  T.  Yates,  Omaha,  Neb.; 

B.  Wood  Jewell,  Manchester,  la.,  and 
W.  Murray  Guiwitts,  Lincoln,  Neb.  The 
following,  not  present,  sent  word  they 
intended  to  become  members  :  Buren  R. 
Sherman,  Waterloo,  la.  ;  Theodore  H. 
Thtsmas,  Denver,  Col. ;  L.  J.  Moss,  West 
Superior,  Wis.  ;  S.  Leonard  Waide,  Mus- 
catine,  la.  ;  C.   K.    Erwin,  Tomah,  Wis.  ; 

C.  C.  Farmer,  Mt.  Carroll,  111.,  and  W.  C. 
Ilomermiller,  Tomah,  Wis.  The  govern- 
ing body  of  this  new  society  of  Modern 
AVoodmen  of  America,  as  it  was  then 
called,  is  the  Sovereign  Camp  of  the 
World.  At  a  meeting  in  Omaha,  June  4, 
1890,  benefit  certificates  were  authorized  at 
$1,000,  $2,000,  and  $3,000,  to  be  issued 
only  to  members  of  the  Sovereign  Camp, 
and  it  was  further  provided  that  when  the 
Sovereign  Camp  exceeds  10,000  members, 
a  separate  jurisdiction  maybe  formed,  pro- 
vided membership  in  the  proposed  juris- 
diction shall  exceed  5,000.  A  Pacific 
Jurisdiction  was  established,  consisting  of 
Montana,  Wyoming,  Utah,  Idaho,  Nevada, 


WOODMEN   OF  THE  WORLD 


195 


Year. 


Certificates 
in  Force. 


Insurance 
in  Force. 


Insurance 

Written  during 

the  Year. 


Washington,  Oregon,  California,  and  Colo- 
rado. Organization  was  perfected  at  a 
meeting,  June  5,  1890.  At  the  fourth 
meeting,  August  13,  1890,  the  name  of  the 
organization  was  changed  to  Woodmen  of 
the  World,  and  that  of  the  governing  body 
to  Sovereign  Camp,  Woodmen  of  the 
World,  owing  to  the  similarity  between  the 
former  title  and  that  of  the  original  ^lod- 
ern  Woodmen  of  America.  In  the  inter- 
vals between  sessions  of  the  Sovereign 
Camp  the  society's  affairs  are  managed  by 
its  officers  and  the  Sovereign  Executive 
Council.  The  Order  has  also  spread  into 
the  Canadian  Dominion,  where  there  is  a 
separate  jurisdiction.  The  principal  of- 
ficers are  salaried  and  give  bonds  for  the 
faithful  performance  of  their  duties,  from 
which  it  is  j^lain  that  the  life  insurance 
feature  dominates.  The  growth  of  the 
organization  is  shown  in  the  following 
figures  : 

Death 
Rate 
per 
1000. 

1891  5,461  $11,971,300  $13,277,000  3.3 

1893  10.106  22.604,600  15,502.600  4.3 

1893  14,057  30,780,200  17,495,900  6.1 

1894  20.272  41,612,200  21,147.000  8.6 

1895  33,027  65,693,200  38,419,500  6.8 

While  the  development  in  membership 
and  financial  strength  has  been  rapid,  the 
death  rate  and  assessments  have  been  low, 
as  there  were  sixty-eight  assessments  dur- 
ing the  first  seventy-eight  months  of  the 
Order's  existence — fewer  than  one  per 
month.  The  system  and  the  growth  shown 
are  credited  to  J.  C.  Root,  a  thirty-second 
degree  Scottish  Rite  Freemason,  a  member 
of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  of  the  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen,  the  Iowa  Le- 
gion of  Honor,  and  founder  of  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America.  The  ancient  Ro- 
man methods  of  obligating  underlie  the 
^  initiatory  ceremonial,  and,  as  shown  by  its 
principal  emblems — the  beetle,  wedge,  and 
axe,  symbols  of  the  woodmen's  craft  (also 
displayed  by  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America) — it  attempts,    so   far   as   practi- 


cable, to  tread  in  paths  less  frequented  by 
modern  secret  society  ritualists,  the  idea 
evidently  having  been  to  parallel  efforts  of 
earlier  secret  societies,  to  utilize  in  cere- 
monials customs  aTul  implements  employed 
in  some  of  the  primitive  occupations  of 
mankind.  Results  of  this  method  are  seen 
not  only  in  Masonic  rituals,  but  in  the  sng- 
gestiveness  of  the  titles,  the  Ancient  Order 
of  Shepherds,  the  Fishermen  of  Calilee, 
the  Ancient  Order  of  Foresters,  and  the 
Ancient  Order  of  Gardeners.  In  the 
Woodmen  of  the  World,  an  additional  step 
is  taken  by  preserving  in  form  and  cere- 
mony implements  and  teachings  drawn 
from  woodcraft.  There  is  no  relationship 
between  the  two  Orders  of  AVoodmen  ex- 
cept that  the  same  man  founded  each,  and 
that  they  employ  similar  emblems,  as  do 
some  other  important  but  independent  so- 
cieties, such  as  the  various  Orders  of  Odd 
Fellows  and  of  Foresters. 

The  Woodmen  of  the  World  insures  the 
lives  of  members  between  16  and  52  years 
of  age,  for  $500,  $1,000,  81,500,  $2,000, 
$2,500,  or  $3,000  each,  by  means  of  assess- 
ments graded  according  to  age,  and,  fur- 
thermore, agrees  to  place  a  monument  to 
cost  $100  at  the  grave  of  every  deceased 
member.  Only  white  men  are  eligible  to 
membership,  and  there  is  no  restriction  as 
to  religious  creed  or  political  conviction. 
The  ritual  is  dignified  and  impressive, 
teaching  no  abstract  dogma  or  jihilosophy, 
seeking  to  exemplify  the  "grandeur  of  the 
voluntary  association  of  good  men  for  their 
advantage  and  improvement."  Only  one 
degree,  known  as  the  Protection  degree,  is 
obligatory.  Additional  degrees,  Morning, 
Xoon,  and  Night,  are  furnished  to  Camps 
desiring  to  elaborate  fraternal  work. 

Women  may  unite  with  the  recently  or- 
ganized Women's  Circles,  which  contain 
over  1,000  members.  They  are  said  to 
form  useful  social  auxiliaries.  Woodmen's 
Circles  also  pay  death  benefits  and  erect 
monuments  at  the  graves  of  deceased 
women  members.     Circles  meet  in  Groves 


196 


WORKMEN'S    B-ENEFIT   ASSOCIATION 


which  are  governed  by  a  Siipreme  Forest, 
subject  to  the  approval  of  the  Sovereign 
Camp  of  the  Woodmen  of  the  Workl. 
Woodmen  joining' between  the  ages  of  16 
and  33  years  become  life  members  in  30 
years  ;  between  33  and  43  years  they  be- 
come life  members  in  25  years ;  and  those 
joining  at  over  43  years  of  age  become  life 
members  in  20  years.  Death  benefits  of 
life  members  are  paid  by  means  of  a  spe- 
cial quarterly  assessment  when  necessary. 
The  Order  is  governed  by  a  Sovereign 
Camp  having  three  subordinate  Head 
Camps,  two  in  the  United  States  and  one 
in  Canada.  Subordinate  Camps  have  been 
established  in  more  than  1,300  cities  and 
towns  in  the  more  healthful  portions  of 
the  United  States,  in  central  western  and 
northwestern  States  and  in  the  Dominion 
of  Canada,  and  more  than  $1,000,000  has 
been  paid  in  death  benefits  during  six  years 
of  the  fraternity's  existence.  The  total 
membership  in  the  United  States  is  about 
35,000,    exclusive    of    members   of   Wood- 


men's Circles.  In  Canada  there  are  about 
3,000  members.  The  Woodmen  of  the 
World  *'  is  the  only  Order  of  its  kind  that 
places  a  monument  at  the  grave  of  every 
deceased  member,  that  issues  a  paid  up 
certificate  at  the  end  of  a  certain  period, 
and  that  makes  its  certificates  incontest- 
able after  one  year." 

Workmen's  Benefit  Association. — 
Founded  by  J.  Varnum  Mott,  M.D.,  at 
Boston,  Mass.,  June  23,  1893,  as  a  frater- 
nal beneficiary  society,  to  afford  additional 
insurance  to  members  of  the  Ancient  Or- 
der of  United  Workmen,  who  alone  are 
eligible  to  join.  It  issues  certificates  of 
$1,000,  payable  at  death  of  holders.  Its 
membership  is  5,500. 

World  Mutual  Benefit  Association.— 
A  non-secret  stock  company  doing  a  life 
insurance  business  on  the  assessment  plan. 
It  makes  a  specialty  of  insuring  members 
of  the  fraternal  secret  Order  of  the  World, 
which  does  not  insure  its  own  members. 
(See  Order  of  the  World.) 


ECLECTIC  ASSEMBLY 


197 


III 


MUTUAL  ASSESSMEISTT  BEISTEFICIAEY  FRATERNITIES 
[SHORT-TERM   OR  ENDOWMENT.] 


American  Benevolent  Association. — 

One  of  the  more  recent  accident,  total  dis- 
ability and  sick  benefit  endowment  orders, 
its  feature  being  ten-year  distribution  cer- 
tificates, providing  life  insurance  to  a  cer- 
tain amount  during  continuance,  and  "a 
competency  "  for  the  holder  if  he  survives. 
The  Association  was  founded  and  incorpo- 
rated by  W.  R.  Eidson,  F.  H.  Pickrell, 
John  H.  Allen,  Dr.  J.  D.  Irwin,  Erie  De 
Jong,  Dr.  A,  T,  Martin,  and  Henry  T. 
Burns  at  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  in  1894.  Men 
between  fourteen  and  sixty-five,  and  women 
between  fourteen  and  fifty-five  years  of  age 
are  eligible  to  membership.  Certificates  are 
issued  in  eight  amounts,  ranging  from  1250 
to  S2,000,  on  which  regular  monthly  pre- 
miums are  paid.  The  Association  is  ac- 
tively at  work  in  Missouri,  Kentucky,  Illi- 
nois, Indiana,  ^Michigan,  Nebraska,  Iowa, 
Kansas,  Colorado,  Indian  Territory,  Texas, 
Louisiana,  Arkansas,  Alabama,  Georgia, 
Florida,  and  Tennessee.  Equality  for  man 
and  woman,  faith,  hope,  and  benevolence, 
and  loyalty  to  country  are  typified  in  the 
emblems.  It  confers  one  degree,  the  cere- 
monial of  which  is  said  to  be  dignified  and 
impressive.  The  total  number  of  members 
is  about  13,000. 

American  Benevolent  Union. — Date 
of  organization  at  Boston  unknown.  (See 
Order  of  the  Solid  Rock.) 

Benevolent  Union. — Organized  at  Bos- 
ton in  1889.     (See  Order  of  the  Solid  Rock.) 

Columbus  Mutual  Benefit  Associa- 
tion.— Organized  at  Philadelphia  in  1893, 
and  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  Pennsyl- 
vania. It  combines  the  features  of  the 
building  and  loan  association  with  those  of 
the  fraternal  beneficiarv  order,  in  which  it 


follows  the  path  marked  out  by  the  Inter- 
national Fraternal  Alliance  of  Baltimore. 
(See  the  latter.)  Men  and  women  between 
fifteen  and  fifty-five  years  of  age  may  be- 
come members.  Holders  of  shares  may  apply 
for  loans  after  six  months'  membership. 
Shares  are  issued  in  nine  amounts,  rang- 
ing from  $200  to  65,000,  which  mature  in 
ten  years,  or  are  payable  in  full,  prior  there- 
to, at  death  of  holders.  Its  ritual  is  based 
on  the  ''  Landing  of  Columbus." 

Eclectic  Assembly. — Incorporated  un- 
der the  laws  of  Pennsylvania,  January  3, 
1893,  with  headquarters  at  Bradford,  Penn., 
by  W.  R.  Weaver,  C.  P.  Collins,  L.  E. 
Hamsher,  W.  E.  Burdick,  II.  A.  Canfield, 
George  A.  Berry,  Freemasons;  and  by  T.  J. 
Melvin,  Alanson  Palmer,  C.  F.  McAmbley, 
W.  W.  Brown,  and  J.  B.  Cochrane,  to  offer 
a  combination  of  the  most  desirable  features 
•'found  in  the  justly  popular  insurance  or- 
ders of  the  present  day."  Its  system  of 
assessments  is  declared  to  be  adjusted  so 
that  only  twelve  payments  are  necessary 
each  year  in  order  to  build  u]i  the  reserve 
fund,  pay  accident  and  death  benefits,  and 
one-half  the  sums  called  for  in  certificates, 
where  holders  reach  the  "age  of  expect- 
ancy." Men  and  women  are  received  as 
members  on  equal  terms,  and  insured  in 
any  of  six  classes,  which  range  from  $500 
to  §3,000.  The  Order  is  governed  by  a 
Supreme  Assembly  and  a  Supreme  Board 
of  Directors.  It  publislies  the  obligation 
required  of  those  who  become  members, 
which  is  merely  a  solemn  promise  to  obey 
the  rules  of  the  organization,  and  not  com- 
municate its  "  private  work  "  unlawfully. 
Its  ritual  is  based  on  mythology,  and  its 
signs    refer  to  God's  covenant    with   man. 


198 


FRATERNAL  ASSOCIATION   OF   AMERICA 


There  are  references  also  to  red  men,  the 
early  inhabitants  of  America.  The  emblem 
of  the  organization  is  an  anchor  within  an 
eqiulateral  triangle,  the  sides  of  which  are 
denominated  Hope,  Truth,  and  Charity. 
Its  membership  numbers  about  1,500. 

Fraternal  Association  of  America. — 
Organized  at  Boston.  (See  Order  of  the 
Solid  Eock.) 

Fraternal  Guild. — A  short-term  or  en- 
dowment order,  founded  at  San  Francisco 
in  1889.     Untraced. 

Industrial  Benefit  Order,  Boston. — 
(See  Order  of  the  Solid  Rock.) 

Industrial  Order  of  America. — A  Bos- 
ton organization.  (See  Order  of  the  Solid 
Rock.) 

International  Fraternal  Alliance  of 
Baltimore. — Organized  by  William  Bauni- 
garten,  C.  E.  P.  Brewer,  W.  J.  Wroth,  and 
others,  members  of  a  number  of  the  best 
known  beneficiary  Orders,  the  Masonic  Fra- 
ternity, Odd  Fellows,  Knights  of  Pythias, 
and  Red  Men,  to  pay  sick,  disability,  and 
death  benefits,  and  enable  its  members  to 
secure  homes  on  the  most  favorable  terms. 
It  seeks  to  combine  in  its  "  bnilding  loan 
and  insurance  shares"  the  advantages  of  a 
sound  system  of  insurance  with  the  building 
and  loan  system  of  protection  and  accumu- 
lation. One  advantage  claimed  over  the 
regular  building  and  loan  association  is  in 
the  payment  of  the  full  face  value  of  shares 
held  at  the  death  of  the  lending  member, 
instead  of  only  the  amount  paid  in  on  them 
at  date  of  death.  Should  the  deceased  be 
a  borrower  on  his  shares,  the  possessor  of  a 
house  mortgaged  to  the  Alliance,  "the 
mortgage  is  cancelled  at  once,"  and  "the 
family  or  home  left  entirely  free  from  debt." 
Its  membership  includes  about  Id, 000  men 
and  women,  residents  of  thirty  States  of  the 
Union  and  the  Dominion  of  Canada.  Pay- 
ments on  shares  are  made  on  the  assessment 
system,  or  as  regular  monthly  dnes.  The 
Alliance,  in  common  with  short-term,  en- 
dowment, or  life-benefit  orders,  has  been 
subjected  to  criticism  and  litigation,  but  has 


been  fairly  successful  in  its  chosen  field.  Its 
ritual  shows  traces  of  Masonic  handiwork. 
Much  of  its  success  has  been  due  to  the 
activity  of  C.  H.  Unverzagt.  The  "Fra- 
ternal Monitor,"  published  at  Rochester, 
N.  Y.,  says  that  the  stand  taken  by  the 
Alliance,  as  an  exponent  of  the  system  of 
paying  benefits  during  life,  "  has  done  much 
to  keep  the  system  alive  and  oppose  oppres- 
sive legislation." 

International  Order  of  Twelve,  of 
Knights  and  Daughters  of  Tabor. — 
Founded  by  Rev.  Moses  Dickson,  a  promi- 
nent clergyman  of  the  African  Methodist 
Episcopal  Church,  at  Independence,  Mo., 
August  12,  1872.  It  is  an  "  Afro- Ameri- 
can labor  and  benevolent  association,"  or- 
ganized on  the  lodge  system,  with  an  elabo- 
rate series  of  titles  and  ceremonials.  It 
"numbers  100,000  members"  in  thirty 
States,  England,  Africa,  and  the  West  Indies. 
The  society  explains  that  there  was  an  anti- 
slavery  secret  organization  of  negroes  at  the 
South  in  1846,  entitled  the  Order  of  Twelve, 
and  two  others,  some  years  later,  the 
Knights  of  Liberty  and  the  Knights  of 
Tabor,  upon  which  the  founder  of  this 
society  built  the  International  Order  of 
Twelve,  of  Knights  and  Daughters  of  Ta- 
bor. Knights  of  Tabor  now  meet  in  Tem- 
ples and  Daughters  in  Tabernacles,  while  as 
Princes  and  Princesses  of  the  Royal  House 
of  Media  they  convene  for  literary  and  so- 
cial entertainment  in  Palatiums.  Maids 
and  Pages  of  Honor,  as  juvenile  members 
are  called,  meet  in  Tents.  The  Order  pays 
death  and  sick  benefits,  and,  except  in  the 
juvenile  department,  endowment  or  short 
term  benefits  also.  The  chief  emblem  dis- 
played on  its  publications  is  an  eye  be- 
tween two  groups  of  numerals,  777  and  333. 

Iron  Hall,  of  Baltimore  City. — An- 
nounced to  have  been  "reorganized"  on 
"the  original  plan"  of  the  Order  of  the 
Iron  Hall,  an  Indiana  fraternal  beneficiary 
society  for  men  and  women.  The  latter 
went  into  the  hands  of  a  receiver  in  1892. 
(See  Order  of  the  Iron  Hall.)     The  Iron 


NATIONAL   DOTARE 


199 


Hall,  of  Baltimore  City,  was  formed  at  Balti- 
more by  Freeman  D.  Somerby  and  others 
in  1892,  and  incorporated  under  the  laws  of 
tfie  State  of  Maryland  as  an  insurance  so- 
ciety. Its  different  branches  control  the 
reserve  fund  of  the  Order,  which  "  in 
case  of  trouble  .  .  .  not  even  a  receiver 
could  touch."  It  has  nearly  9,000  mem- 
bers, and  gives  evidence  of  increasing 
growth.  Among  other  features  it  embodies 
a  plan  of  seven-year  maturing  certificates, 
and  death  benefit  certificates  of  from  $200  to 
I>1,000  each,  which  include  sick  and  total 
disability  payments.  It  also  issues  straight 
life  policies  of  11,000,  12,000,  and  $3,000, 
which  are  to  mature  in  twenty  years,  and 
has  a  pension  savings  fund,  certificates  un- 
der which  head  are  issued  in  like  amounts 
with  a  benefit  provision  for  old  age  on  at- 
taining the  age  of  seventy-three  years.  Any 
accejitable  white  person  between  sixteen  and 
sixty-five  years  of  age,  a  believer  in  a  Su- 
preme Being  and  who  is  competent  to  earn 
a  livelihood,  is  eligible  to  become  a  member. 
The  Order  has  ''  a  brief  and  pointed  ritual," 
with  "just enough  of  secret  society  machin- 
ery" to  secure  mutual  obligations.  Among 
its  founders  were  Knights  of  Pythias, 
Knights  of  Honor,  Chosen  Friends,  and 
Freemasons.  AYomen  are  received  on  the 
same  terms  as  men,  and  are  eligible  to  the 
highest  office. 

Knights  and  Tjadies  of  America. — A 
"mutual  benefit,  savings,  and  loan  frater- 
nity," instituted  in  1894  under  the  laws  of 
the  State  of  New  York,  with  its  headquar- 
ters in  New  York  city.  It  is  non-sectarian, 
non-political,  and  seeks  to  form  a  medium 
"  between  the  high-priced  tontine  insurance 
companies  and  the  very  low-priced  fraternal 
orders,"  a  sort  of  "compulsory  savings 
bank."  Its  founders  were  members  of  the 
Masonic  Fraternity,  the  American  Legion 
of  Honor,  Royal  Arcanum,  and  the  Junior 
Order  of  United  American  ]Mechanics,  the 
influence  of  the  latter  showing  itself  in  the 
stress  laid  upon  "our  glorious  country 
America  "  in  its  ritual.     There  is  no  physi- 


cal examination  as  a  prerequisite  to  admis- 
sion and  men  and  women  between  sixteen 
and  sixty  years  of  age  are  eligible  to  mem- 
bership. Its  subordinate  Councils  are  gov- 
erned by  a  Supreme  Council.  It  loans  to 
members  from  $G0  to  $000  on  certificates  of 
from  $100  to  $1,000,  and  pays  a  cash  benefit 
of  $100  to  $1,000  at  (death  or)  the  end  of 
sixty-five  months'  membership.  The  build- 
ing and  loan  society  feature  combined  with 
sick,  disability,  and  death  benefits  charac- 
terize the  Society.  There  is  also  an  arrange- 
ment for  cash  withdrawals,  and  the  cost  of 
each  $100  certificate  is  $1  monthly.  All 
loans  are  limited  by  the  amounts  i)aid  in, 
and  in  case  of  death  prior  to  the  maturity 
of  a  certificate,  the  benefit  paid  consists  of 
the  total  amount  paid  in  with  6  per  cent,  in- 
terest. Loans  are  made  on  first  mortgages 
on  real  estate  at  6  per  cent.,  and  are  repay- 
able in  monthly  installments.  The  secret 
work  of  the  organization  is  not  elaborate. 
Its  motto  is  "  Love,  Truth,  and  Justice." 

Kniglits  and  Ladies  of  Protection. — 
A  short  term  or  endowment  order  for  men 
aiul  women  formed  at  Roxbury,  Mass.,  and 
recorded  in  the  United  States  census  of 
1890.     Not  known  to  exist  now. 

Modern  Order  of  Craftsmen. — Found- 
ed at  Detroit,  Mich.,  in  1894,  and  incor- 
porated under  the  laws  of  Michigan  as  a 
fraternal  beneficiary  order.  Its  certificates 
mature  in  twenty  years,  and  a  paid-up  value 
is  given  them,  if  desired,  after  five  years. 
There  is  also  a  plan  l)y  which  surplus  funds 
are  loaned  to  members  on  real  estate,  first 
mortgage  security,  to  enable  them  to  pro- 
cure homes. 

National  Dotare. — Organized  at  De- 
troit, Mich.,  in  1892,  a  short  term  mutual 
benefit  society.  It  agreed  to  i)ay  $1,000  to 
holders  of  certificates  who  should  pay  the 
specified  assessments  during  the  life  of  cer- 
tificates. The  plan  depended  on  lapses  of 
membership  to  make  it  "a  success."  The 
society  soon  went  into  the  hands  of  receiv- 
ers. At  one  time  it  had  a  monthly  income 
of  $5,500. 


200 


NATIONAL   FRATERNAL   UNION 


National   Fraternal   Union. — One    of 

the  younger  in  the  sisterhood  of  secret  bene- 
ficiary societies,  having  been  organized  at 
Cincinnati  by  Freemasons,  members  of  the 
Knights  of  Pythias  and  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  in  1889,  to  insure 
the  lives  of  its  members  in  sums  ranging 
from  ^500  to  ^5,000,  or  furnish  ten,  fifteen, 
and  twenty-year  endowments.  The  Union 
was  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  Ohio  by 
its  founders,  S.  L.  Miner,  John  B.  Peaslee, 
A.  Alanson  Phelps,  W.  C.  Lockwood,  Lee 
H.  Brooks,  L.  E.  Casey,  and  F.  M.  Dillie. 
The  endowment  certificates  are  framed  to 
provide  sick  and  accident  policies,  and  after 
two  years'  membership  a  cash  surrender  is 
allowed  on  endowment  certificates.  This 
society  enjoys  the  unique  distinction  of 
being  "the  first  of  its  kind"  to  loan  its 
surplus  funds  to  members  on  the  building 
and  loan  association  plan.  It  therefore 
offers  regular  life  insurance  on  the  assess- 
ment basis,  or  on  the  endowment  plan,  with 
sick  and  disability  insurance,  and  its  reserve 
fund  as  loans  for  building.  No  charges  are 
made  for  initiation,  medical  examination, 
or  for  lodge  dues,  the  regular  monthly 
payment  including  the  entire  cost  of  mem- 
bership. Both  men  and  women  are  mem- 
bers. The  six-pointed  star  containing  a  mo- 
nogram formed  of  N.  F.  and  U.,  encircled  by 
a  chain  and  the  initials  of  the  motto,  "  Ad- 
vancement, Protection,  and  Fraternity," 
constitute  its  public  emblems.  The  ritual 
is  suggested  by  the  motto,  and  includes 
three  degrees,  one  for  each  word.  The 
membership  numbers  about  10,000. 

National  Protective  Legion. — A  fra- 
ternal beneficiary  society  organized  and  char- 
tered under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  New 
York  in  1891,  by  members  of  the  Masonic 
Fraternity,  to  unite  all  acceptable  men  and 
women  in  one  association,  the  aim  of  which 
shall  be  benevolence,  social  culture,  the  care 
of  the  sick  and  needy,  and  to  provide  and 
maintain  a  fund  for  the  benefit  of  its  mem- 
bers while  living,  and  for  the  protection  of 
their  families  in  the  event  of  death.  Its  local 


Legions  are  governed  by  Grand  or  State 
Legions,  and  the  latter  by  the  National 
Legion,  which  transacts  the  business  of  the 
order.  The  Legion  seeks  to  combine  some 
of  the  desirable  insurance  features  found  in 
similar  societies,  conspicuously  among  them 
a  semi-endowment  plan,  by  which  part  of 
the  face  of  death  benefit  certificates  is  paid 
during  the  life  time  of  holders;  a  cash  sur- 
render value  after  five  years  and  sick  and 
disability  benefits;  in  addition  to  which  the 
certificate  holder  may  borrow  from  the  bene- 
fit fund  up  to  a  certain  amount,  giving  the 
certificate  as  security.  The  office  of  the 
National  Legion  is  at  Waverly,  N.  Y.  Its 
total  membership  is  about  4,000. 

Order  of  iEgls. — Founded  at  Baltimore, 
in  1892,  by  Odd  Fellows,  Knights  of  Pythias, 
and  members  of  various  fraternal  orders, 
to  insure  by  means  of  assessments  the  lives 
of  acceptable  white  men  and  women  be- 
tween sixteen  and  fifty-five  3'ears  of  age  for 
S500,  11,000,  12,000,  or  13,000,  and  pay 
them  weekly  benefits  during  sickness.  The 
secrets  of  the  Order  are  reduced  to  those 
serving  to  identify  members.  At  the  first 
biennial  session  of  the  Supreme  Lodge  of 
the  Order  it  was  decided  to  issue  certificates 
on  the  ten-year  endowment  plan,  thus  plac- 
ing the  organization  among  those  which  pay 
a  specified  sum  to  members  at  the  end  of  a 
given  period  or  to  their  beneficiaries  in  the 
event  of  their  not  surviving  the  certificate. 
The  emblem  of  the  Order  is  a  shield  bearing 
the  Stars  and  Stripes  surrounded  by  a  scroll 
containing  the  motto,  "Fraternity,  Protec- 
tion, Equality,  and  Security."  Total  mem- 
bership about  6,500. 

Order  of  Equity. — Founded  at  Indian- 
apolis, Ind.,  in  1889,  by  some  of  the  leading 
officers  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  in  that 
State,  and  by  Freemasons  and  Odd  Fellows, 
to  pay  members  from  ^6  to  125  weekly  in 
case  of  accident  or  sickness,  and  funeral 
benefits  of  from  $40  to  $100  at  the  death  of 
a  member,  to  comfort  sick  and  distressed 
members  of  the  Order,  and  to  assist  them 
in  obtaining  employment  and  in  business. 


ORDER   OF   THE   CONTINENTAL   FRATERNAL  UNION 


201 


It  issued  certificates  of  §200,  ^300,  8400, 
and  §500,  "to  mature  in  five  and  eight 
years  from  date  of  issue,"  which  ckxssed  it 
among  the  short-term  or  endowment  orders. 
These  certificates  carried  sick,  temporary 
disability,  and  funeral  benefits.  Both  men 
and  women  were  admitted  to  member- 
ship. The  Order  was  scattered  through 
nearly  twenty  States,  but  was  strongest  in 
the  central  West.  It  paid  more  than 
$200,000  in  benefits,  with  a  total  member- 
ship of  only  about  4,000.  Its  ritual  re- 
ferred to  the  parable  of  the  Good  Samaritan 
and  the  healing  of  the  lejiers.  The  Order 
went  into  the  hands  of  a  receiver  in  March, 
1897,  owing  172,000  to  holders  of  certifi- 
cates, with  assets  amounting  to  only  $35,000. 
The  institution  was  similar  to  the  original 
Order  of  the  Iron  Hall,  which  failed  in 
1893. 

Order  of  Home  Builders. — Organized 
January  25,  1890,  and  registered  as  a  fra- 
ternal beneficiary  order  with  the  State 
Department  of  Pennsylvania.  Its  Grand 
Lodge,  or  governing  body,  is  permanently 
located  at  Pliiladelphia.  It  admits  men  and 
women  between  fifteen  and  sixty- five  years 
of  age  on  equal  terms,  and  pays  $500,  1250, 
and  $125  death  benefits,  according  to  age; 
sick  benefits  of  $7  per  week  for  a  monthly 
payment  of  40  cents,  and  annuity  benefits 
to  widows,  orphans,  or  other  beneficiaries, 
ranging  from  $100  to  $500.  There  is  also  a 
savings  department  in  which  members  may 
make  monthly  deposits  for  six  years,  after 
which  they  are  to  receive  the  sums  paid  by 
them  into  the  benefit  fund,  together  with 
their  pro  rata  shares  of  the  profits  of  the 
savings  department. 

•Order  of  Peudo. — A  mutual  assessment, 
beneficiary  organization  doing  business  un- 
der the  laws  of  the  State  of  California.  Its 
headquarters  are  at  San  Francisco. 

Order  of  Pente. — Organized  at  Phila- 
delphia in  1888,  and  chartered  under  the 
laws  of  that  State  as  a  fraternal,  coopera- 
tive, beneficiary  association.  Its  name,  as  in 
the  case  of  the  Sexennial  League,  formed  at 


the  same  city  in  the  same  year,  is  based  on 
its  short  term — in  this  instance,  five-year  ma- 
turing certificates — as  opposed  to  the  system 
of  payment  of  benefit  certificates  only  at 
death.  There  were  Freemasons,  Odd  Fel- 
lows, Knights  of  Pythias  and  members  of 
the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  among  the 
founders,  but  there  is  no  particular  trace  of 
the  influence  of  any  of  those  societies  in  the 
private  work  of  the  organization.  The 
7,000  members,  mostly  in  Pennsylvania,  in- 
clude women  and  men  between  the  ages  of 
sixteen  and  sixty-five  years  to  whom  it 
pays  sick  and  disability  benefits  of  from 
$5  to  $25  weekly,  and  from  $100  to  $500 
in  case  they  hold  a  certificate  for  that 
sum  for  a  period  of  five  years.  It  also  loans 
money  upon  certificates  up  to  75  per  cent, 
of  the  amount  paid  in  on  them.  The  seal 
of  the  Order  discloses  a  five-pointed  star 
inscribed  Avithin  a  pentagon. 

Order  of  Solon. — Organized  at  Pitts- 
burgh in  1888.  (See  Order  of  the  Solid 
Rock.) 

Order  of  Sons  of  Projji-ess. — Organized 
in  Philadelphia  in  1879.  (See  Order  of  the 
Solid  Rock.) 

Order  of  Twelve. — An  anti-slavery  se- 
cret society  of  negroes  formed  in  184G.  De- 
funct. (See  International  Order  of  Twelve, 
of  Knights  and  Daughters  of  Tabor.) 

Order  of  the  Benevolent  Union. — See 
Order  of  the  Solid  Rock. 

Order  of  the  Continental  Fraternal 
Union. — Similarities  of  names  of  secret 
beneficiary  societies  are  strongly  marked 
among  the  various  ''Unions,"  one  of  the 
younger  of  which,  the  Continental  Frater- 
nal, with  about  3,000  members  (men  and 
women),  has  its  headquarters  at  Richmond, 
Ind.,  where  it  Avas  founded  in  1890  by  mem- 
bers of  the  Knights  of  Honor,  the  Royal 
Arcanum,  the  Ancient  Order  of  United 
Workmen,  and,  as  usual,  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Masonic  Fra- 
ternity. It  pays  sick  and  death  benefits, 
and  seeks  to  insure  its  members  as  near 
actual  cost  as  possible.     Its  aim  is  economy 


202 


ORDER   OF   THE   FRATERNAL   CIRCLE 


and  mutual  helpfulness,  and  a  feature  of  its 
method  is  the  payment  of  §1,000  to  mem- 
bers on  a  stated  basis  of  assessments,  in  six 
and  one-half  years,  thus  characterizing  it 
as  one  of  the  so-called  short-term  orders. 
Its  emblem  is  made  up  of  the  clasped  hands 
across  a  shield,  above  which  are  the  letters 
U.  H.  F.,  and  below,  the  word  "Union," 
the  whole  surrounded  by  a  wreath  of  oak 
leaves. 

Order  of  the  Fraternal  Circle. — See 
Order  of  the  Solid  Rock. 

Order  of  the  Golden  Rod. — Organized 
at  Detroit  in  1894  by  George  Raviler  (of 
Knights  of  the  Maccabees,  International 
Fraternal  Alliance,  and  Order  of  the  Orient) 
and  Emil  C.  Hansen  (of  Royal  Adelphia, 
National  Dotare,  Order  of  Vesta  and 
Woodmen  of  the  World)  to  encourage  econ- 
omy and  thrift  among  its  members,  both 
men  and  women.  The  feature  of  its  system 
is  the  issuing  certificates  of  150  each  to  its 
members  in  a  series  of  250,  on  which  a  fee 
and  semi-monthly  assessment  of  25  cents  are 
charged.  No  member  carries  fewer  than 
two  certificates,  which  mature  in  their  nu- 
merical order  as  soon  as  funds  from  assess- 
ments accumulate  to  the  par  value  of  the 
lowest  numbered.  In  case  of  death  of  a 
member  in  good  standing  the  beneficiary 
may  continue  to  pay  the  assessments  and 
dues  and  receive  the  benefits  at  maturity, 
or  draw  out  the  sum  total  paid  in  assess- 
ments with  interest  at  7  per  cent. 

Order  of  the  Helping-  Hand. — Organ- 
ized at  Lynn,  Mass.,  prior  to  1890,  a  short- 
term,  assessment  insurance  society.  It  is 
registered  in  census  reports  for  1890,  which 
it  did  not  long  survive. 

Order  of  the  Iron  Hall. — Organized  as 
a  fraternal  beneficiary  secret  society  by  Emi 
Kennedy,  Freeman  D.  Somerby  and  others, 
at  Indianapolis,  Ind.,  in  December,  1881, 
and  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  that 
State.  Its  object  was  fraternal,  sick,  dis- 
ability, and  endowment  insurance  upon  the 
assessment  plan.  It  was  also  a  secret  soci- 
ety, having  an  initiation  ceremony  and  pass 


words.  At  the  beginning  men  only  were 
admitted,  and  later  women  were  admitted 
as  social  members,  without  the  right  to  vote 
in  its  councils,  but  at  the  time  of  the  ap- 
pointment of  the  receiver  they  had  all  the 
privileges  of  the  association.  Persons  were 
admitted  between  the  ages  of  eighteen  and 
sixty-five  years.  The  total  membership  dur- 
ing the  life  of  the  Order  was  about  125,000. 
The  highest  membership  at  any  one  time  was 
probably  about  70,000.  The  membership  at 
the  time  of  the  appointment  of  the  receiver, 
August,  1892,  was  63,000.  The  society 
failed  because  the  system  or  theory  of  its 
organization  was  not  practicable.  The 
moneys  paid  into  the  Order  by  the  mem- 
bers earned  no  increment  so  far  as  the  books 
of  the  association  disclosed.  The  Order 
was  said  to  make  money  on  lapses  of  mem- 
bership and  claimed  that  there  was  an  in- 
crease of  four  members  for  each  certificate 
maturing;  or  all  that  a  member  had  to  do 
"was  to  get  in  four  other  members,  and 
that  would  enable  the  association  to  pay  him 
out."  Practically  the  association  lost  in  the 
aggregate  more  than  1100,000  on  account 
of  lapsing  members.  The  Iron  Hall  of 
Baltimore  city  was  organized  in  1892  by 
members  of  the  original  Iron  Hall,  with 
Freeman  D.  Somerby  at  its  head. 

Order  of  the  Orient. — A  Michigan  mu- 
tual benefit,  fraternal  order,  which  found 
itself  in  the  hands  of  a  receiver  in  1895  and 
has  since  disappeared.  An  order  by  the 
same  name  was  in  existence  on  the  Northern 
Peninsula  of  Michigan  and  in  Wisconsin  in 
1895,  but  efforts  to  obtain  details  of  their 
origin,  character,  and  progress  have  been 
fruitless. 

Order  of  the  Royal  Argosy. — An  en- 
dowment or  short-term  fraternal  society, 
organized  at  San  Francisco  in  1888.  Un- 
traced. 

Order  of  the  Royal  Ark. — See  Order 
of  the  Solid  Rock. 

Order  of  the  Solid  Rock. — Founded  in 
1889  at  Boston,  Mass.,  a  short-term  or 
endowment    fraternal    organization.     It    is 


PROGRESSIVE   ENDOWMENT   GUILD   OF  AMERICA 


203 


recorded  in  the  census  of  1890  as  among  the 
many  similar  societies  of  that  period  which 
endeavored  to  pay  back  the  face  of  endow- 
ment certificates  of  from  $100  to  $200,  $300, 
$400,  $500,  and,  in  some  instances,  $1,000 
to  surviving  members  within  a  few  years. 
These  societies  also  paid  weekly  sick  benefits, 
so  long  as  they  lasted,  ranging  from  $3.50  to 
$5,  and  from  $5  to  $20.  A  great  many  un- 
thinking or  uninformed  people  became  in- 
terested in  these  short-term  endowment 
societies  and  some  lost  money.  Most  of 
these  societies  died  after  meeting  one  set  of 
maturing  certificates,  and  comparatively  few 
remain  to-day. 

Order  of  the  World,  of  Boston. — See 
Order  of  the  Solid  Rock. 

Order  of  Touti. — A  Pennsylvania  short- 
term  or  endowment  mutual  assessment 
fraternity.  It  assigned  in  1895,  and  its 
assets  were  divided  by  the  court  among 
more  than  15,000  certificate  holders. 

Order  of  Vesta. — One  of  the  numerous 
mutual  assessment,  short-term,  or  tontine 
fraternal  organizations  which  started  up  a 
few  years  ago.  Its  membership  was  chiefly 
in  Pennsylvania,  where  it  made  an  assign- 
ment in  1895,  and  was  su^bsequently  wound 
up. 

People's  Favorite  Order. — See  Order 
of  the  Solid  Eock. 

People's  Five-Year  Benefit  Order. — 
See  Order  of  the  Solid  Rock. 

People's  Mutual  Life  Insurance  Or- 
der.— A  short-term  or  endowment  assess- 
ment fraternity,  located  in  census  reports 
for  1890  at  Nashville,  Tenn.,  where  it  was 
founded  in  1882.     Unknown  there  now. 

Progressive  Endowment  Guild  of 
America. — A  conservative  and  well-estab- 
lished cooperative,  beneficiary  societ}%  or- 
ganized by  Freemasons,  Knights  of  Pythias, 
and  members  of  the  Royal  Arcanum,  and 
chartered  by  the  Legislature  of  Virginia, 
embodying  endowment  or  short-term  in- 
surance, sick  benefits,  and  cash  willidniwals. 
White  men  and  women  between  eighteen 
and  sixty-five  years  of  age  are  eligible  to  its 


three  classes  of  membership.  Subordinate 
Chapters  are  governed  by  a  Supreme  Chap- 
ter, between  sessions  of  which  the  business 
of  the  order  is  managed  by  a  Supreme 
Executive  Committee  of  seven  members. 
In  Class  A,  to  which  those  between  eighteen 
and  fifty  years  of  age  are  admitted,  certifi- 
cates of  from  $500  to  $5,000  are  issued, 
payable  in  ten  years,  or  immediately  in 
case  of  death,  which  Jilso  provide  sick  bene- 
fits of  $5  weekly  on  every  $1,000,  to  be 
deducted  from  the  amounts  carried.  This 
is  met  by  monthly  jiayments  at  the  rate  of 
$3.60  for  every  $1,000.  Class  B,  ''inter- 
mediate," consists  of  those  between  fifty- 
one  and  fifty-eight  years  of  age,  who  receive 
like  benefits,  except  in  case  of  death  during 
the  ten-year  period,  when  beneficiaries  re- 
ceive one-tenth  of  the  face  of  certificates 
for  each  year  of  membershii?  and  fraction 
thereof.  Class  B  includes  those  between 
fifty-nine  and  sixty-five  years  of  age,  who 
cannot  pass  a  satisfactory  physical  examin- 
ation or  are  unwilling  to  submit  to  one. 
They  enjoy  similar  benefits,  but  in  case  of 
death  their  beneficiaries  receive  only  the 
amount  jiaid  in  for  assessments.  The  funds 
of  the  Guild  are  invested  in  mortgages  on 
improved  real  estate.  Five  per  cent,  of  all 
assessments  is  set  aside  for  the  Reserve 
Benefit  Fund,  no  part  of  which  is  to  be 
expended  until  it  amounts  to  $500,000,  and 
then  only  to  limit  assessments  to  one  for 
each  month.  A  feature  is  made  of  the 
provision  that  after  membership  for  six 
consecutive  years  in  good  standing  all  mem- 
bers unwilling  or  unable  to  continue  pay- 
ing assessments  may  have  their  certificates 
made  non-forfeitable  to  the  amount  paid 
in,  which  sum  is  payable  at  death  or  on 
reaching  the  age  of  seventy  years.  Persons 
following  hazardous  occupations  or  who 
live  in  localities  subject  to  epidemics  are 
eligible  to  membership,  but  in  case  of  death 
during  the  ten-year  period  are  treated  as 
members  in  Class  B,  "intermediate.**  This 
applies  also  to  those  who  commit  suicide 
during  the  first  ten  years  of  membership. 


204 


ROYAL  ADELPHIA 


Wliile  disclaiming  being  a  secret  society, 
"in  the  ordinary  meaning  of  the  words," 
the  Guild  has  its  obligations,  its  "private 
work  "  and  means  of  identifying  members, 
Avhich  constitute  about  all  that  is  secret 
in  many  latter-day  secret  societies.  The 
Guild  has  grown  less  rapidly  than  some 
similar  organizations  but  far  more  stead- 
ily, and  ranks  second  to  none  of  the  endow- 
ment or  so-called  short-time  orders.  Its 
membership  numbers  about  5,000,  and  in- 
cludes the  names  of  many  whose  reputation 
crosses  State  lines,  conspicuously,  Charles 
T.  O'Ferrall,  formerly  governor  of  Virginia. 

Royal  Adelphia. — Founded  at  Detroit 
in  1883,  a  fraternal  beneficiary  society  of 
the  short-term  or  endowment  variety,  or- 
ganized to  pay  death  benefits  of  $1,000, 
82,000,  and  S3,000,  and  sick  benefits  of  $15 
weekly.  It  died  ten  years  later.  Some  of 
its  members  were  identified  with  the  Na- 
tional Dotare  and  the  Order  of  the  Golden 
Eod. 

Royal  Benefit  Society. — A  mutual  as- 
sessment, life  and  endowment  beneficiary 
organization,  incorporated  under  the  laws 
of  the  State  of  New  York  with  its  home 
office  in  New  York  city.  It  was  organized 
in  1893,  and  among  its  founders  were  Free- 
masons, Odd  Fellows,  Knights  of  Pythias, 
and  members  of  a  number  of  the  Eoyal  Ar- 
canum and  other  beneficiary  secret  societies. 
Its  membership  amounts  to  more  than 
3,000.  It  issues  certificates  to  .men  and 
women  in  sums  of  from  $250  to  $3,000,  pay- 
able at  death  or  at  the  end  of  ten,  fifteen, 
and  twenty  years,  by  means  of  monthly  as- 
sessments or  premiums  of  from  $1  to  $15. 
There  are  also  weekly  benefits  in  cases  of 
sickness  or  accident.  "  Paid  up  "  benefits 
are  issued  at  any  time  after  three  years,  and 
cash  surrenders  are  allowed  after  five  years. 
There  are  also  joint  certificates  for  husband 
and  wife,  payable  to  the  survivor,  or,  if  on 
the  endowment  plan,  as  arranged  in  the 
'  application.  This  society  combines  charac- 
teristics of  the  long  and  short  term,  mutual 
assessment,  fraternal  orders,  with  some  of 


the  features  of  the  ordinary  life  insurance 
company.  Its  tendency  to  the  business 
rather  than  the  social  or  fraternal  side  of 
secret  society  life  is  shown  in  the  statement 
that  it  has  a  "  plain,  business-like  ritual 
and  manual." 

Sexennial  League. — Organized  and 
chartered  under  the  laws  of  the  State 
of  Pennsylvania,  July  18,  1888,  by  David 
C.  Eeynolds  and  others,  one  or  more  of 
whom  were  members  each  of  the  Ancient 
Order  of  United  Workmen,  Royal  Arca- 
num, American  Legion  of  Honor,  Order  of 
Sparta,  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity,  and  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  The 
definite  object  of  the  association  was  offi- 
cially stated  to  be  "to  enable  all  persistent 
members  to  have  an  opj)ortunity  to  save 
small  amounts  periodically,  which,  merging 
in  a  common  fund,  would  produce  large  in- 
crease from  safe  investments,  the  benefit  to 
be  shared  by  the  persistent  members  in  pro- 
portion to  the  certificates  held  by  them. 
The  features  of  paying  an  ample  sick  bene- 
fit and  a  moderate  death  benefit  were  also 
incorporated.  The  distinctive  feature  was 
the  termination  of  membership  at  the  end 
of  six  years  from  joining  ;  each  six  years,  if 
a  person  continuously  rejoined,  being  thus 
a  period  of  reaping  the  benefits  of  faithful 
membership.  The  certificates  were  of  five 
denominations,  $200,  $400,  $600,  $800,  and 
$1,000."  Extra  assessments,  if  required, 
were  optional ;  that  is,  members  might  pay 
them  or  allow  their  certificates  to  pay  them; 
but  the  latter  course  drew  upon  the  amounts 
to  become  due  at  the  expiration  of  the 
sexennial,  or  six-years'  period.  Benefici- 
aries of  members  who  died  during  the  life 
of  their  certificates  received  one-tenth  of 
the  certificates  if  two  years  had  elapsed, 
and  proportionate  amounts  at  later  dates, 
or  the  heirs  could  continue  the  certificates, 
and  receive  the  full  amounts  due  at  matur- 
ity. Sick  benefits  are  paid  for  four  weeks 
during  one  continuous  illness,  and  a  pro- 
vision is  also  made  for  total  disability  bene- 
fits.    The  laws  provide  "that  a  stated  cash 


UNITED   ORDER   OF  EQUITY 


205 


rate  of  two  assessments  per  mouth  sliall  be 
called  during  the  six  years,"  and  "it  is  ex- 
pected that  the  reserve  accumulations  with 
interest  and  lajjses  will  produce  the  face 
value  of  the  certificates."  The  plan  of  co- 
operative endowment,  combined  with  sick 
and  other  benefits  which  the  Sexennial 
League  made  ])rominent  among  American 
fraternal  orders,  is  referred  to  in  the  Ameri- 
can supplement  to  the  "Encyclopaedia  Bri- 
tannica "  (vol.  iv.,  p.  545)  as  a  distinctly 
modern  idea ;  but  it  is  fair  to  add  that  so 
many  similar  organizations  have  met  with 
disaster  that  the  success,  or  jjartial  suc- 
cess, of  the  system  appears  to  be  practically 
dependent  on  lapses  of  membership  of  a 
considerable  number  who  embark  in  the 
enterprise.  That  this  is  appreciated  by 
those  most  interested  is  shown  by  the  use 
of  the  expression  "  persistent  members  "  in 
the  official  announcement  quoted  above. 
The  League's  first  sexennial  period  ended 
without  loss,  but  owing  to  interference  by 
the  Insurance  Commissioner  of  the  State  of 
Pennsylvania  in  1895,  the  endowment  feat- 
ure was  modified  and  the  League  permitted 
to  continue  its  operations  '*  on  a  reduced 
scale."  It  is  still  relatively  successful 
among    similar    organizations,    numbering 


nearly  25,000  members,  both  men  and 
women.  The  Supreme  Lodge,  by  which 
subordinate  Lodges  are  governed  on  a 
strictly  representative  system,  is  located  at 
Philadeli)hia.  The  society's  ritual  joos- 
sesses  something  of  novelty  among  like 
productions,  being  based  on  the  life  of 
Archimedes,  having  particular  reference  to 
his  discovery  of  the  principle  of  the  lever, 
and  the  words,  "Give  me  a  fulcrum  on 
which  to  rest,  and  I  will  move  the  earth." 
The  emblem  displayed  in  its  Lodge  rooms 
contains  representations  of  Archimedes,  the 
lever,  fulcrum,  and  the  earth. 

Society  of  Select  Guardians. — A  short- 
term  or  endowment  order,  which  issues 
certificates  of  from  ^100  to  $1,000,  payable 
in  seven  years,  and  death  benefit  certificates 
of  $500,  $1,000,  and  $2,000.  It  is  as  promi- 
nent as  elsewhere  at  Newark,  N.  J. 

Sons  and  Daughters  of  America. — 
Fall  River,  Mass.,  short-term  beneficiary  so- 
ciety.    (See  Order  of  the  Solid  Rock.) 

The  Union  Endowment. — See  Order 
of  the  Solid  Rock. 

United  Endowment  licague. — See  Or- 
der of  the  Solid  Rock. 

United  Order  of  Equity. — See  Order 
of  the  Solid  Rock. 


206 


AHAVAS  ISRAEL 


IV 


HEBEEW  ASSESSMEl^T   BENEFIOIAET   SOCIETIES 


Ahavas  Israel. — A  charitable  and  be- 
nevolent Hebrew  beneficiary  society  paying 
death  and  sick  benefits  by  means  of  mu- 
tual assessments.  It  was  founded  at  New 
York  city  in  1890  by  B.  Nemberger,  Alter 
Gottlese,  L.  Elerman  and  others,  variously 
members  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity,  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  the 
Sons  of  Benjamin,  and  Independent  Order 
B'rith  Abraham.  Wives  of  members  are 
covered  by  its  system  of  insurance,  and 
over  $60,000  has  been  paid  for  relief 
and  death  benefits  since  1890.  The  chief 
emblem  is  the  ancient  one,  a  pair  of 
clasped  hands.  Total  membership  about 
3,000. 

American  Star  Order. — A  charitable 
and  benevolent  society  of  Eoumauian  He- 
brews organized  at  New  York  city  in  1884, 
to  pay  death  and  sick  benefits  by  means  of 
mutual  assessments.  Women  whose  hus- 
bands are  members,  are  members  while  the 
husbands  are  alive  and  in  good  standing. 
Death  certificates  of  $500  are  paid,  and 
about  $140,000  have  been  so  expended  since, 
the  society  was  organized.  The  total  mem- 
bership is  about  5,500,  nearly  one-half  being 
women.  The  motto  is  '"'  Charity,  Harmony, 
and  Brotherly  Love,"  and  the  emblem  is  a 
five-pointed  star  containing  three  Hebrew 
characters  with  the  Roman  numeral  XIII 
below  and  the  letter  G-  above. 

Iinprovecl  Order  of  B'nai  B'rith. — A 
mutual  assessment  beneficiary  society  which 
only  Hebrews  (men)  may  join.  It  was 
founded  at  Baltimore  in  1887  by  two  Lodges 
of  the  Independent  Order  of  B'nai  B'rith, 
numbering  about  230  members,  who,  as  ex- 
plained, ''were  dissatisfied"  with  the  laws 
of  the  latter  order.  It  exists  only  in  the 
United  States,  where  its  Lodges  are  found 


at  many  of  the  larger  cities  east  of  the  Mis- 
sissippi River.  It  insures  the  lives  of  mem- 
bers for  $1,000,  and  the  lives  of  wives  of 
members  in  one-half  that  amount.  Subor- 
dinate Lodges  pay  sick  benefits  as  arranged. 
Death  benefits  are  paid  by  the  Supreme 
Lodge.  The  order  is  similar  to  other  He- 
brew assessment  beneficiary  secret  societies. 
Its  ritual  is  based  upon  the  covenant  of  God 
with  Noah,  Abraham,  and  Moses,  and  its 
principal  emblem  consists  of  the  All-seeing 
Eye  above  three  pillars  which  frame  the 
tablets  of  stone  containing  the  Roman  nu- 
merals suggesting  the  Ten  Commandments, 
and  inculcates  the  practice  of  charity,  not 
only  within,  but  beyond  the  limits  of  the 
membership  of  the  Order.  Its  membership 
exceeds  3,000. 

Independent  Order  of  American  Is- 
raelites.— Founded  at  New  York  city  in 
1894  by  William  Heller,  Magnus  Levy,  Rob- 
ert Blum,  Aaron  Levy,  Carl  L.  Leweustein, 
and  Leopold  Kramer,  some  or  all  of  whom 
had  been  members  of  the  Independent  Or- 
der, Free  Sons  of  Israel  and  of  the  Sons  of 
Benjamin;  a  charitable  and  benevolent  He- 
brew society,  paying  $1,000  to  the  heirs  of  a 
deceased  member,  if  a  man,  and  $500  to 
beneficiaries  of  a  deceased  woman  member, 
by  means  of  mutual  assessments.  Subordi- 
nate lodges  also  pay  sick  benefits.  It  ex- 
ists in  the  United  States  only,  and  reports 
about  3,000  men  and  2,500  women  mem- 
bers, to  whom  or  their  heirs  about  $9,000 
has  been  paid  in  relief  or  as  benefits.  The 
secret  ceremonies  of  the  order  are  based  on 
the  story  of  the  Exodus  of  the  Jews  from 
Egypt.  The  seal  of  its  Grand  Lodge  dis- 
plays the  words,  "Liberty,  Equality,  Fra- 
ternity," over  a  spread  eagle,  with  shield, 
holding  American  flags  in  its  talons. 


INDEPENDENT   ORDER,  B'NAI    B'RITH 


207 


Independent     Order,     B'nai     B'rith 

(Brotherhood  of  the  Covenant). — Founded 
in  1843  in  New  York  city  as  a  fraternal, 
charitable,  and  benevolent  Jewish  organiza- 
tion. It  numbers  nearly  500  Lodges  in 
America,  Europe,  Asia,  and  Africa,  with  a 
membership  of  about  35,000.  The  emigra- 
tion of  Jews  to  America  from  the  old  coun- 
try began  about  1830,  and  ten  years  later 
there  were  several  congregations  here,  most 
of  them  conforming  to  ancient  practices  and 
clinging  to  traditional  forms.  A  number 
of  German  Jews  possessing  a  liberal  educa- 
tion perceived  that  Jews  who  had  come  from 
foreign  villages  and  country  towns,  and  had 
begun  here  in  an  humble  way,  would  not 
be  able  to  work  their  way  up  except  through 
education;  and  Henry  Jones,  a  native  of 
Hamburg,  conceived  the  idea  of  forming  a 
society,  the  chief  purpose  of  which  should 
be  to  foster  education  and  to  encourage  the 
higher  pursuits  of  life.  He  found  a  few 
men  in  accord  with  him,  twelve  in  all,  who 
laid  the  foundation  of  the  new  society  deep 
and  strong.  Their  greatest  success  was  in  re- 
conciling the  orthodox,  conservative,  and 
reform  Jews.  Among  the  founders  of  the 
Order  were  Dr.  Leo  Merzbacher,  the  first 
reform  preacher  of  Temple  Emanuel ;  Rev. 
Dr.  Lilienthal,  subsequently  of  Cincinnati; 
Baruch  Rothschild;  Dr.  Emanuel  JMoses 
Friedlein,  lately  deceased;  and  Julius  Bien, 
who  has  been  president  of  the  Order  since 
1869,  in  which  year  the  Society  was  reor- 
ganized. Among  the  names  of  the  original 
members  are  also  those  of  William  Renau, 
Reuben  Rodacher,  Isaac  Dittenhoefer, 
Henry  Anspacher,  Samuel  Schafer,  Hirsch 
Heineman,  Valentine  Koon,  Isaac  Rosen- 
bourgh,  Jonas  Hecht,  Henry  Kling,  and 
Michael  Schwab.  In  the  beginning  its  gov- 
ernment was  patriarchal,  but  at  the  New 
York  convention  of  delegates  in  1869  the 
sovereignty  of  the  Supreme  Grand  Lodge 
was  transferred  to  subordinate  Lodges, 
which  were  to  exercise  their  functions 
through  delegates  who  were  to  assemble 
every   five    years     and    form    Constitution 


Grand  Lodges.  In  the  interval  an  execu- 
tive committee  of  one  representative  from 
each  Grand  Lodge  and  a  president  elected 
as  delegate-at-large,  were  to  exercise  su- 
preme control,  subject  to  the  fundamental 
law  as  embodied  in  the  constitution  and  as 
interpreted  by  a  Court  of  Appeals  consist- 
ing of  a  member  from  each  District  Grand 
Lodge.  The  Order  has  directly  or  indi- 
rectly established  many  benevolent  institu- 
tions— at  New  York,  a  free  circulating  li- 
brary with  more  than  30,000  volumes;  at 
Yonkers,  a  home  for  the  aged  and  infirm, 
affording  shelter  for  100  men  and  women; 
at  Cleveland,  an  orphan  asylum  supporting 
and  educating  more  than  1,000  children; 
and  at  New  Orleans,  Atlanta,  Ga.,  and  at 
San  Francisco  similar  refuges,  supported  by 
the  members  of  the  Fraternity.  At  Phila- 
delphia there  is  a  technical  school,  and  at 
San  Francisco  a  free  religious  school.  A 
well-equipped  trade  school  at  Chicago,  sup- 
ported and  maintained  by  the  entire  Jewish 
community,  owes  its  existence  to  the  Order. 
District  Grand  Lodges  meet  at  New  York, 
Philadelphia,  Cincinnati,  Chicago,  New 
Orleans,  and  San  Francisco.  In  1882  peti- 
tions were  received  from  Jews  residing  in 
Berlin  for  a  charter  to  establish  Lodges  in 
Germany,  which  was  granted,  and  the  first 
Lodge  at  Berlin  was  called  the  '' Reich- 
stage."  Some  of  the  foremost  German  Is- 
raelites  joined  the  Fraternity,  and  tliere  are 
now  twenty-nine  Lodges  there,  working  un- 
der their  own  Grand  Lodge.  The  Order 
soon  spread  to  the  far  East,  and  Lodges  of 
the  B'nai  B'rith  are  at  work  in  Jerusalem, 
Jaffa,  Beyruth,  Cairo,  Alexandria,  and  else- 
where in  the  Levant,  where,  owing  to  their 
influence,  schools,  libraries,  and  agricultural 
plants  have  been  established.  A  branch 
was  established  in  Roumania  by  the  late 
Benjamin  F.  Peixotto,  during  his  residence 
at  Bucharest  as  Consul-General  of  the 
United  States,  and  Roumanian  Lodges  are 
now  working  under  a  Grand  Lodge  of  their 
own.  In  Austria  a  sufficient  number  of 
Lodges  have    been    instituted    to    form   a 


208 


INDEPENDENT  ORDER  OF  FREE  SONS  OF  ISRAEL 


Grana  Lodge,  which  meets  at  Prague.  The 
Order  has  schools  in  Roumania,  and  a  hos- 
pital in  the  ancient  city  of  Jerusalem,  and 
anticipates  an  early  invasion  of  the  United 
Kingdom,  where  it  is  expected  to  establish 
Lodges  of  the  Brotherhood  of  the  Covenant 
and  continue  the  benevolent  work  with 
Avhich  its  name  is  associated  throughout  the 
world.  The  death  benefit  paid  by  means  of 
assessments  to  surviving  relatives  of  mem- 
bers of  the  Order  amounted  to  $1,000  prior 
to  1893,  but  since  that  time  members  have 
been  insured  in  the  sums  of  11,000,  $1,500, 
and  12,000.  A  recent  financial  exhibit 
states  that  since  its  organization  in  1843, 
the  Order  has  aided  needy  members  to  the 
extent  of  $18,000,000,  has  paid  to  widows 
and  orphans  130,000,000,  expended  in  the 
construction  or  improvement  of  charitable 
institutions  $15,000,000,  and  for  other  chari- 
ties $35,000,000;  in  all,  $98,000,000  within 
fifty-five  years.  This  record  constitutes  a 
monument  to  the  philanthropy  and  benevo- 
lence of  the  Order,  which  was  of  Masonic 
inspiration,  and  whose  emblem  is  the  Meno- 
rah,  or  seven-branch  candlestick,  the  em- 
blem of  Light.  Its  ritual  is  based  upon 
Light,  teaching  the  uniting  of  Israelites  in 
works  of  benevolence  and  the  interests  of 
humanity.  The  Secretary  of  the  Executive 
Committee  and  Treasurer  of  District  Grand 
Lodge,  No.  1,  is  Solomon  Sulzberger  of  Xew 
York.  Moritz  Ellinger.  is  editor  of  the 
"  Menorah  Magazine,"  the  official  organ  of 
the  Order;  and  S.  Hamburger,  Secretary  of 
District  Grand  Lodge,  No.  1,  New  York, 
has  been  identified  with  the  Society  since 
1851.  Other  well-known  officials  are  Joshua 
Kantrowitz,  lawyer.  President  of  District 
Grand  Lodge,  No.  1;  and  Simon  Wolf,  of 
Washington,  a  member  of  the  Executive 
Committee. 

ludepenclent  Order  of  Free  Sons  of 
Israel. — A  charitable  and  benevolent  secret 
society  of  Hebrews  which  pays  $1,000  to 
beneficiaries  of  deceased  members,  and  cares 
for  sick  and  distressed  members,  their  wid- 
ows and  orphans.      It  employs  some  Ma- 


sonic nomenclature  and  outward  forms,  but 
has  for  its  motto,  "  Friendship,  Love,  and 
Truth,"  which  is  identified  with  various 
Orders  of  Odd  Fellows.  In  its  official  his- 
tory, referring  to  the  political  and  intellec- 
tual emancipation  of  the  Jews,  with  which 
Moses  Mendelssohn,  who  lived  at  Berlin 
more  than  one  hundred  years  ago,  was  iden- 
tified, it  recalls  that  dissensions  on  the  Con- 
tinent of  Europe  "drove  large  numbers  of 
the  irrepressible  race  to  the  shores  of  liberty- 
loving  America,"  where  they  "banded 
themselves  together  for  protection  and  edu- 
cation."  The  first  Lodge  of  the  Indepen- 
dent Order  Free  Sons  of  Israel,  Noah,  No.  1 
(named  after  Judge  Mordecai  M.  Noah  of 
New  York,  ex-Consul  General  to  Tunis), 
was  established  at  the  corner  of  Ridge  and 
Houston  Streets,  New  York,  January  10, 
1849,  by  Friedman  Kohn,  Henry  Strauss, 
H.  Stern,  Carl  Abales,  Charles  Heyneman, 
Abraham  Posner,  S.  Buttenheim,  I.  Regens- 
bergh,  and  Lazarus  Lobel.  The  same  men 
were  delegates  to  the  Constitutional  Grand 
Lodge,  which  was  instituted  March  10, 
1849,  and  met  again  one  week  later,  when 
the  motto  of  the  society  was  adopted.  The 
third  meeting  of  the  Grand  Lodge  was  on 
March  22,  1849,  when  laws  for  the  govern- 
ment of  subordinate  Lodges,  regalia,  etc., 
were  adopted.  Although  special  returns 
concerning  the  Order  state  there  is  no  wom- 
en's branch,  the  official  history  says  that 
Toechter  (Daughter)  Lodge,  No.  1,  "a  la- 
dies' lodge,"  was  instituted  July  8,  1849, 
and  is  "  still  in  existence."  In  the  message 
of  Grand  Master  Julius  Harburger  before 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  L^nited  States,  1897, 
the  following  explanation  ajDpears:  "For 
many  years  a  number  of  Lodges  composed 
of  ladies  being  the  wives,  relatives,  and 
friends  of  the  members  of  the  Brotherhood 
have  been  doing  most  excellent  work,  and 
while  they  are  not  under  the  direct  jurisdic- 
tion of  our  Brotherhood,  yet  they  consider 
their  work,  so  to  speak,  linked  with  that  of 
our  Order."  Abraham  Lodge,  No.  2,  was  in- 
stituted May  7,  1849,  and  late  in  that  year 


ORDER   OF   R'RITII    ARRAHAM 


209 


Reuben  Lodge,  No.  3,  wliicli  was  joined  b}- 
thirty  former  members  of  Strnve  Ijodge,  No. 
17,  of  the  German  Order  of  llarugari  who 
had  just  resigned  from  the  latter.  This  ac- 
cession brought  with  it  Isaac  Haml)urger, 
afterward  Past  Grand  Master,  and  II.  J. 
Goldsmith,  who  became  Past  Grand  Secre- 
tary of  the  Independent  Order  Free  Sons  of 
Israel,  and  who,  for  eminent  services,  are 
ranked  us  founders.  The  latter  was  elected 
Secretary  of  Reuben  Lodge  in  1855,  two 
years  after  he  had  drafted  a  new  ritual  for 
the  Order  and  been  elected  Degree  Master. 
The  growth  of  the  society  was  conservative 
but  healthful,  the  membership  numbering 
only  453  members  divided  among  seven 
Lodges  in  1850,  and  928  members  in  ten 
Lodges  in  18G3.  On  April  25,  1865,  the 
Order,  as  yet  confined  to  New  York  city, 
assembled  and  took  part  in  the  funeral 
ceremonies  of  Abraham  Lincoln.  The  first 
Lodge  established  out  of  New  York  was 
Benjamin,  No.  15,  at  Philadelphia,  July  30, 
1865,  where  the  society  grew  and  prospered. 
The  Order  includes  many  of  the  leading 
and  progressive  Jewish  citizens  of  the  coun- 
try, numbers  about  15,000  members  in  104 
Lodges,  has  a  reserve  fund  of  1735,000,  and 
has  paid  out  nearly  $5,000,000  in  relief  to 
members  and  their  families.  ■Membersliip, 
which  is  restricted  to  Israelites,  is  scattered 
through  twenty-one  States  of  the  L^nion. 
Past  Grand  Master  Julius  ILirburger  and 
Grand  Master  M.  L.  Seixas  are  prominent 
among  those  in  recent  years  who  have  had 
much  to  do  with  building  up  the  Order. 
(See  Independent  Order  American  Israel- 
ites.) 

Independent  Order  of  Free  Sons  of 
Judali. — Founded  by  Rev.  Dr.  AVechsler 
at  New  York  city  in  1890  to  pay  ^^oOO  to 
beneficiaries  of  deceased  members,  and  ^G  a 
week  sick  benefits  for  thirteen  weeks  in  any 
one  year,  by  means  of  mutual  assessments. 
Hebrews  only,  both  men  and  women,  are 
eligible  to  membership,  meeting  in  separate 
Lodges.     Total  meml)ership  is  about  3,500, 

nearly  one-half  being  women.     More  than 
14 


^30,000  have  been  paid  for  sick  and  death 
benefits.  Itsemljlcm  is  tlie  lion  of  the  tril)e 
of  Judah. 

Keslier  Shel  Burzel. — A  charitable  and 
benevolent  mutual  assessment  Hebrew  bene- 
ficiary society,  having  a  branch  for  women. 
It  has  paid  about  82,000,000  for  the  relief 
of  members  and  their  families  during  tiie 
past  thirty-six  years.  The  emblem  includes 
the  All-seeing  Eye  and  the  ark,  below  which 
are  three  Hebrew  characters.  Its  ritual  is 
based  upon  the  history  of  Noah,  Abraham, 
and  Isaac.  IIead(iuarters  are  at  New  York 
city,  where  it  was  founded  in  1860,  and  the 
total  membership  is  about  6,000. 

Order  of  B'ritli  Abraham. — A  charita- 
ble and  benevolent  Hebrew  societ}'  founded 
at  New  York  city  in  1859  by  Oscar  Wiener 
of  Newark,  N.  J.,  Leonard  Leisersohn  of 
New  York  city,  and  others,  in  part  along 
lines  laid  down  by  the  Independent  Order 
B'nai  B'rith  (1843)  and  the  Independent 
Order  Free  Sons  of  Israel  (1849),  to  pro- 
vide, by  means  of  assessments,  for  sick  and 
distressed  members,  for  widows  and  orphans, 
and  to  educate  members  to  become  worthy 
citizens  of  the  United  States.  Like  all  sim- 
ilar Hebrew  organizations,  it  embodies  some 
of  the  features  of  Freemasonry.  Its  em- 
blem is  the  interlaced  double  triangle  and  a 
representation  of  Abraham  about  to  offer 
up  his  son  Isaac  as  a  sacrifice.  Its  member- 
shij)  is  restricted  to  reformed  Jews,  those 
classed  as  not  orthodox.  Its  ceremonial  of 
initiation  is  calculated  to  emphasize  the 
meaning  of  harmony,  wisdom,  and  justice. 
It  pays  both  sick  and  death  benefits,  and 
has  ex])ended  for  the  relief  of  members  and 
their  families  since  the  date  of  foundation 
nearly  !5'2,000,000.  Lodges  for  women,  rela- 
tives of  members  of  the  Order,  are  formed 
with  the  sanction  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  and 
may  elect  Past  Presidents  of  men's  Lodges 
to  act  as  officers.  There  are  more 'than  160 
Lodges  of  the  Order  of  B'rith  Abraham  in 
the  United  States,  three-fifths  of  which, 
with  8,000  members,  are  in  New  York 
city.   The  total  membership  exceeds  11,000, 


210 


INDEPENDENT   ORDER   OF   SONS   OF   ABRAHAM 


exclusive  of  about  1,000  members  of  women's 
Lodges.  (See  Independent  Order,  Sons  of 
Benjamin  ;  Ahavas  Israel,  and  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Sons  of  Abraham. ) 

Independent  Order  of  Sons  of  Abra- 
liaiu. — Founded  at  New  York  city  in 
1892  by  Berman  Bonner,  Osias  Dulberger, 
Mayer  Moscowitz  and  others  of  New  York, 
members,  variously,  of  the  Masonic  Fra- 
ternity, the  Sons  of  Benjamin,  and  the 
Order  of  B'rith  Abraham,  as  a  charitable 
and  benevolent  Hebrew  beneficiary  society 
paying  death  and  sick  benefits  by  means 
of  mutual  assessments.  The  membership, 
which  is  almost  exclusively  in  New  York 
city  and  Brooklyn,  numbers  about  2,400, 
including  almost  an  equal  number  of  men 
and  women. 

Independent  Order  of  Sons  of  Benja^ 
niin. — A  charitable  and  beneficiary  mutual 
assessment  Hebrew  society,  founded  at  New 


York  city  in  1877  by  William  Heller,  Adolph 
Silberstein,  Abraham  Kayser,  members  of 
the  Order  B'rith  Abraham,  and  others.  It 
spread  rapidly  to  many  of  the  principal 
cities  of  the  United  States  and  into  the  Do- 
minion of  Canada,  and  of  late  years,  under 
the  Grand  ]\Iastership  of  Ferdinand  Levy  of 
New  York,  has  achieved  a  marked  degree  of 
prosperity.  It  preserves  the  usual  secret 
society  forms,  ceremonies,  and  privileges, 
and  has  expended  about  $2,000,000  for  the 
relief  of  members  and  their  families.  It 
authorizes  the  formation  of  Lodges  exclu- 
sively for  women,  of  which  there  are  about 
twenty.  Its  emblem  presents  a  triangle  be- 
tween the  letters  F  and  P,  with  the  letter  L 
in  its  centre.  There  are  about  18,000  mem- 
bers, exclusive  of  about  2,500  women  in 
Lodges  set  apart  for  them.  (See  Ahavas 
Israel,  Sons  of  Abraham,  also  American 
Israelites.) 


ANCIENT  ORDER  OF  HIBERNIANS 


211 


EOMA]^   CATHOLIC   ASSESSMEl^T   BENEFICIAET 

FRATERJSriTIES 


Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians. — A  se- 
cret or  semi-secret  patriotic,  religious,  and 
beneficiary  (friendly)  society,  paying  relief, 
burial,  and  sick  benefits,  to  which  only  men 
who  are  of  Irish  birth  or  descent,  practi- 
cal Eoman  Catholics,  are  eligible.  It  was 
founded  in  Ireland,  in  the  last  century,  for 
the  i^rotection  of  its  members  in  their  right 
to  worship  God  after  the  forms  of  the  Ko- 
man  Catholic  Church,  to  cherish  Irish  na- 
tional traditions  and  the  names  of  illustri- 
ous sons  of  Ireland,  and  to  care  for  its  sick 
and  distressed  members  and  their  families. 
The  events  which  led  to  the  formation  of 
the  society  are  thus  referred  to  by  P.  J. 
O'Connor,  Savannah,  Ga.,  a  prominent  offi- 
cial of  the  organization  in  the  United  States 
in  1897: 

In  1691  Patrick  Sarsfield  evacuated  Limerick, 
Ireland,  and  agreed  to  depai't  to  foreign  shores, 
leaving  his  people,  however,  protected  by  a  treaty 
signed  by  William  of  Orange,  King  of  England. 
That  treaty  guaranteed,  among  other  things,  per- 
fect freedom  of  religious  opinions,  and  accepted  the 
claim  of  Ireland  to  a  nationality  and  form  of  gov- 
ernment distinct  and  separate  from  that  of  England, 
though  forcing  the  acknowledgment  of  William  as 
King  of  Ireland.  The  treaty  was  broken  shortly 
after,  and  the  Irish  people  were  by  legal  enactment 
forbidden  to  study  a  profession,  learn  a  trade,  or 
even  to  acquire  a  knowledge  of  the  alphabet.  For 
years  no  edifice  for  Catholic  worship  was  allowed 
to  exist  and  a  price  was  put  upon  the  head  of  the 
Catholic  priest  and  the  schoolmaster.  Realizing 
the  folly  of  open  resistance,  the  Catholic  Irish  re- 
solved themselves  into  secret  bands  for  the  preser- 
vation of  their  religion  and  nationality,  and  in  later 
days  organized  the  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians. 

All  efforts  by  the  writer  to  learn  even  the 
approximate  date  of  the  founding  of  the 
Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians  as  a  secret  so- 
ciety have  failed,  more  than  a  score  of  the 


leading  officials  in  the  United  States  having 
confessed  their  lack  of  information  on  that 
point.  The  foregoing  extract  from  a  letter 
from  National  President  O'Connor  makes 
sufficiently  plain  the  reasons  why  the  Order 
was  organized.  But  it  may  well  be  doubted 
whether  it  met  in  lodges,  with  systematized 
2)rivate  means  of  recognition,  a  ritual,  an 
initiatory  ceremony,  lectures,  and  the  like, 
modelled  (but  not  copied)  after  those  of  the 
Freemasons  and  the  Odd  Fellows,  until  after 
it  was  introduced  into  the  United  States. 
This  view  is  enforced  because  those  portions 
of  the  so-called  work  of  the  Ancient  Order 
of  Hibernians  which  have  been  made  public 
in  whole  or  in  part,  give  evidence  of  having 
come  after  the  founding  of  the  Loyal  Orange 
Association  in  1707-98  and  the  public  dis- 
cussion of  secret  society  ceremonials  inciden- 
tal to  the  anti-Masonic  agitation  of  1837-40. 
Secret  societies  were  not  tolerated  by  the 
British  Government  late  in  the  last  and 
early  in  the  present  century,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  the  Masonic  Fraternity.  The 
Odd  Fellows,  Druids,  and  Foresters  had 
difficulty  in  preserving  their  identities  from 
1780  to  1810,  and  the  Orange  Association 
did  60  mainly  through  the  help  of  Free- 
masons, from  whom  it  acquired  some  of 
the  outward  Masonic  forms  and  peculiari- 
ties. If  one  may  presume  that  the  Ancient 
Order  of  Hibernians,  in  something  like 
its  present  form,  appeared  between  183G 
and  1845,  its  ceremonials,  emblems,  lec- 
tures, examinations,  toasts,  etc.,  are  easily 
explained  on  the  basis  of  what  had  gone  be- 
fore. To  imagine  that  they  were  originated 
in  the  eighteenth  century,  and  that  other 
secret  societies  borrowed  them  from  the 
Hibernians  is  out  of  the  question.     The  Or- 


212 


ANCIENT   ORDER    OF   HIBERNIANS 


der  was  introduced  into  the  United  States 
at  New  York  city  in  1836,  one  hundred  and 
six  years  after  Freemasonry  had  been  estab- 
lished in  this  country,  seventeen  years  after 
Odd  Fellowship  was  founded  at  Baltimore, 
six  years  after  the  United  Order  of  Druids 
had  found  its  way  here  from  England,  and 
about  two  years  after  the  Improved  Order 
of  Red  Men,  as  at  present  organized,  had 
been  placed  upon  its  feet  at  Baltimore. 
With  its  advent  its  characteristics  changed 
somewhat.  Its  motto  now  is  Friendship, 
Unity,  and  True  Christian  Charity  to  its 
members,  and  peace  and  good  will  to  all 
men;  and  its  objects,  other  than  the  paying 
of  relief  and  death  benefits,  are  the  advance- 
ment of  the  Eoman  Catholic  religion,  "the 
encouragement  of  the  country's  welfare, 
the  promotion  of  the  sacred  cause  of  Irish 
nationality,  and  the  propagation  of  the  prin- 
ciples embodied  in  the  motto."  Lodges  are 
found  in  the  United  Kingdom  and  Ireland 
and  in  the  United  States,  w^here  (until  1884) 
they  were  governed  by  a  Board  of  Erin  se- 
lected from  representatives  of  higher  bodies 
in  the  United  Kingdom  and  Ireland,  by 
whom  signs  and  passwords  were  selected  and 
communicated  to  members  on  both  sides  of 
the  Atlantic. 

The  National  ofl&cers  in  the  United  States 
(prior  to  1884)  were  the  National  Delegate, 
Secretary  and  Treasurer,  and  the  President 
of  the  Board  of  the  City  and  County  of  New 
York.  After  these  ranked  the  State  and 
County  Delegates,  and  then  the  chief  oflB- 
cers  of  Lodges,  called  Body  ]\Iasters.  In 
1873  there  were  6,000  Lodges  of  the  Order 
in  this  country  Avith  about  150,000  mem- 
bers. Emblems  of  the  Order  include  the 
clasped  hands,  the  harp,  and  the  shamrock, 
and  the  three  links  which  have  so  long  been 
identified  with  Odd  Fellowship,  but  which 
parallel  the  triangle  and  form  one  of  the 
most  ancient  symbols  of  the  Trinity.  In 
1884  the  society  in  the  United  States  suf- 
fered from  schism,  the  smaller  branch  tak- 
ing the  title  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians, 
Board  of  Erin,  and  remaining  in  affiliation 


with  the  Order  abroad,  while  the  larger 
number  reorganized  as  the  Ancient  Order 
of  Hibernians  of  America.  In  1897,  when 
efforts  were  made  looking  to  reunion,  the 
Board  of  Erin  in  America  claimed  about 
40,000  members,  most  of  them  in  New 
York,  New  Jersey,  Ohio,  j\Iichigan,  and 
Illinois  ;  the  Ancient  Order  of  America, 
about  125,000,  scattered  through  nearly  all 
the  States  of  the  Union,  and  the  Order  in 
the  United  Kingdom  and  Ireland,  about 
50,000;  in  all,  215,000  members.  The  two 
branches  in  America  finally  reunited  in  1898. 
In  July,  1896,  the  report  of  the  National 
Secretary  of  the  American  branch  showed 
disbursements  for  sick  benefits  within  a  year 
amounting  to  $345,768;  for  burial  expenses, 
$86,025;  and  1239,838  for  charitable  and 
other  purposes,  with  a  balance  of  1545,211 
in  the  division  treasuries. 

A  women's  auxiliary  to  the  American 
Order  was  organized  in  1894,  known  as  the 
Daughters  of  Erin,  and  has  since  been 
authorized  b}^  the  Order  to  work  in  conjunc- 
tion with  it.  The  Daughters  are  recruited 
from  among  relatives  of  members  of  the 
Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians,  and  num- 
bered in  1897  about  20,000.  Their  purpose 
is  to  assist  the  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians 
in  perjoetuating  the  memory  of  their  fore- 
fathers, in  promoting  love  for  the  mother 
church  and  countr}^,  in  aiding  sick  and  dis- 
tressed widows  and  orphans,  and  to  find 
them  homes  and  employment. 

Any  historical  sketch  of  the  history  of  the 
Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians  in  America 
without  a  reference  to  its  temporary  degra- 
dation by  unworthy  members  (1865-75) 
would  be  as  unfair  to  the  public  as  to  the 
Order.  During  the  period  mentioned  the 
society  was  used  by  men,  who  afterward 
turned  out  to  be  Molly  Maguires,  as  a  cloak 
for  the  commission  of  crime.  (See  ]\Iolly 
Maguires.)  While  every  member  of  the 
Order  of  Hibernians  in  the  Pennsylvania 
anthracite  coal  regions  at  that  time  was  not 
a  Molly,  practically  every  Molly  belonged 
to  the  Hibernians.     The  good  character  of 


CATHOLIC    BKXEVOLENT    LEGION 


213 


the  Order  without  the  coal  regions,  even 
then,  was  not  called  in  question,  but  ho  com- 
pletely was  it  dominated  by  the  Mollies  in 
some  counties  of  Pennsylvania,  that  for  a 
few  years  it  became,  locally,  a  nuicliino  for 
the  encouragement  of  crime  and  the  ])rotec- 
tion  of  criminals.  With  the  breaking  up  of 
the  ^lolly  ^Maguires  came  the  reorganization 
of  the  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians  in  the 
coal  regions,  and  its  benevolent,  moral,  fra- 
ternal, and  religious  professions  again  re- 
asserted themselves.  The  society  stands 
to-day  among  the  foremost  in  its  class. 

Catholic  Benevolent  Liegion. — Organ- 
ized in  Brooklyn,  September  5,  1881,  by 
Dr.  George  11.  Kuhn,  with  whom  were  as- 
sociated John  D.  Carroll,  John  C.  McGuire, 
John  D.  Keiley,  John  Rooney,  Patrick  F. 
Keauy,  Ivoberfc  M3'han,  Thomas  Cassin,  Da- 
vid T.  Leahy,  William  G.  Ross,  and  James 
H.  Breen,  as  a  fraternal  beneficiary  society, 
to  which  Roman  Catholic  laymen  between 
the  ages  of  eighteen  and  fifty-five  years  are 
eligible,  and  to  afford  facilities  for  intel- 
lectual improvement,  social  advancement, 
and  material  prosperity.  It  pays  death 
benefits  of  $500,  $1,000,  $2,000,  $3,000, 
$•4,000,  and  $5,000,  by  means  of  assessments 
graded  according  to  the  ages  of  members 
when  joining,  and  is  governed  by  Supreme 
Councils,  to  which  State  Councils  are  sub- 
ordinate, which,  in  turn,  regulate  more  than 
GOO  subordinate  Councils  in  nearly  every 
State  in  the  Union.  Within  the  past  sixteen 
years  the  Legion  has  paid  out  more  than 
$7,000,000  to  beneficiaries.  Its  plan  is  to 
give  insurance  as  nearly  at  cost  as  possible, 
without  the  aid  of  a  reserve  fund.  The 
growth  of  tiie  organization  has  been  more 
rapid  than  tliat  of  any  other  of  tlie  various 
Roman  Catholic  benevolent  societies,  in- 
creasing from  134  members  in  the  first  year 
of  its  existence  to  neary  900  witliin  one 
year,  to  3,000  at  the  close  of  1883,  two 
years  after  it  had  been  incorporated  under 
the  laws  of  the  State  of  New  York,  and  to 
nearly  10,000  at  the  end  of  188G,  five  years 
after  it  was  founded.     The  total  member- 


ship in  1890  had  jumped  to  23,553,  an 
increase  of  nearly  150  i)cr  cent,  within  five 
years,  and  at  the  close  of  1896  the  increase 
as  compared  with  ten  years  before  was  five- 
fold. The  Supreme  Council  is  composed 
of  representatives  from  the  several  State 
Councils,  and  ten  of  the  incorjKjrators  who 
shall  continue  in  good  standing  in  the 
Councils  to  which  they  belong.  State 
Councils,  after  the  first  year,  are  composed 
of  its  officers  only,  who  are  elected  from 
among  representatives  from  subordinate 
Councils.  State  Councils  send  one  repre- 
sentative each  to  the  Supreme  Council,  and 
one  more  when  their  membership  exceeds 
2,500,  and  one  in  addition  for  every  addi- 
tional 5,000  members.  Only  one  subordi- 
nate Council  is  permitted  in  each  parish  or 
congregation.  Sick  and  disability  benefits 
are  paid  by  subordinate  Councils  from 
initiation  fees  and  dues.  A  distinction  be- 
tween this  and  some  other  similar  Catholic 
societies  is  that  it  also  invites  to  its  ranks 
men  who  are  merely  nominal  Catholics,  if 
their  lives  and  conduct  be  otherwise  com- 
mendable, without  exacting  promises  to 
perform  religious  duties  as  a  requisite  to 
membership.  This  is  in  the  hope  of  saving 
thousands  of  little  children  from  becoming 
charges  on  charitable  institutions  or  de- 
pending upon  the  charity  of  the  world  at 
large.  A  strict  physical  examination  is  re- 
quired from  all  applying  for  admission.  Its 
emblems  and  inspiring  cardinal  virtues  are 
Faith,  Hope,  and  Charity,  and,  as  its  name 
im])lies,  its  design  and  scope  are  to  be  catli- 
olic  and  benevolent.  It  is  classed,  ui)on 
the  authority  of  representative  members, 
among  secret  societies  ;  but,  as  explained, 
''  has  no  ulterior  objects  beyond  those  pub- 
licly announced." 

In  the  official  publication  of  the  Order  it 
is  pointed  out  that  it  was  difficult  to  secure 
Roman  Catholics  to  join  the  Royal  Arca- 
num and  American  Legion  of  Honor  '*  be- 
cause no  assurance  could  be  given  that  the 
societies  might  not  be  prohibited  by  eccle- 
siastical authority.     That  they  apparently 


214 


CATHOLIC   KNIGHTS   OF  AMERICA 


merited  no  condemnation,  but  deserved 
the  support  aud  encouragement  of  all  good 
citizens  was  no  assurance  that  their  pur- 
poses would  not  be  misinterpreted  in  some 
localities,  for  in  those  days  before  the  late 
plenary  council  every  pastor  exercised  the 
authority  of  condemning  societies  that  did 
not  size  up  to  his  individual  o2)inion  of  jjer- 
fection.  Indeed  a  case  just  then  occurred 
in  the  city  of  Brooklyn,  where  a  member 
of  the  Arcanum,  who  having  taken  sick 
and  sent  for  the  priest,  was  required  to 
abandon  his  insurance  and  all  connection 
with  that  society.  It  was  under  such  con- 
ditions that  the  work  of  creating  and  build- 
ing up  a  great  fraternal  association  of  Eo- 
man  Catholics  was  undertaken  by  Dr.  Kuhn 
and  his  associates.  The  ritual  of  the  Le- 
gion refers  to  the  sacrifices  for  the  relief  of 
others  made  by  St.  Vincent  de  Paul,  St. 
Dominic,  and  others.  Its  badge  displays 
ujjon  a  passion  cross  a  band  containing  the 
name  of  the  Order,  a  heart  and  an  anchor. 
Catholic  Kiiiglits  of  America. — This 
Roman  Catholic  fraternal  beneficiary  so- 
ciety makes  the  special  plea  that  it  is  not  a 
secret  society  in  any  sense,  in  which  it  dif- 
fers from  some  other  similar  organizations. 
It  was  founded  in  1877,  and  the  statement 
is  volunteered  that  none  of  the  organizers 
were  members  of  any  of  tbe  secret  beneficiary 
orders  which  preceded  it.  Among  its  found- 
ers were  R.  L.  Spalding,  W.  B.  Dalton,  J.  J. 
O'Rourke,  D.  H.  Leonard,  and  W.Nehemiah 
Webb.  Its  membership  is  confined  to  the 
United  States,  and  it  has  paid  out  for  sick 
and  death  benefits  more  than  $7,000,000. 
The  society  is  largely  identified  with  the 
West  and  South,  though  its  Lodges  are 
found  in  many  States  of  the  Union.  The 
total  membership  is  about  twenty-five  thou- 
sand, and  though  it  is  not  the  largest  among 
the  various  Roman  Catholic  organizations  of 
like  character,  it  has  been  prominent  in  urg- 
ing the  amalgamation  of  Catholic  fraternal 
societies,  by  having  them  '^'consolidate with 
the  Catholic  Knights  of  America."  It 
caters  to  the  military  idea,  which  has  been 


so  popular  among  beneficiary  societies,  by 
organizing  a  uniformed  rank,  with  special 
tactics  and  drill.  Among  its  members  are 
Edward  Feeney  of  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  a 
secret  military  organization,  and  promi- 
nently identified  with  newspaper  work  in 
New  York  city  and  Brooklyn.  He  was  at 
one  time  a  member  of  the  New  York  State 
Board  of  Mediation  and  Arbitration.  Will- 
iam Purcell,  editor  of  the  Rochester  "  Union 
and  Advertiser,"  is  also  a  member.  When 
the  Catholic  Knights  met  in  convention  at 
Omaha  in  1895,  they  were  addressed,  among 
others,  by  Most  Reverend  Archbishop  Gross, 
who  said,  in  part,  as  follows  :  "  You  are  to 
remember  it  well.  Catholic  Knights  of  Amer- 
ica, not  of  France,  or  Germany,  or  Ireland, 
or  Spain,  or  Italy  ;  either  you  are  natives  of 
this  great  republic,  or  you  gave  up  all  alle- 
giance to  the  land  of  your  birth  and  have 
sworn  solemn  allegiance  to  the  Constitution. 
Be  true  to  your  country.  Uliless  you  wish 
the  downfall  of  your  society,  vote  not  for  a 
candidate  because  he  is  German,  or  Irish,  or 
French,  or  belongs  to  any  nationality,  but 
vote  for  him  who  is,  as  you  know,  a  staunch 
and  true  upholder  of  the  Constitution  of 
the  United  States  of  America."  He  added  : 
"  If  you,  my  Catholic  brothers,  are  what 
you  should  be,  and  I  doubt  not  but  you  are 
loyal  and  true,  you  will  render  useless  the 
existence  of  all  secret  societies,  and  we  have 
but  one  answer  to  give  all  those  who  speak  to 
us  about  joining  any  society  ;  namely,  join 
the  Catholic  Knights  of  America,  that  noble 
band  of  Catholic  Knights.  They  have  all 
the  advantages  and  insurance  of  other  socie- 
ties, and  have  no  secrecy,  for  that  which  is 
honorable  and  pure  loves  not  darkness." 
The  banner  of  this  Order  is  the  blazing 
cross,  1)1  Hoc  Sig)W  Vinces,  'Hhe  cross  and 
the  flag,  the  stars  and  stripes." 

Catholic  Knights  of  Illinois. — Organ- 
ized at  Carlyle,  111.,  and  incorporated  in 
1884,  to  unite  fraternally  all  practical  Ro- 
man Catholics,  men  and  women,  between 
eighteen  and  fifty  years  of  age,  to  give  them 


CATHOLIC   ORDER   OF   FORESTERS   OF   ILLINOIS 


215 


moral  and  material  aid,  encourage  them  in 
business,  assist  them  in  obtaining  employ- 
ment, give  their  cliildren  a  Cliristian  educa- 
tion, and  give  them  "cheap  life  insurance 
without  the  danger  of  going  into  associa- 
tions or  orders  forbidden  by  our  Holy 
Mother  the  Church."  Benefit  certificates 
of  S500,,  §1,000,  and  |;3,000  are  issued  to 
men,  and  of  from  ^100  to  81,000  to  Avomen, 
which  are  met  by  a  graded  system  of  assess- 
ments. The  Order  does  business  in  the 
State  of  Illinois  only.  The  amount  of  ben- 
efits paid  in  twelve  years  was  about  §150,- 
000.  Its  present  membership  is  about 
2,000. 

Catholic  Mutual  Bcnelit  Association. 
— Organized  at  Niagara  Falls,  in  July, 
1876,  and  incorporated  under  the  laws  of 
the  State  of  Xew  York,  June  9,  1879.  A 
fraternal  beneficiary  society,  to  which  only 
men,  practical  Catholics,  between  the  ages 
of  eighteen  and  fifty  years,  are  eligible 
for  membership.  It  issues  certificates, 
payable  at  the  death  of  members,  in  the 
amounts  of  §500,  §1,000,  and  §2,000,  which 
are  paid  by  means  of  assessments  graded 
according  to  the  age  of  the  member  when 
joining.  This  is  one  of  a  number  of  Roman 
Catholic  associations  of  similar  character, 
which  have  been  provided  by  that  religious 
denomination  to  afford  an  opportunity  for 
members  of  that  faith  to  participate  in 
mutual  benefit  association  j^rivileges  with- 
out joining  like  societies  which  have  been 
condemned  by  that  church.  Tlie  order 
was  the  outcome  of  a  suggestion  by  the  late 
Et.  Rev.  S.  V.  Ryan,  Bishop  of  Buffalo. 
Subordinate  bodies  or  lodges  are  governed 
by  Grand  Councils,  which  have  charge  of 
the  affairs  of  tlie  order  in  the  States,  which, 
in  turn,  are  controlled  by  the  Supreme 
Council,  which  meets  biennially.  The  or- 
ganization has  disbursed  §6,000,000  in  sick 
and  deatli  benefits  since  it  was  founded, 
and  numbers  about  -15,000  members.  Its 
headquarters  are  at  Brooklyn,  N.  Y. 

Catholic  Order  of  Foresters  of  Illinois. 
— The  formation  of  the  Catholic  Order  of 


Foresters  at  Chicago  was  suggested  by  a  Mr. 
Taylor,  a  shoemaker,  with  whom  John  F. 
Scanlan,  Michael  B.  Bailey,  John  K.  dow- 
ry, Patrick  Keane,  John  J.  Collins,  and 
Francis  W.  Fitz-Gerald  cooperated.  The 
Order  was  organized  at  Chicago,  in  1883, 
about  four  years  after  the  secession  of  the 
Independent  Order  of  Foresters  of  Illinois 
from  the  Independent  Order  of  Foresters, 
by  a  member  of  the  ^lassachusetts  Catholic 
Order  of  Foresters  and  a  number  of  Roman 
Catholics,  members  of  the  Illinois  Order  of 
Foresters,  and  because  of  the  well-known 
desire  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  to 
have  those  of  the  faith,  who  wish  to  join 
institutions  of  this  character,  select  those 
which  recognize  and  cooperate  with  the 
Church.  The  Catholic  Order  also  drew 
some  of  its  members  from  the  Independent 
Order.  The  former  has  no  connection  or 
affiliation  with  any  other  Order  of  Forestry, 
though  it  employs  similar  insignia  and  em- 
blems, has  a  ritual  modelled  upon  the  Robin 
Hood  legend,  and  a  system  of  government 
like  those  of  other  and  older  Forestic  Or- 
ders. In  one  of  its  leaflets  it  states  :  *'  Unity 
through  Catholic  organizations  is  one  of 
the  great  instruments  in  perpetuating  and 
spreading  the  truths  of  the  Church."  From 
this  it  is  plain  that  only  members  of  tlie 
Catholic  Church  are  eligible  to  member- 
ship. The  Catholic  Order  confines  its 
activity  principally  to  the  northwestern 
States  of  the  Union  and  to  the  Canadian 
Dominion.  It  pays  endowment,  sick,  and 
funeral  benefits  by  means  of  assessments, 
and  within  the  past  fourteen  years  has  ex- 
pended §1,500,000  in  that  direction.  Its 
growth  has  been  rapid,  comparing  favor- 
ably witli  many  assessment  mutual  benefit 
secret  societies  of  equal  age.  It  numbers 
more  than  45,000  members.  On  December 
31,  1896,  its  627  Courts  were  distributed 
throughout  Illinois,  Iowa,  Wisconsin,  Min- 
nesota, Michigan,  Indiana,  Ohio,  N'ermont, 
New  Hampshire,  and  the  provinces  of 
Ontario  and  Quebec.  One  of  its  features 
is  tlie   Side    Rank.     All    members  do  not 


216 


CATHOLIC   WOMEN'S   BENEVOLENT   LEGION 


belong  to  it.  Its  mission  is  to  fnrnish 
amusement  after  the  lieavy  work  of  con- 
ventions. The  work  of  the  Side  Rank  re- 
quires a  complete  set  of  paraphernalia  and 
includes  elaborate  ceremonies.  This  fea- 
ture of  the  Order  was  originated  by  Thomas 
Calleu. 

Catholic  "Women's  Benevolent  Le- 
gion.— A  beneficiary  association  incorpo- 
rated under  the  laws  of  the  State  of  New- 
York,  August  23,  1895,  restricted  to  ac- 
ceptable Roman  Catholic  women  in  sound 
health,  between  seventeen  and  fifty-five 
years  of  age  at  time  of  joining.  Its  design 
is  to  have  a  subordinate  Council  in  every 
Roman  Catholic  congregation  in  the  United 
States,  to  be  a  centre  for  social,  intellectual, 
and  moral  improvement  of  its  members. 
Local  Councils  secure  revenue  by  means  of 
quarterly  dues  and  from  proposition  fees. 
Provision  is  also  made  for  a  representative 
government  by  State  Councils  and  in  the 
Supreme  Council.  Members  are  insured 
for  1250,  $500,  $1,000,  and  $2,000,  which 
amounts  are  secured  by  assessments  graded 
according  to  age  at  joining.  The  Legion 
is  yet  in  its  infancy,  but  it  has  secured  the 
approbation  of  ecclesiastical  authorities, 
and  has  established  more  than  one  hun- 
dred subordinate  branches  with  4,000  mem- 
bers. 

The  names  of  leading  members  of  the 
Supreme  Council  in  1897  are  as  follows  : 
Supreme  President,  Mrs.  Mary  A.  Murray, 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  ;  Supreme  Secretary,  Miss 
Annie  O'Conner  ;  Supreme  Treasurer,  Miss 
Mary  J.  Hughes,  both  of  New  York ;  Su- 
preme Orator,  Mrs.  Katie  Coleman,  Jersey 
City,  N.  J.,  and  Supreme  Guard,  Mrs. 
Mary  A.  M.  Trainer,  Baltimore,  Md. 

Irish  Catholic  Benevolent  Union. — 
Founded  by  Dennis  Dwyer  of  Dayton,  0., 
in  18G9,  an  assessment  fraternal  beneficiary 
society,  composed  of  Irish  Roman  Catholics, 
of  the  semi-secret  character  confessed  by 
like  associations,  to  which  only  members  of 
the  Roman  Catholic  faith  are  eligible.  It 
has   disbursed   about   $3^000,000  in  death 


and  sick  benefits,  and  has  about  17,000 
members.  The  secretary's  address  is  Phil- 
adelphia, Penn. 

Knights  of  Columbus. — Organized  in 
New  Haven,  Conn.,  March  29,  1882,  and 
incorporated  under  the  laws  of  that  State, 
by  Michael  J.  McGivny,  Matthew  C. 
O'Connell,  Cornelius  T.  Driscoll,  James 
T.  Mullen,  John  T.  Kerrigan,  Daniel  Col- 
Avell,  William  M.  Gearv,  and  others.  Its 
objects  are  to  promote  social  and  intellec- 
tual intercourse  among  its  members  and  to 
render  pecuniary  aid  to  them  and  their 
beneficiaries.  Men  only,  of  the  Roman 
Catholic  faith,  between  eighteen  and  forty- 
five  years  of  age,  are  eligible  to  membership. 
Death  benefits  of  from  $1,000  to  $3,000  are 
a  feature  of  the  organization.  Sick  bene- 
fits are  optional  with  local  Councils.  The 
Order  made  rapid  progress  in  Connecticut 
and  Rhode  Island,  but  did  not  enlarge  its 
field  of  labor  until  1892,  when  the  first 
Council  in  Massachusetts  was  instituted  at 
Charlestown.  Its  progress  in  Massachu- 
setts from  1892  to  1897  was  remarkable, 
there  being  more  than  one  hundred  flour- 
ishing Councils  in  that  State,  with  about 
10,000  members  out  of  about  35,000  mem- 
bers throughout  the  country.  The  Order 
has  been  extended  west  to  Chicago,  east  to 
Bangor,  Me.,  and  south  to  Baltimore  and 
Washington.  There  is  a  social  side  be- 
yond that  of  insurance,  by  which  men  who 
do  not  care  to  be  insured,  or  who  are  phys- 
ically unable  to  pass  the  required  examina- 
tion may  become  members.  By  means  of 
this,  a  man  who  is  otherwise  eligible,  or 
more  than  45  years  of  age,  may  become  a 
member  and  enjoy  the  social  privileges  of 
the  order.  The  headquarters  of  the  soci- 
ety are  at  New  Haven,  where  the  Supreme 
Knight  and  Board  of  Directors  meet  every 
Saturday  for  the  transaction  of  business. 
The  Supreme  Knight  is  elected  by  national 
delegates  chosen  by  State  conventions. 
The  latter  also  elect  State  deputies,  who 
appoint  district  deputies,  and  hold  office 
for  one  year.    The  emblem  of  these  Knights 


ST.  PATRICK'S   ALLIANCE   OF   AMERICA 


217 


is  an  eight-cornered  cross,  ornamented  with 
representations  of  a  compass,  dagger,  an- 
chor and  vessel,  having  reference  to  the 
voyage  of  Columbus  in  1402. 

Knights  of  Father  3Iathcw. — One  of 
the  smaller  lioman  Catholic  fraternal 
beneficiary  semi-secret  societies.  Its  total 
membersliip  is  about  3,000,  the  larger  pro- 
portion of  which  is  in  the  central  Western 
and  Western  States,  The  Order  has  paid 
out  $250,000  in  sick  and  death  benefits 
since  it  was  founded.  Leading  officials  in 
its  Supreme  Council  reside  at  St.  Louis 
aud  Kansas  City. 

Knights  of  St.  Rose — See  Massachu- 
setts Catholic  Order  of  Foresters. 

Massachusetts  Catliolic  Order  of  For- 
esters.— Founded  at  Boston  in  1879,  at  the 
period  which  gave  rise  to  the  Forestic  schisms 
entitled  the  Canadian  Order,  and  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Illinois  (see  Foresters  of 
America),  in  part  through  a  desire  to  secure 
local  self-government  aud  in  part  because 
of  the  dominance  of  Koman  Catholic  influ- 
ence among  Massachusetts  Foresters  aiul  a 
desire  of  those  of  that  religious  faith  to  place 
the  control  of  the  society  in  that  State  in 
the  hands  of  their  own  religious  faith. 
The  motto  of  this  branch  of  the  group 
of  American  bodies  of  Foresters  is  "  Frater- 
nity, Unity  and  True  Christian  Charity," 
and  its  standard  displays  the  Roman  cross 
upon  a  shield.  The  Knights  of  St.  Rose 
was  originated  by  members  of  the  Massa- 
chusetts Order   of   Foresters  in  1889  and 


adopted  as  its  second  degree.  It  has  a 
separate  insurance  beneficiary  fund  and 
admits  both  men  and  women  to  membership. 
(See  Catliolic  Order  of  Foresters  of  Illinois.) 
St.  Patrick's  Alliance  of  America. 
— Organized  in  18G8  by  members  of  tke 
Friendly  Sons  of  St.  Patrick  and  others,  a 
benevolent  and  charitable  secret  society  for 
men,  most  of  whom  are  Roman  Catholics. 
It  pays  sick  and  death  benefits,  and  a 
funeral  benefit  of  ^75  at  the  death  of  a 
member's  wife.  It  has  paid  altogether 
about  61,750,000  in  benefits.  Its  ritual  is 
based  upon  the  right  of  every  man  to  wor- 
ship God  according  to  the  dictates  of  his 
own  conscience  and  denounces  bigotry 
coming  from  any  source  whatever.  The 
more  frequently  displayed  emblem  is  a  disk 
bearing  the  initial  letters  of  the  title  of 
the  society,  S.  P.  A.  of  A.,  and  a  represen- 
tation of  a  tree,  referring  to  the  "  tree  of 
life."  There  are  more  than  50,000  mem- 
bers of  the  Alliance  in  New  England, 
Middle,  Pacific  Coast,  and  some  other  States. 
The  office  of  the  Natiomil  Secretary  is  at 
Newark,  N.  J,  St.  Patrick's  Alliance, 
while  an  offspring  of  the  Friendly  Sons  of 
St.  Patrick,  admits  having  drawn  inspira- 
tion from  the  Foresters  and  other  like  or- 
ders. There  is  no  religious  or  political 
test  of  membership,  as  the  National  Sec- 
retary writes:  "'We  have  Democrats  and 
Republicans  and  Catholics  and  Protestants, 
among  our  members,  but  they  must  be  Irish 
or  of  Irish  descent. 


^3- 


218 


ACTORS'  ORDER  OF  FRIENDSHIP 


VI 


CHAEITABLE   A:N'D   BEISTETOLEI^T,   ^O^^-ASSESSME^T 
OR   ''FRIENDLY"  SOCIETIES 


Actors'  Order  of  Friend!>;liip. — A  ben- 
eficiary and  charitable  associatiou  composed 
of  actors  of  not  less  than  three  years'  experi- 
ence, organized  in  Philadelphia,  January 
12,  1849,  where  the  first  Lodge,  "  Shakes- 
peare, No.  1,"  still  continues.  In  1888  the 
more  progressive  and  energetic  members  of 
the  Order  then  residing  in  New  York, 
realizing  that  the  changed  condition  of  af- 
fairs in  the  theatrical  world  made  the  me- 
tropolis the  natural  headquarters  of  the 
drama,  met  and  organized  Edwin  For- 
rest Lodge,  No.  2,  the  first  officers  of  which 
were.  President,  Louis  Aldrich  ;  Vice-Pres- 
ident, Frank  G.  Cotter  ;  Secretary,  Archi- 
bald Cowper,  and  Treasurer,  Frank  W. 
Sanger.  Under  this  leadership  the  list  of 
members  rapidly  increased,  until  the  roll 
carried  the  names  of  nearly  every  important 
actor  in  America,  from  Edwin  Booth  down 
to  the  humblest  aspirant  on  the  first  rung 
of  the  ladder  of  fame.  In  material  pros- 
perity Edwin  Forrest  Lodge  has  exceeded 
the  expectations  of  its  most  sanguine  pro- 
jectors. During  the  nine  years  of  its  exist- 
ence, not  only  has  it  met  every  obligation 
promptly,  but  has  accumulated  assets  valued 
at  more  than  eighteen  thousand  dollars. 
In  1895  it  acquired  the  property  at  16G 
West  47th  Street,  New  York  city,  which 
it  has  altered  and  adapted  to  its  purposes, 
fitting  up  handsome  reception  and  lodge 
rooms,  on  the  walls  of  which  hang  many 
portraits,  old  play  bills,  and  other  reminders 
of  the  stage  celebrities  of  the  past  and  pres- 
ent. Here  are  to  be  seen  the  programme 
of  Edwin  Forrest's  first  appearance  on  the 
stage,  November  27,  1820,  when,  in  his  fif- 
teenth year,  a  "young  gentleman  of  this 
city  "   (Philadelphia),  he   played  "  Young 


Norval "  in  Rev.  John  Home's  tragedy  of 
'^  Douglas  ; "  the  crown  worn  by  him  as 
"  Macbeth,"  and  the  shackles  used  by 
J.  W.  Wallack,  Jr.,  as  ''  Fagin,"  together 
with  other  interesting  mementos.  A  hand- 
some bookcase  filled  with  rare  volumes,  pre- 
sented by  Joseph  Jefferson,  a  member  of 
the  Order  and  its  first  Treasurer,  adorns  the 
Lodffe  room.  The  Actors'  Order  of  Friend- 
ship  is  the  oldest,  as  it  is  the  most  influen- 
tial of  all  the  various  theatrical  organiza- 
tions. Charitable  as  well  as  beneficial,  it 
moves  quietly  on  in  its  conservative  way, 
gaining  strength  as  the  years  roll  by,  dis- 
pensing with  a  liberal  but  Judicious  hand, 
to  many  without  as  well  as  those  within 
its  pale.  A  friend,  a  protector,  a  faithful 
monitor,  it  cordially  invites  all  to  enter  its 
fold  whose  years  of  service  entitle  them  to 
its  manifold  advantages. 

Ancient  and  Illustrious  Order, 
Knig-lits  of  Malta. — Formed  and  incor- 
porated early  in  1884,  the  outcome  of  a 
schism,  late  in  1883,  from  the  Grand  Priory 
of  America,  Ancient  and  Illustrious  Order, 
Knights  of  Malta,  Avliich,  in  turn,  resulted 
from  a  rebellion,  in  1882-83,  from  the  Chap- 
ter General  of  America,  Knights  of  St.  John 
and  Malta.  The  latter  was  the  Supreme  body 
in  America,  under  a  warrant  from  the  Im- 
perial Parent,  Grand  Black  Encampment 
of  the  Universe,  at  Glasgow,  Scotland,  but 
withdrew  from  the  latter  in  1881,  because  it 
was  not  permitted  to  confine  its  secret  work 
to  the  ancient  Malta  orders,  and  because  it 
insisted  on  discarding  the  Orange  and 
nominally  Masonic  degrees  which  the  Im- 
perial Parent  conferred.  (See  Non-Masonic 
Orders  of  Malta  ;  Knights  of  St.  John  and 
Malta   (modern);  and  the  Knights  of  St. 


ANCIENT   AND   ILLUSTRIOUS   ORDER,  KNIGHTS   OF   MALTA 


219 


John  of  Jerusalem,  RIkkIcs,  Malta,  etc.)  The 
Grand  Priory  of  America,  with  George  G. 
Oheesmun  at  its  head,  was  formed  at  Phila- 
delphia, from  six  schismatic  hodies  of  the 
Chapter  General  of  America,  February  30, 
1883,  but  it  did  not  last  long.  The  Im- 
perial Parent  was  responsible  for  the  organi- 
zation of  the  Grand  Priory,  and  in  1884 
transferred  the  authority  delegated  to  Chces- 
man  to  a  Continental  Grand  Priory.  On 
February  7,  1884,  a  notice  was  published  in 
the  Philadelphia  "Protestant  Standard" 
of  the  existence  of  a  Grand  Encamj)ment, 
Ancient  and  Illustrious  Order  of  Knights  of 
Malta — which,  as  announced,  consisted  of 
Constantino  Commandery,  No.  1,  which 
met  in  a  certain  hall  on  such  and  such 
evenings.  One  week  later  it  was  similarly 
announced  that  the  Grand  Commandery  in 
question  had  celebrated  the  investment  of  its 
incorporate  body  by  instituting  a  new  Com- 
mandery, again  Constantine,  No.  1,  meet- 
ing at  the  same  hall  and  on  the  same  nights. 
The  same  paper  also  contained  a  commii- 
nication  that  the  warrant  of  Constantine 
Commandery,  No.  34,  Ancient  and  Illustri- 
ous Order,  Knights  of  Malta,  had  been 
cancelled  by  the  Grand  Priory  of  America 
in  January,  1884,  about  one  month  before, 
and  that  its  four  principal  officers,  who 
were  prominent  in  organizing  the  new 
Grand  Commandery,  had  been  expelled. 
Hence  the  inference  is  that  the  new  Grand 
Commandery,  Ancient  and  Illustrious  Order, 
Knights  of  Malta,  was  a  self-created  body, 
an  outcome  from  the  Grand  Priory  of 
America.  In  1888  the  Grand  Commandery, 
which  had  slowly  added  to  its  membership, 
offered  to  unite  with  the  Imperial  Parent, 
of  Glasgow,  Scotland  ;  and  the  latter,  faith- 
ful to  its  Sovereign  Grand  Inspector  Gen- 
eral for  America,  George  G.  Cheesman,  at 
the  head  of  the  Grand  Prioiy  of  America, 
authorized  the  latter  to  negotiate  with  the 
then  independent,  and,  if  one  pleases,  ir- 
regular Order  of  Malta,  looking  to  union. 
Cheesman  delegated  his  authority  to  Robert 
Stewart,  who,  in  1880,  met  representatives 


of  the  Craiid  ('omniaiidery,  and,  so  far  as  is 
learned,  straightway  proceeded  to  Scotland 
and  secured  the  recognition  of  the  Imperial 
Parent  for  the  Grand  Commandery.  'i'lius 
the  Glasgow  body  was  recognizing  two  in- 
dependent Supreme  organizations  in  Amer- 
ica :  the  one  last  referred  to  and  the  Grand 
Priory  of  which  Cheesman  was  the  head. 
AVith  the  chartering  of  the  Grand  Com- 
mandery, the  Grand  Prioi-y  began  to  decline, 
and  has  practically  ceased  to  exist,  although 
its  charter  from  the  Imperial  Parent,  so  far 
as  known,  has  never  been  recalled  and  may 
become  useful  to  degree  peddlers  to  spring 
another  ''Order  of  Malta"  upon  the  com- 
munity. In  fact,  there  were  rumors  from 
Columbus,  0.,  in  the  summer  of  1897,  that 
a  new  Order  of  Malta  was  about  to  be 
launched  upon  the  sea  of  fraternities,  but 
whether  based  i\\)on  the  old  Grand  Priory 
charter,  or  not,  is  not  known.  The  repre- 
sentatives of  the  existing  Ancient  and  Illus- 
trious Order,  Knights  of  Malta,  state  that 
Charles  IVIcClintock  and  George  H.  Pearce 
of  Philadelphia,  Orangemen  and  Free- 
masons, and  the  latter  an  Odd  Fellow  as 
well,  are  the  founders  of  the  organization. 
The  name  of  the  former  is  linked  with  the 
schism  from  the  Grand  Priory  in  1883. 

The  Order  is  declared  to  be  designed  to 
unite  men  under  the  most  binding  forms, 
"to  comfort  6ne  another  in  the  practice  of 
Christian  religion,  to  offer  mutual  assistance 
in  the  time  of  need,  to  promote  Protestant 
unity,  and  to  defend  the  Protestant  faith 
against  all  foes  whatsoever."  It  is  also  said 
to  be  the  staunch  defender  of  civil  and  re- 
ligious liberty.  "  While  opposing  all  forms 
of  error  and  superstition,  it  nevertheless 
teaches  and  exorcises  the  fullest  tolerance 
and  charity  toward  all  men,  being  inca])able, 
from  the  nature  of  its  constitution  and  of 
the  religion  in  whose  interest  it  has  been 
pcrj)etuated,  of  o})i)ressing  any  man  or  body 
of  men  on  account  of  religious  or  political 
belief.  ...  It  demands  as  the  sole 
qualitication  for  membership,  purity  of 
morals,  zeal  for  the  Protestant  cause,  faith 


220 


ANCIENT  AND  ILLUSTRIOUS  ORDER,  KNIGHTS   OF  MALTA 


in  the  Holy  Scriptures  as  the  infallible  rule 
of  faith  and  life,  belief  in  the  Holy  Trinity 
as  expressed  in  the  Apostles'  Creed,  and 
reliance  upon  Christ  as  the  only  Mediator." 
Its  prospectus  ''calls,  therefore,  upon  all 
Protestants,  by  whatever  name  known,  who 
love  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity  and 
in  truth,  to  enlist  under  its  banners  and  to 
take  their  part  in  the  religious  regeneration 
of  the  world.  "With  Protestantism  aroused 
and  faith  kindled,  our  religion  would  sweep 
the  nations,  to  the  utter  destruction  of 
every  form  of  error  and  superstition.  May 
the  Lord  hasten  the  day  and  grant  the 
speedy  coming  of  His  Kingdom,"  The 
printed  leaflets  of  the  Order  also  contain 
the  doubtful  statement  that  "  the  Ancient 
and  Illustrious  Order,  Knights  of  Malta, 
confers  the  old  degrees  exactly  as  they  have 
been  given  for  ages  throughout  Europe  and 
the  Orient,  imposes  the  same  solemn  and 
binding  obligations,  and  is  composed  solely 
of  Protestants."  As  the  Ancient  and  Illus- 
trious Order  confers  twelve  degrees,  some 
of  them  of  Orange  origin  and  some  not 
known  to  the  Ancient  Knights  of  Malta, 
and  as  the  latter  did  not  confer  degrees  at 
all  and  was  not  a  secret  Order,  a  mistake 
has  evidently  been  made.  (See  (Ancient) 
Knights  of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem,  Rhodes, 
Malta,  etc.,  and  Non-Masonic  Orders  of 
Malta  in  America.)  There  is  evidence 
that  the  Ancient  and  Illustrious  Order,  etc., 
has  no  affiliation  whatever  with  the  revived 
ancient  Order  of  Malta  in  England,  the 
Sixth  or  English  Language,  the  headquar- 
ters of  which  is  at  Clerkenwell  and  of  which 
the  Prince  of  Wales  is  the  head  ;  with  the 
Brandenburg  Order,  and  naturally  not  with 
the  Italian  (Roman  Catholic)  Order.  Its  sole 
relationship  must  be  confined  to  tlie  Scotch, 
Irish,  and  American  bodies  chartered  by  the 
Imperial  Parent  at  Glasgow,  a  body  of  in- 
dependent origin,  witli  Orange  and  Masonic 
earmarks,  which  made  its  appearance  in 
Scotland  in  1844.  There  is  undoubtedly 
much  in  the  Ancient  and  Illustrious  Order 
to    commend    it.   but   there   are  no   links 


to   connect  it  w'ith  the   ancient   Order  of 
Malta  beyond  a  portion  of  its  tille. 

Following  in  the  footsteps  of  modern 
fraternal  beneficiary  societies,  the  Order 
has  a  system  of  death  and  sick  benefits, 
which,  in  almost  all  instances,  are  moderate 
in  amount  and  are  said  to  be  paid  from 
dues  instead  of  assessments.  In  1895,  ac- 
cording to  published  accounts,  it  recog- 
nized and  incorporated  an  organization, 
within  itself,  entitled  the  College  of  An- 
cients, a  series  of  "degrees  of  merit.''' 
(See  Knights  of  St.  John  and  Malta.) 
George  G.  Cheesman,  at  the  head  of  the 
Grand  Priory,  the  parent  of  the  existing 
Ancient  and  Illustrious  Order,  had  been  a 
member  of  the  College  of  Ancients  designed 
and  created  by  Robert  E.  A.  Land  of  the 
Knights  of  St.  John  and  Malta,  and  at  his 
own  request  was  authorized  by  the  Imjierial 
Parent  to  establish  an  Order  of  Merit  of 
the  Ancient  and  Most  Illustrious  Order  of 
the  Great  Cross  (instead  of  Grand  Cross,  as 
in  the  Knights  of  St.  John  and  Malta)  of 
Malta  and  St.  John  of  Jerusalem,  and  in 
December,  188G,  a  Supreme  Council  of  the 
Great  Cross  was  instituted.  In  the  same 
year  the  Imperial  Parent  empowered  Chees- 
man to  merge  the  Continental  Grand  Priory 
in  the  Supreme  Council  of  the  Great  Cross. 
In  1885  an  Order  of  the  Great  Cross  was 
taken  to  Scotland  by  Robert  Stewart, adopted 
by  the  Grand  Black  Encampment  and  by 
it  given  to  the  Grand  Encampment  of  Ire- 
land in  1886.  Cheesman  declares  Stewart 
did  not  get  the  Order  from  him  and  that 
Stewart  must  have  invented  the  one  he 
took  abroad.  Stewart  was  never  a  member 
of  the  original  College.  The  idea  or  plan 
of  a  College  of  Ancients  evidently  spread 
from  its  creator.  Land,  in  1880,  through 
the  Chapter  General,  Knights  of  St.  John 
and  Malta,  to  Cheesman,  who,  as  he  de- 
clares, after  seceding,  borrowed  merely  its 
title  and  the  names  of  two  of  its  degrees, 
the  Eagle  and  Great  Cross,  upon  which 
to  build  up  a  series  of  degrees  of  merit  of 
his  own.     Stewart,  McClintock,  and  others 


ANCIENT   ORDER   OF   FORESTERS 


221 


of  the  Ancient  and  Illustrious  Order  then 
proceeded  to  create  a  College  of  Ancients 
of  their  own,  the  third,  which,  strange  to 
say,  they  adorned  with  emblems  and  mot- 
toes of  the  Scottish  Rite  and  other  degrees  of 
Masonry,  and  made  it  presumably  a  sort  of 
ne  plus  ultra  of  their  own  Order  of  Malta. 
The  organizations  of  Daughters  of  Malta  and 
of  Dames  of  Malta,  composed  of  women 
relatives  and  friends  of  members  of  the 
Order,  are  not  known  to  have  yet  been 
formally  recognized  as  a  part  of  the  organi- 
zation. There  are  about  17,000  members 
of  the  Ancient  and  Illustrious  Order  of 
Malta  in  the  United  States,  and  the  society 
promises  to  grow  even  more  rapidly  than  in 
preceding  years.  Its  Scotch  and  Irish  mem- 
bership is  not  believed  to  exceed  2,000. 

Ancient  Esscnic  Order. — Founded  in 
1888,  at  Olympia,  Washington,  by  Charles 
J.  Weatherby.  It  seeks  to  unite  fraternally 
acceptable  men ;  to  give  moral  and  material 
aid  and  assistance  to  members  and  to  those 
depending  upon  them  for  support ;  to  en- 
courage each  other  in  social  and  business 
matters,  and  to  assist  each  other  in  obtain- 
ing employment ;  to  care  for  the  sick  and 
disabled  and  furnish  relief  to  the  poor  and 
distressed,  and  is  to  be  classified  as  a  frater- 
nal, social,  semi-military,  and  benevolent 
society,  without  what  are  called  beneficiary 
or  insurance  features.  The  public  appear- 
ance of  the  Order  during  the  opening  cere- 
monies of  the  Tennessee  Centennial  Ex2)o- 
sition  at  Xashville,  in  1897,  was  said  to  be 
imposing.  The  badge  of  the  Order  is  a 
golden  crescent  and  star.  Total  member- 
ship is  about  35,000.  The  Order  makes  no 
claim  to  antiquity,  or  to  trace  a  morc-or- 
less  disconnected  existence  back  to  the  origi- 
nal Jewish  sect  of  Essenes,  which  was  co- 
existent with  the  Pharisees  and  Sadducees, 
200  B.C.,  and  conspicuous  in  Jewish  his- 
tory until  it  disai)peared  with  the  coming 
of  the  new  dispensation.  The  headquar- 
ters of  the  modern  organization  are  at 
New  York  city,  where  it  is  presided  over  by 
its  founder  and  Supreme  Ruler.     It  may  or 


may  not  be  of  interest  to  add  that  S.  C. 
Gould,  in  his  "  Societas  Rosicruciana  " 
(Manchester,  N.  II.,  1896),  says  :  '*  A  small 
book,  now  out  of  print,  bears  the  following 
title  :  '  Important  concealed  information, 
obtained  from  an  old  manuscript  found  in 
Alexandria,  shows  that  Jesus  in  a  trance 
was  taken  down  from  the  Cross,  brought  to 
life  again,  and  in  reality  died  six  months 
after,  within  a  secret  religious  society  called 
Essene  Brethren,  of  which  He  was  a  mem- 
ber.    A  manuscript  for  Freemasons.'  " 

Ancient  Order  of  Foresters. — Tbe  pa- 
rent or  English  Order  of  Foresters  is  unique 
in  that  its  ceremonies,  ritual,  and  legends 
arc  founded  on  the  history  and  traditions  of 
the  English  people.  The  revival  of  Free- 
masonry in  England,  in  1717,  carried  along 
and  emphasized  historical  and  traditional 
incidents  which  long  antedated  records  af- 
fecting the  British  Isles.  A  split  from  or 
an  imitation  of  the  Freemasons  of  1830 
to  1845,  or  an  antagonism  to  them,  re- 
sulted in  the  founding  of  a  Lodge  of  Odd 
Fellows,  in  1745,  and  remains  to  this  day 
a  mighty  organization,  but  one  which  has 
betrayed  the  thumb-marks  of  Freemasonry 
on  its  pages.  The  Loyal  Order  of  Orange- 
men, organized  later  in  the  eighteenth 
century,  while  entirely  unlike  Freemasonry 
as  to  objects  and  ritualistic  material, 
is  also  built  along  lines  borrowed  from 
Masonic  trestle  boards.  But  with  Forestry 
a  new  departure  was  made.  By  1813  Free- 
masonry was  the  only  widespread,  interna- 
tional secret  society  in  the  United  King- 
dom. It  was  growing  rapidly,  and  had 
already  become  powerful,  not  only  from  the 
character  of  its  membership,  but  from  the 
fact  that  it  had  just  healed  a  mighty  schism 
of  more  than  half  a  century's  duration. 
The  Odd  Fellows,  too,  were  relatively  strong 
in  number  at  that  time,  but  more  2>referred 
by  the  people  as  distinct  from  the  classes. 
That  Order  was  even  then  giving  evidence 
of  its  strength  through  the  secession  of  a 
large  share  of  its  members,  who  formed 
what  has  since  become  the  main  branch  or 


222 


ANCIENT   ORDER   OF   FORESTERS 


stem  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows, Manchester  Unity.  The  first  evidence 
of  the  existence  of  a  Court  of  Foresters 
from  which  a  direct  line  of  succession  is 
obtained  is  dated  1813,  and  takes  the  form 
of  a  dispensation  from  No,  1  Court  of  Eoyal 
Foresters,  held  at  Old  Crown  Inn,  Kirkgate, 
Leeds,  for  the  opening  of  No.  1  Court  at  the 
Shoulder  of  Mutton  Inn,  Knaresborough. 
The  dispensation  says  : 

The  Supreme  Chief  Ranger  and  officers  of  No.  1 
Supreme  Court  of  Royal  Foresters,  held  at  the 
house  of  Mr.  Hugh  Black,  inn-holder  at  Leeds, 
having  the  welfare  of  the  institution  at  heart,  as 
tending  to  improve  the  morals  of  men,  and  make 
those  good  who  are  inclined  to  be  so,  do  grant, 
and  give  our  full  consent  to  Brother  John  Smithson 
of  Knaresborough  to  assemble  and  hold  regular 
Court  of  Royal  Foresters  at  the  house  of  j\Ir.  Rich- 
ard Lister,  inn-holder  of  Knaresborough,  by  the 
firm,  style,  and  title  of  No.  2  Royal  Foresters,  and 
there  to  perform  all  the  rites  and  ceremonies  of 
Ancient  Foresters  as  practised  of  old  at  our  Secret 
Swaine  Mote. 

The  dispensation  provided,  also,  that  the 
sole  power  to  grant  dispensations  was  re- 
served by  Supreme  Court  No,  1,  and  that 
the  Chief  Eanger  of  Court  No.  2  should 
communicate  at  least  once  a  year  with  Su- 
preme Court  No.  1.  The  date  of  the  dis- 
pensation, 5,817,  translated  (counting  from 
Adam)  as  1813,  ''  is  the  only  absolute  date 
we  can  find  in  connection  with  the  early 
history  of  the  Order."  *  For  a  long  time, 
however,  it  was  claimed  and  believed  the 
Koyal  Order  of  Foresters  was  founded  at 
Knaresborough  Castle,  October  29,  1745, 
the  year,  by  the  way,  in  which  we  have  the 
first  record  of  a  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows.  In 
fact,  the  preface  to  the  general  laws  of  the 
Royal  Foresters  for  many  years  contained 
a  foot-note  to  that  effect.  But  no  records 
were  ever  in  existence,  as  far  as  known,  to 
show  that  the  pioneer  Royal  Order  of  For- 
esters ever  met  at  Knaresborough  Castle. 
There  was,  however,  a  meeting  of  "  Royal 
Foresters "  at  Knaresborough,  in  1792,  to 
"  show  their  loyalty,"  at  which  a  strong 

*  Foresters'  Directory,  Glasgow,  1887. 


resolution  was  passed  "  against  levellers  and 
other  seditious  folk.^"  *  These  Foresters 
are  declared  by  late  official  publications  of 
the  (English)  Ancient  Order  of  Foresters 
not  to  have  been  their  kith  and  kin  at  all, 
not  '''sworn  brothers"  of  their  "secret 
swaine  mote,"  but  merely  inhabitants  or 
tenants  of  the  royal  forest  of  Knaresborough, 
who  thus  testified  to  their  loyalty  at  the 
centre  of  authority  of  the  manor  and  forest. 
It  is  open  to  conjecture  that  a  similar  gath- 
ering of  what  may  be  termed  operative  for- 
esters, who  were  ''royal"  because  loyal, 
may  have  been  held  at  Knaresborough  Cas- 
tle in  1745  also,  and  that  the  founders  of 
the  modern  Royal  Foresters,  early  in  this 
century,  in  their  search  for  an  ancient  line- 
age, may  have  gotten  hold  of  the  story, 
and  so  dated  themselves  back  more  than 
three-quarters  of  a  century. 

This  theory  or  conjecture  takes  on  prob- 
ability because  of  the  interest  regarding 
the  spread  of  Freemasonry  from  1725 
to  1750,  and  the  coincident  formation  of 
convivial  secret  societies  of  Odd  Fellows. 
It  is  possible  that  meetings  of  Royal  For- 
esters of  that  period  were  of  a  similar  out- 
growth ;  at  least,  so  the  Foresters  of  1838 
thought,  argued,  and  printed  as  a  foot-note 
in  the  preface  to  their  general  laws. 
Evidently  a  few  years  of  comparative  pros- 
perity had  stimulated  a  search  for  the  real 
origin  of  the  secret  society  of  Foresters, 
for  in  the  preface  to  the  general  laws 
in  1829  it  was  exijlicitly  stated  that  the 
No.  1  Court  at  Leeds  was  "  the  oldest  on 
record" — only  that  and  nothing  more. 
The  later,  or  Knaresborough  tlieory,  that 
the  birth  of  the  Order  was  in  1745,  which 
has  long  been  discarded,  was  picturesque 
and  had  a  local  flavor  which  was  sure  to 
attract.  It  declared  that  congenial  sj)irits 
formed  secret  convivial  clubs  or  courts, 
under  the  name  of  Foresters,  and  that  their 
ceremonies  were  drawn  from  the  legends 
and  stories  concerning  Robin  Hood,  Little 
John,  and  their  merrie  men,  with  which 

*  London  Sporting  Magazine. 


ANCIEXT   ORDER    OF   FORESTERS 


223 


the  Englisli  jieople  were  so  familiar. 
Either  the  founders  of  the  Order  of  For- 
esters builded  better  than  they  knew,  when 
they  veiled  their  so-called  mysteries  witji 
tapestry  decorated  with  the  exploits  of  one 
so  popular  among  English  legendary  he- 
roes, or  else  they  stumbled  upon  a  most 
attractive  background  of  ^tradition  against 
which  to  arrange  their  ceremonies.  In 
any  event,  they  produced  a  secret  society, 
equipped  with  legend  and  ritual  which  were 
unique  in  that  they  appealed  directly  to  the 
imagination  and  sympathies  of  the  masses, 
with  the  lays  of  the  minstrels  of  the  middle 
ages  which  made  popular  the  lawless  dar- 
ing of  British  yeomanry.  Ballads  in  praise 
of  knight  errantry  charmed  the  nobility, 
but  the  plain  people  were  fascinated  by  the 
stories  of  Eobin  Hood,  Little  John,  Friar 
Tuck,  and  their  followers  who  roamed 
through  Sherwood  forest,  levying  on  no- 
bles and  clergy,  waging  constant  warfare 
against  "the  usurpers  of  English  soil," 
and  exacting  toll  from  castle  and  abbey  on 
the  confines  of  the  forest.  Small  wonder 
that  the  earlier  members  of  the  modern 
Order  of  Foresters  sought  to  trace  the 
links  which  might  connect  them  with  the 
Foresters  who  represented  the  resistance  of 
the  yeomanry  of  centuries  ago  at  being 
despoiled  of  their  lands.  Later,  when  the 
power  of  the  kings  prevailed  over  the 
forest,  the  foresters  guarded  them  and  the 
trees  and  wild  beasts  within  their  baili- 
wicks, and  organization  became  necessary 
to  preserve  the  '*  vert  and  venison  "  against 
attacks  from  bands  of  outlaws.  A  mode 
of  government  then  became  necessary  and 
a  "  code  of  the  forest "  was  the  outcome. 
Three  courts  were  formed,  the  Wood 
Mote,  a  warrant  or  attachment  court ;  the 
Swaine  Mote,  a  court  of  preliminary  exami- 
nation, and  the  Justice  Seat,  or  court  of 
trial  and  conviction.  As  might  naturally 
follow,  these  banded  foresters  had  signs 
and  tokens  of  recognition.  With  a  code 
of  laws  their  very  environment  created 
the  need  for  means  of  recognition.     Hence 


tiie  organizations  became  Courts  ;  the  chief 
officials.  Chief  Rangers,  Sub-Chief  Ran- 
gers, Woodwards,  and  Beadles.  In  addi- 
tion to  the  development  of  the  forestry  of 
an  outlawed  peasantry  into  a  forestry  of 
law-abiding,  peaceful  yeomanry,  there  were 
a  great  many  societies  of  Foresters  in  Eng- 
land prior  to  1790  with  varying  titles  and 
objects,  but,  so  far  as  history  or  chronicle 
shows,  entirely  unconnected  with  and  dif- 
ferent from  modern  Foresters.  At  the 
present  time,  the  Ancient  Order  of  For- 
esters, with  900,000  members,  ranks  second 
only,  as  to  number  of  members  and  age 
among  the  British  affiliated  friendly  so- 
cieties, to  the  Manchester  Unity,  the  prin- 
cipal branch  of  English  Odd  Fellows.  A 
l^oint  of  contrast  between  these  friendly 
rivals  in  the  United  Kingdom  lies  in  the 
fact  that  while  schism  has  rent  Odd  Fel- 
lowship into  twenty-seven  distinct  but 
similar  societies,  the  Ancient  Order  of 
Foresters  includes  all  of  British  Forestry 
except  a  small  schismatic  branch  known 
as  the  Irish  National  Order,  the  English 
branch  of  the  Indejjendent  Order,  and  a 
few  Courts  of  Royal  Foresters,  whicli  re- 
main faithful  to  and  constitute  all  that  con- 
tinues of  the  ancient  organization  of  that 
name. 

In  America  the  situation  is  different ;  for 
aside  from  a  branch  of  the  (English)  Ancient 
Order  of  Foresters  there  arc  :  The  Foresters 
of  America,  the  Independent  Order  of  Fores- 
ters, the  Independent  Order  of  Foresters  of 
Illinois,  the  Canadian  Order  of  Foresters, 
the  Catholic  Order  of  Foresters  of  Illinois, 
the  United  Order  of  Foresters,  the  Massa- 
chusetts Catholic  Order  of  Foresters,  and 
the  Irish  National  Order  of  Foresters.  But 
the  Foresters  of  America  has  nearly  as  many 
members  in  the  United  States  as  all  the 
others.  There  was  also  an  independent 
Pennsylvania  Order  of  Foresters,  but  little 
has  been  heard  of  it  in  recent  years.  There 
are,  or  were  not  long  ago,  a  few,  perhaps 
live  or  six,  negro  courts  of  an  independent 
(clandestine)    Order  of   Forestry   in    New 


224 


ANCIENT   ORDER   OF   FORESTERS 


York  city.  They  probably  got  their 
*'  forestry  "  in  the  same  manner  as  the  negro 
Knights  of  Pythias  got  the  name  and 
emblems  of  the  latter  society.  Very  little 
is  known  of  them  or  their  whereabouts. 

All  the  Orders  of  Forestry,  except  the 
(English)  Ancient  Order,  when  strictly 
classified,  are  clandestine,  and,  in  a  sense, 
not  entitled  to  the  use  of  titles,  insignia, 
and  ritual  which  infringe  on  those  of  the 
Ancient  Order.  This  characterization  in- 
volves a  fine  point  in  ethics,  one  upon 
which  conscientious  men  may  differ.  But 
the  least  that  may  be  said  is,  that  whatever 
the  merits  or  demerits  of  the  disputes  or  dif- 
ferences which  have  resulted  in  schism  among 
Foresters,  the  various  branches  would  have 
been  absolutely  right  if  they  had  begun 
their  careers  with  essentially  different  names, 
with  newly  created  titles,  and  something- 
different  or  original  in  the  way  of  ritual 
and  ceremonies.  The  (English)  Ancient 
Order,  the  Foresters  of  America,  and  the 
Independent  Order  easily  lead  in  member- 
ship and  promise  prolonged  careers  of  use- 
fulness. While  there  is  no  more  connection 
between  them  than  between  the  Freemasons 
and  Odd  Fellows,  they  are  traveling  parallel 
courses  in  the  work  of  uplifting  humanity, 
and  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  the  prospect 
for  their  being  reunited  is  not  bright. 
With  three  great  bodies  of  Foresters,  with 
three  sets  of  salaried  officials,  and,  therefore, 
three  times  as  many  opportunities  for  pre- 
ferment and  distinction  for  services  rendered, 
it  seems,  in  view  of  the  tendency  of  human 
nature,  that  the  dream  of  only  one  universal 
Order  of  Forestry  is  not  likely  to  be  real- 
ized in  the  near  future. 

Beginning,  in  1834,  with  about  12,000 
members,  as  a  schism  from  the  Eoyal  Order 
of  Foresters,  the  enthusiasm  of  the  Ancient 
Order  may  be  judged  by  the  addition  of 
3,000  new  members  within  a  year.  Nearly 
300  Courts  of  Eoyal  Foresters  gave  alle- 
giance to  the  new  body  within  three  months. 
The  one  American  Court  Joined  the  Ancient 
Order  in  1834-35,  at  which  time  all  but  about 


50  out  of  408  Courts  of  Koyal  Foresters  had 
seceded  and  Joined  the  Ancients.  The 
Eoyal  initiatory  ceremony  was  used  with 
alterations,  but  new  regalia  was  adopted. 
In  imitation  of  like  outgivings  by  the  Odd 
Fellows  and  the  Druids,  the  joublication  of 
a  directory  of  the  Order  was  begun,  after 
which,  in  1836,  a  new  ritual  was  prepared, 
although  it  differs  from  that  now  in  use, 
concerning  which  members  declare  that  no 
trace  of  Masonic  influence,  "which  so  per- 
meated the  Odd  Fellows'  ritual,"  can  be 
found  in  it.  At  that  period  the  Forestic  rit- 
ual included  only  one  degree  or  ceremony  of 
initiation.  In  1835,  prior  to  the  complete 
revision  of  the  old  ritual  (and  after  refusing 
to  recognize  or  organize  a  women's  Order 
of  Forestry),  the  Ancient  Order  adopted 
bodily  the  ritual  of  the  Ancient  Order  of 
Shepherds*  as  its  second  degree.     Whether 

*  The  Ancient  Order  of  Foresters  is  also  unique 
in  that  it  is  the  only  similar  society  or  order  to  cre- 
ate what  may  be  called  an  additional  degree  or 
grade  by  incorporating  within  itself  another  and 
perhaps  older  secret  society.  In  making  this  com- 
parison, reference  is  had,  of  course,  to  so-called  "  af- 
filiated, friendly "  or  secret,  beneficiary  societies 
alone.  The  origin  of  the  Shepherds  is  declared  by 
its  self-appointed  chroniclers  to  date  back  to  "some 
unknown  period  in  the  early  pai't  of  the  present 
century."  The  Shepherds  met  in  "Sanctuaries," 
were  originally  called  Royal  Shepherds,  and  early 
became  allied  through  tradition  or  otherwise  with 
the  Foresters.  The  governing  body  of  Shepherds 
was  called  the  Supreme  Sanctuary.  For  these  and 
other  reasons  the  two  Orders  were  believed  to  liave 
long  had  a  common  origin.  Sanctuaries  of  Shep- 
herds are  declared  to  have  been  in  the  liabit 
of  meeting  with  Courts  of  Foresters  by  dispensa- 
tion of  the  Supreme  Sanctuary,  and  there  is  in 
existence  a  dispensation  fx'om  the  Supreme  Sanc- 
tuary of  Royal  Shepherds,  Leeds,  to  members  of 
Covirt  of  Truth,  No.  21,  Royal  Foresters,  and 
their  successors,  to  "assemble  and  hold  a  second 
degree  of  Royal  Foresters,"  etc.,  "under  the  title 
of  Royal  Shepherds,  and  there  to  make  and  form 
Shepherds  and  to  perform  all  rites  and  cere- 
monies as  practised  by  the  Ancient  Shepherds." 
It  is  signed,  among  others,  by  the  Worthy  Royal 
Pastor,  First  and  Second  Attendants,  and  Worthy 
Supreme  Pastor.  In  1835  a  meeting  of  delegates 
of  Sanctuaries  of  Shepherds  was  held   at  Leeds, 


ANCIENT   ORDER   OF   FORESTERS 


225 


this  means  that  an  existing  but  moribund 
Order  was  adopted  en  hloc  by  Britisli  For- 
esters in  1835,  or  whether  merely  tluit  the 
ritual  of  a  practically  extinct  or  a  dormant 
society  was  incorporated  within  English 
Forestry,  docs  not  appear.  By  183G,  within 
two  years,  the  total  membership  had  in- 
creased to  17,260,  a  gain  of  more  than  5,000 
within  two  years,  and  the  extent  of  tlie  ref- 
ormation of  sentiment  as  to  the  purposes 
and  conduct  of  the  society  may  be  inferred 
in  that  meetings  were  authorized  to  be  held 

which  is  referred  to  as  the  first  High  Sanctuary 
Meeting.  An  organization  was  perfected,  a  code 
of  rules  prepared,  and  heraldic  emblems,  motto,  and 
word  were  adopted.  From  that  time  the  progress 
of  the  Ancient  Order  of  Shepherds  within  the  l)ody 
of  Forestry  (more  particularly  in  the  United  States) 
has  been  steady,  but  without  other  noteworthy  de- 
A'elopraent.  A  suspension  of  a  Forester  from  his 
Court  formerly  acted  as  a  suspension  from  his  Sanc- 
tuary, which  in  later  years  was  not  the  case.  Ex- 
pulsion from  a  Court,  however,  expelled  from  the 
Sanctuary  also.  The  tendency  in  England  has  been 
to  loosen  the  tie  between  the  two  organizations. 
Shejtherds  there  now  govern  their  own  affairs,  the 
natural  outcome  of  a  ruling  that  a  Forester's  ad- 
vancement in  olBce  is  not  affected  by  his  not  hav- 
ing joined  the  Ancient  Order  of  Shepherds.  Mem- 
bership in  the  Shepherds  (England)  carried  with  it 
"half  benefits"  for  which  "half  contributions" 
were  necessary.  The  practical  breakdown  of  Shep- 
herdry  in  Forestry  in  England  was  due  primarily 
to  unwillingness  to  keep  up  two  organizations  in 
one,  with  two  rituals  and  two  sets  of  expense. 
Elaborate  ritual,  extensive  paraphernalia,  and  the 
like,  are  more  popular  in  the  United  States  than  in 
the  United  Kingdom.  The  emblem  of  tlie  Shep- 
herds is  the  slieepskin  sack  or  white  wool  scrip. 
The  heraldic  emblem,  adopted  sixty  yeai's  ago,  was 
the  Lamb  and  the  Cross  ;  but  the  Cross  was  after- 
ward eliminated  "in  deference  to  the  wishes  of 
Jewish  brethren."  The  motto  as  given  in  author- 
ized Forestic  publications  was  Noster  Pastor  Domi- 
ne,  and  "  the  word  "  formerly  was  Quam  Dilecti. 
The  "Handbook  of  Foresters  of  America,"  published 
in  1893,  New  York,  states  tiiat  the  Ancient  Order 
of  Shepherds  severed  its  connection  witli  the  Order 
in  England  and  became  Americanized  shortly  after 
the  Minneapolis  Convention  in  1889.  It  now  forms 
a  beneficiary  branch  of  the  Foresters  of  America, 
"but  its  distinctive  aim  is  to  socially  unite  the 
brethren  of  the  different  Courts." 
15 


only  in  "  temperance  hotels  ;"  that  sessions 
must  close  by  eleven  o'clock  at  night,  and 
that  in  ceremonies  in  which  swords  had  been 
used,  clubs  should  thereafter  be  employed. 
It  was  not  until  1837  that  Forestry  was  in- 
troduced into  London.  Between  1837  and 
1843  much  was  suggested  and  begun  in 
the  way  of  extending  and  enlarging  philan- 
throi)ic  work,  and  elTorts  were  made  to  pro- 
vide for  the  relief  of  the  superannuated 
and  maimed  as  well  as  the  sick  and  dis- 
tressed. The  nine  years  following  the  ref- 
ormation, after  the  revolution  in  1834,  con- 
stituted the  primary  period  in  the  life  of 
the  society,  during  which  it  had  been  man- 
aged at  odd  moments  by  men  whose  atten- 
tion was,  in  most  instances,  nearly  all  oc- 
cupied with  the  task  of  earning  their  liv- 
ings. 

In  1843  the  practical  jjeriod  in  the  life- 
work  of  British  Forestry  was  begun  with 
the  election  of  permanent,  salaried  ofKcials. 
This  indicates  that  Forestry  had  been  fol- 
lowing or  watching  closely  the  strides  of 
its  older  sister,  the  Manchester  Unity  of 
Odd  Fellows,  which  in  1844,  in  order  to 
insure  solvency,  went  so  far  as  to  interfere 
in  the  financial  affairs  of  its  subordinate 
Lodges,  one  of  the  first  steps  looking  to 
financial  soundness  on  the  part  of  such 
societies,  and  one  which  the  more  success- 
ful secret  beneficiary  assessment  societies 
have  imitated.  Hardly  second  in  impor- 
tance was  the  persistent,  even  courageous, 
compilation  of  vital  statistics  by  the  Man- 
chester Unity  Odd  Fellows.  Vital  statis- 
tics, as  a  basis  on  which  to  establish  a  scale 
of  assessments,  to  determine  something  in 
relation  to  the  probable  lifetime  of  an 
api)licant  for  menil)ership,  were  little  un- 
derstood by  the  working  classes  of  the 
United  Kingdom  sixty  or  seventy  years 
ago,  and  were  lightly  esteemed  by  nearly 
all  meml)ers  of  the  then  leading  beneficiary 
Orders — Foresters,  Druids,  and  Odd  Fel- 
lows. Foresters  were  among  the  first  to 
recognize  the  necessity  for  the  business 
methods  of  the  Odd   Fellows.     Althougli 


226 


ANCIENT   ORDER   OF   FORESTERS 


all  Orders  named,  as  well  as  the  uon-secret. 
generally  local,  beneficiary  societies,  con- 
tinued to  hold  meetings,  initiate  members, 
and  relieve  distressed  bretliren  by  system- 
atic contributions,  for  fifteen  or  sixteen 
years  after  the  birth  of  the  Ancient  Order 
of  Foresters  in  1834,  all  except  the  purely 
local  societies  continued  under  the  ban  of 
the  corresponding  societies  and  the  sedi- 
tious meetings  acts,  and  were  unable  to  pro- 
tect themselves,  by  law,  against  fraud  or 
theft.  Not  until  1850  did  they  finally  gain 
legal  recognition  through  the  friendly 
societies  act,  which  required  the  registr}^ 
of  their  rules.  The  Ancient  Order  of 
Foresters  has  been  described  as  the  first 
affiliated  friendly  society  apjolying  for 
registry  under  that  act,  and  by  that  date, 
October,  1850,  tliis  Order  numbered  nearly 
70,000  members,  although  it  sulfered  in 
1848  from  the  results  of  a  bitter  struggle 
between  its  officials  over  the  investment  of 
funds.  This  had  no  sooner  ended  in  the 
interest  of  the  society  at  large  than  an 
unfaithful  treasurer  disappeared  from  Glas- 
gow (1849)  with  a  considerable  sum  belong- 
ing to  the  organization,  which  almost 
killed  Forestry  as  well  as  Odd  Fellowship 
at  that  city,  and  it  was  fully  sixteen  years 
before  they  recovered  from  the  blow.  Yet, 
by  1855,  only  six  years  later,  there  were,  in 
all,  100,000  members  of  the  Ancient  Order  of 
Foresters,  a  gain  of  34,000  within  ten  years. 
In  the  efEort  to  extend  the  work  of  relief  a 
levy  of  one  shilling  per  member  was  made  in 
1850  for  the  erection  of  a  Foresters^  Home, 
and  in  that  year,  and  those  immediately 
following,  mortality  and  sick  tables  were 
compiled.  These  were  imperfect,  but  were 
greatly  improved  in  1855  by  the  incorpora- 
tion of  features  developed  in  like  statistics 
prepared  by  the  Manchester  Unity.  Not- 
withstanding imperfections  in  the  earlier 
Forestic  tables  of  membership,  sickness, 
deaths,  etc.,  the  compilations  demonstrated 
the  then  unsuspected  ability  of  the  Order 
to  pay  fourteen  shillings  per  week  for  the 
full  term  of  sickness  of  members  (between 


the  ages  of  twenty  and  seventy)  on  the 
assessment  of  only  fourpence  jier  week  2)er 
capita. 

In  1857  a  prize  and  honorary  membership 
were  awarded  Mr.  George  Faulkner  of  Man- 
chester for  a  new  ceremony  of  initiation, 
and  in  18G2  £500  were  sent  to  relieve  dis- 
tress in  the  cotton  districts  of  the  United 
States,  the  result  of  the  Civil  War,  "and  to 
relieve  the  distressed  members  of  the  Or- 
der." In  1865  the  passing  of  a  satisfactory 
medical  examination  was  made  compulsory 
on  those  applying  for  membership,  and  as 
an  evidence  of  the  growth  of  the  society,  at 
the  High  Court  Meeting  at  Wolverhampton 
in  18G8,  at  which  the  Earl  of  Litchfield  pre- 
sided, delegates  were  present  from  Ireland 
and  from  Australia.  At  that  meeting,  also, 
was  first  urged  the  payment  of  a  graduated 
scale  of  assessments  according  to  age,  but 
this  was  not  perfected  until  1882,  although 
nominally  put  into  operation  in  1872  so  far 
as  new  members  were  concerned.  The  pub- 
lic spirit  of  the  society  is  attested  by  its  pres- 
entation of  a  life-boat  to  the  National  Life- 
Boat  Institution  in  1864,and  another  in  1869. 

The  Order  was  formally  introduced  into 
the  United  States  in  1832,  by  the  estab- 
lishment of  Court  Good  Speed,  No.  201, 
at  Philadelphia,  by  the  Eoyal  Foresters. 
In  1836  Court  Good  Sj^eed  seceded  to  the 
Ancient  Order,  but  died  some  time  after, 
leaving  no  records.  Court  General  Wash- 
ington, No.  1,361,  was  opened  at  Brooklyn 
in  1841,  but  was  short-lived.  Early  in  1842 
Court  Potifar,  No.  1,412,  and  Court  Trans- 
atlantic "  were  opened  somewhere  in  the 
United  States,"  but  no  records  remain  to 
tell  where.  A  dispensation  was  granted  to 
"City  of  New  York,"  with  no  name  of 
Court,  early  in  1843,  but  apparently  noth- 
ing further  was  done  in  the  matter.  Court 
Bay  State,  No.  2,249,  was  opened  at  Boston 
in  December,  1847,  but  has  not  been  heard 
of  since.  But  on  May  28,  1864,  Court 
Brooklyn,  No.  4,421,  was  instituted  at 
Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  and  on  May  5,  1865,  Court 
Eobin  Hood  was  instituted  in  New  York 


ANCIENT   ORDER   OF   FORESTERS 


227 


city,  both  of  whicli  continue  to  this  day 
and  are  therefore  the  oldest  living  Courts 
of  Forestry  in  the  United  States.  Between 
1864  and  the  year  1874,  when  the  first  dis- 
sension in  the  ranks  of  American  Forestry 
took  place,  the  Order  in  the  United  States 
grew  until  it  numbered  43  Courts  with 
2,300  members,  all  holding  allegiance  to  the 
High  C'ourt  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  Fores- 
ters of  England.  As  pointed  out  in  a  "  His- 
tory of  the  Independent  Order  of  Foresters  " 
(Toronto:  Hunter,  Rose  &  Co.,  1894),  an 
agitation  arose  as  early  as  1871  to  secure  a 
Subsidiary  High  Court  for  the  United  States, 
the  demand  being  based  on  a  desire  for  local 
self-government.  It  is  declared  that  several 
petitions  to  that  end  Avere  sent  to  the  Eng- 
lish High  Court,  where  they  were  thrown 
out.  After  that  the  movement  became  in 
part  one  for  separation  from  the  mother  or- 
ganization, and  the  establishment  of  an  in- 
dependent High  Court  for  tlie  United  States. 
As  stated  by  the  leader  of  the  movement  for 
independence,  A.  B.  Caldwell  (who  joined 
the  Order  in  1870),  '*he  (himself)  became 
at  once  restless  and  dissatisfied  witli  the 
arbitrary  laws  and  general  mismanage- 
ment .  .  .  and  soon  commenced  agitating 
independent  Forestry."' 

A  convention  of  Foresters  was  held  at 
Liberty  Hall,  Newark,  N.  J.,  June  16  and 
17,  1874,  in  response  to  a  call  signed  by 
500  Ancient  Foresters,  residents  mostly  of 
New  York  and  New  Jersey.  Court  Inde- 
pendence, No.  1,  of  Newark,  had  already 
seceded  and  organized  itself  into  a  Court  of 
Independent  Foresters,  and  prior  to  the 
convention  had  instituted  two  independent 
Courts  of  Foresters  under  the  names  Court 
General  Kearney,  No.  2,  Kearney,  N.  J., 
and  Court  United  States,  No.  3,  New  York 
city.  These  three  Courts  in  convention 
declared  their  independence  of  the  High 
Court  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  Foresters  of 
England,  and  elected  A.  B.  Caldwell  Most 
Worthy  High  Chief  Ranger.  Before  the 
end  of  1874,  and  only  shortly  after  the  new 
Independent  Order  had  refused  to  compro- 


mise differences  with  its  American  brethren 
of  the  Ancient  Oi-der,  a  Subsidiary  High 
Court  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  Foresters  for 
the  United  States  was  finally  granted  by 
the  High  Court  of  England,  at  Worcester, 
England,  on  proposition  of  Court  Wines, 
No.  5,738,  New  York,  now  Court  Republic. 
Jerome  Buck  of  New  York,  and  Mr. 
Phillips  of  Scranton,  Pa.,  were  delegates 
to  the  meeting  of  the  English  High  Court 
at  Worcester.  The  now  Subsidiary  High 
Court  was  established  at  New  York  late  in 
1874,  and  the  first  Executive  Council  was 
located  at  Brooklyn,  N.  Y,  Jerome  Buck 
was  Subsidiary  High  Chief  Ranger.  Chron- 
iclers of  the  (English)  Ancient  Order  place 
its  American  membership  at  that  date  at 
over  2,000  and  the  number  of  Courts  at  43. 
Evidently  the  leaders  of  the  Independent 
Order  had  gone  far  enough  to  taste  the 
sweets  of  being  in  control  of  what  promised 
to  be  a  successful  beneficiary  secret  society, 
because  the  granting  of  the  original  demand 
by  the  seceders  for  a  Subsidiary  High 
Court  to  the  American  branch  of  the  An- 
cient Order,  only  a  few  months  after  the 
schism,  failed  to  exercise  any  appreciable 
influence  to  reunite  the  American  bodies. 
For  the  next  fifteen  years  the  Ancient  Or- 
der in  the  United  States  continued  its  alle- 
giance to  the  High  Court  of  England, 
when  it,  too,  at  the  meeting  of  the  Sub- 
sidiary High  Court  at  Minneapolis,  August 
15,  1889,  seceded  from  the  English  organi- 
zation and  became  the  Ancient  Order  of 
Foresters  of  America,  and  in  1895  the 
Foresters  of  America,  under  Avhich  title  it 
enjoys  the  distinction  of  having  the  largest 
membership  of  any  of  the  various  orders  of 
Forestry  into  which  it  and  the  Independent 
Order  have  been  divided.  From  1875  to 
1889,  wiiile  still  a  branch  of  the  English 
society,  the  Ancient  Order  in  the  United 
States  greatly  outstri])ped  the  mother  fra- 
ternity in  rate  of  progress,  increasing  in 
membership  in  fourteen  years  from  about 
2,000  to  56,000.  By  1895  it  numbered 
119,000  members,  an  increase  of  more  than 


228 


ANCIENT   ORDER   OF   FORESTERS 


fifty-fold  within  tweuty-one  years,  while 
the  English  Order  daring  the  same  period 
trebled  its  niembership.  The  latter,  how- 
ever, has  eight  members  to  one  of  the  For- 
esters of  America. 

For  five  years  after  the  establishment 
of  the  American  Subsidiary  High  Court, 
the  progress  of  the  Ancient  Order  was 
slow,  membership  increasing  from  about 
2,000  to  only  4,500.  In  the  following  ten 
years  extension  was  rapid,  membership  in- 
creasing to  9,950  by  1881,  to  10,780  in  1883, 
to  23,570  in  1885,  29,000  in  1886,  and  to 
56,000  in  1889.  The  "color  question" 
appeared  early  in  the  life  of  the  American 
organization,  there  having  been  "  two  or 
more  Courts  of  colored  Foresters  in  the 
Order/'*  which  were  "quietly  gotten  rid 
of  by  the  Subsidiary  High  Court  refusing 
to  accept  their  per  capita  tax,"  on  the 
ground  that  "  to  attract  members  and  pre- 
serve unity  it  was  necessary  for  the  Order 
to  place  itself  regarding  the  negro  on  the 
same  ground  with  other  leading  secret  be- 
nevolent societies."  These  Courts  of  negro 
Foresters  afterward  afl&liated  Avith  the  Eng- 
lish Order.  At  the  second  Subsidiary  High 
Court,  at  Scranton,  Pa.,  1875,  rules  for 
admission  to  the  Order  were  adopted,  limit- 
ing applicants  to  "  white  males,"  etc.  This 
brought  it  into  conflict  with  the  High 
Court  of  England,  by  which  no  distinction 
is  made  as  to  race.  The  subject  was  de- 
bated in  three  English  High  Court  meet- 
ings, and  strong  expressions  were  made 
against  the  American  rule,  while  in  two 
Subsidiary  High  Courts  propositions  to 
strike  out  the  word  "white"  were  voted 
down  by  large  majorities.  At  the  eleventh 
Subsidiary  High  Court,  at  Detroit,  1885, 
permanent  Secretary  E.  M.  McMurtry,  to 
whom  the  Order  owes  much  of  its  success, 
and  J.  J.  Hayes,  were  appointed  a  com- 
mittee to  attend  the  High  Court  at  Leices- 
ter,   England,   in    1886,    and   present   the 

*  Handbook  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  Foresters 
of  America  :  Forestic  Publishing  Company,  New 
York,  1893. 


American  side  of  "the  negro  question." 
They  did  so,  and  the  English  High  Court 
was  sufficiently  impressed  to  content  itself 
with  merely  reaffirming  its  previous  opin- 
ions, relying  "ou  the  good  faith  and  sense 
of  justice  of  the  American  brethren  to  open 
their  portals  to  all  men  at  the  earliest  possi- 
ble moment."  Notwithstanding  this  con- 
ciliatory action,  the  English  High  Court 
at  its  next  session,  Glasgow,  1887,  declared 
that  no  law  of  any  Subsidiary  High  Court, 
etc.,  should  prevent  the  admission  of  a  man 
on  account  of  his  color,  and  that  any  exist- 
ing law  to  that  effect  was  deemed  invalid. 
The  reply  from  the  United  States  was  that 
the  charter  rights  of  the  Subsidiary  High 
Court  iu  the  United  States  permitted  the 
adoption  by  it  of  the  rule  referred  to,  and 
that  no  law  existed  permitting  tlie  High 
Court  to  curtail  or  regulate  enactments  of 
the  Subsidiary  High  Court.  It  is  further 
claimed  by  permanent  Secretary  McMurtry 
and  others  conversant  with  the  situation, 
that  the  American  Subsidiary  High  Court 
sanctioned  at  Worcester,  England,  in  1874, 
was  the  outcome  merely  of  a  general  law 
for  the  government  of  such  a  Court ;  that 
no  charter  was  ever  issued  to  it,  and  that 
the  Subsidiary  High  Court  of  America  was 
virtually  an  independent,  self-created  body, 
sanctioned  by  the  High  Court  of  England, 
owing  allegiance  to  the  latter  in  a  fraternal 
sense  only.  Evidently  British  Foresters 
thought  differently,  and  it  is  possible  they 
were  not  influenced  by  the  most  conserva- 
tive among  them,  for  the  Reading  (Eng- 
land) High  Court,  in  1888,  rescinded  the 
resolution  adopted  at  Worcester  in  1874, 
fourteen  years  before,  viz.:  "That  a  Sub- 
sidiary High  Court  for  the  United  States 
of  America  be  granted,"  thereby  cancelling 
the  existing  government  of  the  English 
Orders  of  Foresters  in  the  United  States, 
and  suspending  all  members  thereof  who 
refused  to  comply  with  the  action  taken. 
Excitement  naturally  ran  high  among 
American  Foresters  affected,  j^articularly 
as  the  English  body  had  made  public  its 


BENEVOLENT   AND   PROTECTIVE   ORDER   OF   ELKS 


22i) 


willingness  to  reassume  direct  parental  re- 
lations with  individual  American  Courts. 
A  great  majority  of  American  Courts  fa- 
vored independence,  only  eighteen  actively 
favoring  English  supremacy — thirteen  in 
California,  two  in  Michigan,  and  one  each 
in  New  Jersey,  New  York,  and  Connecticut. 
These  afterwards  formed  the  nucleus  of  the 
remaining  Ancient  Order  in  the  United 
States.  The  eighteen  Courts  which  re- 
fused to  recognize  the  Subsidiary  High 
Court  were  suspended,  and  subsequently 
aflSliated  with  the  English  Order. 

Ancient  Order,  Dung-hters  of  Jeriisa- 
leni. — See  Ancient  Order,  Knights  of  Je- 
rusalem. 

Ancient  Order.  Knights  of  Jerusa- 
^^n\. — One  of  the  smaller  fraternal  benefi- 
ciary associations,  paying  death  and  funeral 
benefits.  Associated  with  it  is  a  similar  so- 
ciety for  women,  the  Ancient  Order  of 
Daughters  of  Jerusalem.  Its  headquarters 
are  at  "Washington,  D.  C. 

Ancient     Order     of     Sanhedrims 

Founded  by  AV.  8.  Iliff  and  Franklin  Van 
Nuys,  at  Richmond,  Ind.,  A2)ril  1,  1895,  as 
a  fraternal  beneficiary  order.  It  i)ays  sick 
benefits  of  15  weekly  for  five  weeks  in  a 
year.  To  be  eligible  to  membership  a  man 
must  be  sound  physically,  of  good  moral 
character,  and  a  member  of  some  secret  so- 
ciety in  good  standing.  The  Order  is  an 
outgrowth  of  the  Orientals,  a  ''side  degree '^ 
attached  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias. 

Ancient  Order  of  Shepherds. — Origi- 
nally constituting  one  degree  of  the  (Eng- 
lish) Ancient  Order  of  Foresters,  it  now 
forms  a  beneficiary  branch  of  the  Foresters  of 
America.  (See  Ancient  Order  of  Foresters, 
Foresters  of  America,  and  Loyal  Ancient 
Order  of  Shepherds.) 

Artisans'  Order  of  Mutual  Protection. 
— Founded  by  James  N.  Bunn  of  Altoona, 
Pa.,  in  1873,  who  withdrew  from  the 
Ancient  Order  of  United  Workmen  for  that 
purpose.  As  the  latter  is  i)ractically  the 
pioneer  American  mutual  assessment, 
secret  fraternity  paying  death  benefits,  so 


is  the  Artisans'  Order  of  Mutual  Protection 
one  of  its  oldest  children.  The  latter  oper- 
ates only  in  Pennsylvania,  New  Jersey,  and 
New  York,  and  pays  sick  and  death  benefits, 
but  by  means  of  fixed  quarterly  dues,  instead 
of  by  mutual  assessments.  Sick  benefits 
amount  to  $5  weekly  and  are  not  deducted 
from  death  benefits,  which  range  from 
$1,000  to  $«2,000.  The  society's  ritual  is 
"based  purely  on  business  principles,"  yet 
the  principal  emblem,  containing  an  illus- 
tration of  the  application  of  the  screw  and 
the  pulley  to  mechanics,  the  whole  with 
a  triangle  inscribed  within  a  circle  and  sur- 
rounded by  the  words  *'  Peace,  Power,  and 
Protection,"  is  suggestive  of  an  appropriate 
and  instructive  ceremonial.  The  office  of 
the  most  Excellent  Recorder  is  at  Phila- 
delphia, where  a  large  proportion  of  the 
four  thousand  members  may  be  found. 

Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of 
Elks. — A  charitable  and  benevolent  organ- 
ization, designed  to  contribute  to  the  so- 
cial enjoyment  of  its  members,  to  relieve 
the  necessities  of  deserving  brethren,  their 
widows  and  orphans,  and  perpetuate  the 
memories  of  deceased  members  of  the  Order. 
Its  origin  is  given  in  Allen  0.  Myer's  history 
of  the  Order  as  follows  : 

In  1866  the  Legislature  of  New  York  passed  seven 
excise  laws  that  closed  up  all  the  saloons,  theatres, 
etc.,  on  Sunday.  Actors  are  a  social  class,  and 
this  law  deprived  them  of  friendly  intercourse  and 
recreation  on  the  only  day  in  the  week  tliey  could 
call  their  own.  IMiey  looked  around  to  find  some 
way  to  evade  this  law  and  enjoy  themselves  as  they 
saw  fit  on  the  day  of  rest.  A  few  of  them  raised  a 
purse  by  small  contributions  to  pay  for  a  room  and 
buy  refreshments  and  a  lunch  for  the  company. 
They  met  first  in  a  room  over  a  place  on  Fourteentli 
Street  in  New  York  city,  and  afterwards  they  met  in 
a  room  on  the  Bowery.  As  the  members  increased 
they  saw  the  necessity  of  having  some  sort  of  an 
organization  to  prevent  confusion  in  their  social 
sessions  and  to  transact  the  little  business  necessary. 
An  organization  was  formed,  called  the  "Jolly 
Corks."  There  was  a  social  organization  in  Eng- 
land called  the  "  Buffaloes."  It  was  a  convivial 
society,  and  as  there  were  a  number  of  English 
actors  in  the  company,  the  first  ideas  of  organiza- 
tion were  doubtless  suggested  by  that  society,  aud 


230 


BENEVOLENT   ORDER   OF    BUFFALOES 


the  name  "  Jolly  Corks  "  was  given  the  new  body, 
either  from  the  flying  corks  that  came  from  the 
bottles,  or  because  of  the  connection  of  the  mem- 
bers with  tlie  theatrical  profession. 

The  credit  of  founding  the  Order  is  given 
to  Chiirles  Algernon  S.  Vivian,  an  Englisli- 
man,  an  actor,  and  the  son  of  a  clergyman 
of  the  established  churcli.  After  the  so- 
ciety was  formed  at  New  York,  the  mem- 
bers desired  a  distinctively  American  name, 
one  which  would  harmonize  with  the  desire 
for  making  the  organization  secret  in  char- 
acter and  social  and  benevolent  in  purpose. 
Several  Avho  happened  to  be  at  Barnum's 
old  Museum  in  New  York  city  were  struck 
by  the  appearance  of  a  fine  moose  head, 
and  agreed  to  select  it  as  the  society's 
emblem,  and  the  word  "Elk*'  for  the  name 
of  the  new  Order.  This  choice  of  name  was 
due  to  the  impression  made  by  the  descrip- 
tion of  Cervus  Alces  iu  ''  Buffon's  Natural 
History,"  "fleet  of  foot,  and  timorous  of 
doing  wrong,  avoiding  all  combat  except  in 
fighting  for  the  female  and  in  defence  of 
the  young  and  helpless  and  weak."  Gold- 
smith's description  of  the  elk  in  his  "Ani- 
mated History"  also  exercised  an  influence 
on  the  choice  of  name.  Some  confusion 
has  arisen  within  and  out  of  the  Order  over 
the  use  of  the  name  Cervus  Alces  with 
the  head  of  the  American  elk.  Some  years 
ago,  when  the  Order  had  begun  to  grow,  the 
moose  (Cervus  Alces)  head  was  dropped  by 
order  of  the  Grand  Lodge  and  the  elk  head 
(Cervus  Canadensis)  was  adopted  as  the  offi- 
cial emblem  of  the  Order.  The  secret  society 
affiliations  of  the  earlier  Elks,  the  original 
"Jolly  Corks,"  in  addition  to  the  Benevo- 
lent Order  of  Buffaloes,  an  English  friendly 
societ}^,  cannot  be  ascertained;  but  the  real 
founders  of  the  Elks,  those  who  so  shaped 
its  destinies  as  to  make  it  one  of  the  leading 
brotherhoods  among  the  few  not  founded 
on  political  or  financial  considerations,  may 
be  safely  classed  as  Freemasons;  for  the  cere- 
monial of  the  Elks,  although  it  has  been 
changed  several  times,  still  presents  features 
familiar   to   workmen    from   the    quarries. 


One  of  the  more  conspicuous  evidencesof  this 
is  or  has  been  found  in  the  use  of  aprons 
by  Elks,  and  ' '  Lodges  of  Sorrow, " '  and 
"  Tylers."  The  rule  which  permits  the  ex- 
istence of  only  one  lodge  of  Elks  in  a  city 
(since  188G)  works  well  in  practice.  The 
governing  body  is  the  Supreme  Lodge,  to 
Avhich  subordinate  Lodges  send  represent^,- 
tives.  In  1898  there  were  about  300  Lodges 
at  as  many  cities  throughout  the  country, 
with  35,000  members.  The  notion  that  the 
Order  is  made  up  almost  exclusively  of  mem- 
bers of  the  theatrical  profession  is  erroneovts. 
While  many  actors  are  Elks,  the  Order  con- 
tains members  from  all  the  leading  walks  of 
business  and  professional  life.  The  initials 
of  the  titles  of  some  of  its  officers  (Esteemed 
Leading  Knight,  Esteemed  Loyal  Knight, 
and  Esteemed  Lecturing  Knight)  are  just 
Kabbalistic  enough  to  excite  interest,  and 
what  the  members  of  the  Order  do  at  half- 
past  eleven  is  known  only  to  themselves. 
Elks'  Memorial  Day  occurs  annually  on  the 
first  Sunday  in  December,  when  the  memo- 
ries of  departed  brethren  are  revived  and 
fittingly  referred  to.  But  above  all  things 
else  is  charity  the  distinguishing  character- 
istic of  the  Order,  charity  which  is  inoffen- 
sive, untraced,  and  unsuspected. 

Benevolent  Order  of  BufTaloes.— 
Whether  or  not  the  original  Benevolent 
Order  of  Buffaloes,  a  social  secret  organiza- 
tion in  England,  had  any  more  to  do  with 
the  forming  of  the  American  secret  society  by 
the  same  name,  which  consists  of  one  Lodge 
in  Philadelphia  and  one  in  New  York,  has 
not  been  ascertained.  The  New  York  body 
was  organized  May  1, 1881.  The  Order  pays 
sick  and  death  benefits,  and,  in  reply  to  in- 
quiries, states  that  the  Philadelphia  and 
New  York  Lodges  "are  the  only  ones  in 
existence." 

Brethren  Hospitalers  of  St.  John  the 
Baptist  of  Jerusalem.— See  Knights  of 
St.  John  of  Jerusalem,  Rhodes,  Malta,  etc. 

Chevaliers  of  Pythias.— Organized  in 
Boston  in  1888  as  a  charitable  and  bene- 
ficiary  societv,  but   with   the   payment   of 


COXCATEXATEU    ORDER    OF   HOO-HOO 


281 


death  and  sick  benefits  optional.  Its  title 
is  plainly  a  i)lagiarisni  from  that  of  an  older 
and  well-known  fraternity.  It  is  reported 
dofnnct. 

Coiupaiiioiis  of  the  Forest. — A  social 
beneficiary  secret  society  confined  to  mem- 
bers of  the  Foresters  of  America  and  their 
women  relatives  and  friends,  organized  at 
San  Francisco  in  Jnne,  1883.  (See  Foresters 
of  America  and  Ancient  Order  of  Foresters.) 

Coiicatenatecl  Order  of  Hoo-Hoo. — 
Organized  at  Gurdon,  Ark.,  on  Jannary  21, 
1892.  There  were  present  at  the  founding 
of  the  Order,  B.  Arthur  Johnson,  of  the  edi- 
torial staff  of  the  '' Timberman,"  Chicago, 
111. ;  William  Eddy  Barns,  editor  of  the  St. 
Louis  ''Lumberman,"  St.  Louis,  Mo.; 
George  Washington  Schwartz,  of  the  Van- 
dalia  Koad,  St.  Louis,  Mo. ;  A.  Strauss,  of  the 
Malvern  Lumber  Company,  Malvern,  Ark.; 
George  Kimball  Smith,  Secretary  of  the 
Southern  Lumber  Manufacturers'  Associa- 
tion, St.  Louis,  Mo.,  and  William  Starr  Mit- 
chell, Business  Manager  of  the  Arkansas 
"  Democrat,"  Little  Rock,  Ark.  Only  two 
of  the  above-named  Avere  in  any  sense  secret 
society  men.  These  were  members  of  the 
Freemasons  and  the  Elks.  With  the  excep- 
tion of  Mr.  Strauss  they  were  all  camp  fol- 
lowers who  lived  by,  but  not  in,  lumber  ; 
people  who,  as  a  duty,  attended  probably 
thirty  or  forty  meetings  of  the  lumbermen 
annually,  which  were  held  in  all  parts  of 
the  United  States.  It  was  first  suggested 
that  the  Order  be  called  the  Independent 
Order  of  Camp  Followers,  which,  of 
course,  would  imply  not  actual  lumber- 
men, but  such  people  as  railroad  men, 
newspaper  men,  and  those  other  people  who 
found  it  necessary  to  attend  lumber  retail 
and  manufacturers'  association  meetings, 
but  it  was  at  once  determined  to  make  the 
matter  vastly  broader  than  that  and  have  it 
include  the  lumbermen  themselves.  It  is 
not  out  of  the  way  to  state  that  not  one  of 
those  present  had  any  idea  that  the  Order 
then  founded  would  ever  have  more  than 
possibly  one  hundred  members. 


The  first  regular  Concatenation  was  held 
in  the  old  St.  Charles  Hotel  at  New  Orleans 
on  February  18,  1892,  and  thirty-five  of  the 
leading  lumbermen  of  the  country  were  ini- 
tiated. It  was  not  long  until  Concatena- 
tions were  being  held  in  several  States.  The 
Order  is  often  spoken  of  as  a  lumber  organ- 
ization on  account  of  the  fact  that  more 
lumbermen  have  availed  themselves  of  the 
opportunity  to  become  members  of  the 
Order  than  any  other  class  who  are  eligible 
to  membership.  The  word  Iloo-IIoo  and 
the  word  lumbermen  have,  by  common 
usage,  come  to  be  almost  synonymous  terms. 
Under  the  constitution  those  who  are  eli- 
gible must  be  white  male  persons  over  the 
age  of  twenty-one  years,  of  good  moral 
character,  and  engaged  in  one  or  more 
of  the  following  avocations:  lumbermen, 
newspaper  men,  railroad  men,  and  saw- 
mill machinery  men.  During  the  first  year 
of  the  organization  one  lady,  Mrs.  M.  A. 
Smith  of  Smithton,  Ark.,  owning  a  saw- 
mill and  railroad,  was  initiated,  and  has 
the  honor  of  being  the  only  lady  member, 
as  the  constitution  was  changed  at  the  next 
annual  meeting.  Those  who  founded  the 
Order  believed  tbat  the  greatest  achieve- 
ment known  to  humanity  is  to  live  a  hearty, 
healthy,  and  happy  life.  Therefore,  the 
objects  of  the  Order,  as  stated  in  the  con- 
stitution, are  the  promotion  of  the  health, 
happiness,  and  long  life  of  its  members. 
Hoo-IIoo  does  not  believe  in  accepting  mem- 
bers from  all  walks  and  ])rofessions  of  life. 
Believing  these  things,  the  members  of  IIoo- 
IIoo  have  attempted  to  gather  together  peo- 
ple who  have  in  a  business  sense  a  common 
interest.  The  constitution  does  not  provide 
for  sick,  disability,  or  death  benefits.  Ever 
since  its  foundation,  however,  the  Order  has 
done  in  a  quiet  way  some  charitable  work 
among  its  members. 

One  of  the  objects  of  the  Order  is  to  assist 
a  member  in  finding  employment.  The  tra- 
ditions which  were  rei>resented  at  the  Gur- 
don meeting  and  about  which  the  princi- 
ples  cling,  were   of   the   black   oat   of   the 


232 


DAUGHTERS  MILITANT 


Egyptians,  principally  because  the  founders 
believed  and  still  think  that  there  is  no  one 
in  all  Christendom  who  knows  very  much 
about  a  cat.  It  was  chosen  because  many 
people  believe  a  black  cat  to  be  unlucky, 
and  this  Order  among  other  things  was 
to  fight  superstition  and  conventionalism. 
The  Order  of  Hoo-Hoo  has  no  lodge  rooms, 
no  enforced  attendance  at  lodge  meetings, 
no  plumed  helmets,  and,  without  desiring 
to  cast  reflection  on  any  worthy  societies, 
has  nothing  that  other  orders  possess  that 
can  in  any  way  be  avoided.  The  IIoo- 
Hoo  might  have  been  appropriately  called 
the  "  Order  of  Acquaintance,"  as  every 
member  carries  a  handbook,  published,  an- 
nually, which  contains  the  business  address 
of  every  member,  arranged  in  such  a  way 
that  the  information  cannot  be  used  except 
by  the  initiated.  The  ritual  of  the  society 
in  a  literary  way  compares  most  favorably 
with  that  of  any  of  the  secret  societies.  It 
is  composed  of  some  portions  that  are  very 
serious,  while  others  have  for  their  object 
the  amusement  of  those  present. 

The  executive  afEairs  are  administered  by  a 
Supreme  Nine,  and  the  judicial  affairs  and 
the  care  of  its  emblem  are  represented  by  the 
House  of  Ancients.  The  latter  is  a  repository 
of  the  past  executive  rulers  of  the  Order, 
membership  in  which  body  lasts  for  life.  A 
striking  and  entertaining  feature  of  the  Hoo- 
Hoo  Annual  is  the  embalming  of  the  Snark, 
his  passing  into  the  House  of  Ancients. 
The  present  members  of  the  House  of  An- 
cients are  B.  Arthur  Johnson,  William  Eddy 
Barns,  and  James  E.  Defebaugh.  Every- 
thing in  Hoo-Hoo  goes  by  nines.  The  initi- 
ation fee  is  $9.99,  the  annual  dues  are  99 
cents;  the  annual  business  meeting  of  the 
Order  is  held  on  the  ninth  day  of  the  ninth 
month.  Annual  meetings  since  the  organiza- 
tion have  been  held  at  St.  Louis,  Chicago, 
Kansas  City,  Minneapolis,  Nashville,  and 
Detroit.  The  Supreme  ISTine  consist  of  a 
Snark,  a  Senior  Hoo-Hoo,  Junior  Hoo-Hoo, 
a  Bojum,  a  Scrivenoter,  a  Jabberwock,  a 
Custocatian,  an  Arcanoper,  and  a  Gurdon. 


The  Avork  in  each  State  or  foreign  country 
is  under  the  supervision  of  a  Vicegerent 
Snark,  who  has  charge  of  Concatenations 
held  in  his  territory.  The  membership  of 
Hoo-Hoo  is  over  5,000,  and  is  limited  by 
the  constitution  to  9,999. 

Daughters  Militant. — An  organization 
of  women  members  of  the  society  of  Daugh- 
ters of  Rebekah,  a  branch  of  the  Indepen- 
dent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  United  States 
of  America.     (See  the  latter.) 

Daxigliters  of  Hernianii. — AVomen's 
auxiliary  to  the  Sons  of  Hermann.  (See 
the  latter.) 

Daughters  of  Rebekah. — A  social  and 
beneficiary  secret  society  to  which  Odd  Fel- 
lows and  women  relatives  and  friends  are 
eligible.  It  Avas  established  in  1851.  (See 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  United 
States  of  America.) 

Daughters  of  St.  George. — A  charitable 
and  benevolent  secret  sisterhood  composed 
of  Avomen  relati\'es  of  members  of  the  Or- 
der, Sons  of  St.  George.     (See  the  latter.) 

Dramatic  Order  of  Knights  of 
Khorassan. — Prompted,  perhaps,  by  a  de- 
sire for  Pythian  seasons  of  relaxation  and 
amusement  of  a  spectacular  as  aa^cH  as  mys- 
tical character,  leading  spirits  among  the 
Knights  of  Pythias  produced,  full  grown, 
in  1894,  the  Dramatic  Order  of  the  Knights 
of  Khorassan,  to  which  only  Knights  of 
Pythias  are  eligible.  It  is  presided  over  by 
a  Most  Worthy  and  Illustrious  Imperial 
Prince  and  is  notcAvorthy,  in  addition  to  cre- 
ating ncAV  Knights  of  Khorassan,  for  illumi- 
nated pageants  and  fantastically  costumed 
processions  between  sessions  of  the  Supreme 
Lodge  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias.  These 
Persian  quality-folk  are  plainly  suggested 
by  the  Arabic  nobility,  to  join  Avhich  one 
must  be  either  a  Masonic  Knight  Templar 
or  a  thirty-second  degree  Mason  of  the  An- 
cient and  Accepted  Scottish  Eite.  The  An- 
cient Arabic  Order,  Nobles  of  the  Mystic 
Shrine,  dates  back  a  quarter  of  a  century 
in  the  United  States,  and  was  followed  a 
few  years  ago  by  the  Imperial   Order   of 


FORESTERS   OF  AMERICA 


233 


Muscovites, which  meets  in  Kremlins,  and  to 
which  members  of  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows  alone  are  eligible.  Then 
came  the  Knights  of  Khorassan,  of  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  also  with  the  word 
"Imperial  "  in  its  title.  It  meets  in  Tem- 
ples, as  do  the  ''  Mystic  Shriners,'*  to  which 
are  also  given  Persian  or  Arabic  names. 
There  were  thirty  Temples  of  Knights  of 
Khorassan  represented  at  a  meeting  at 
Cleveland  in  1896,  at  which  time  the  mem- 
bcrshij)  of  this  Pythian  imperial  appendix 
was  9,000,  compared  with  1,500  in  Decem- 
ber, 1895.     (See  Knights  of  Pythias.) 

Foresters  of  America. — (See  Ancient 
Order  of  Foresters.)  The  thirteenth  meet- 
ing of  the  Subsidiary  High  Court  of  the 
Ancient  Order  of  Foresters  in  America  con- 
vened at  Minneapolis  August  13,  1889, 
and  on  the  third  day  of  the  session,  in  a 
set  of  formal  resolutions,  reciting  at  length 
what  has  been  explained  regarding  the  dif- 
ferences between  the  English  and  Amer- 
ican affiliated  Orders  (see  Ancient  Order 
of  Foresters),  severed  its  connection  with 
the  High  Court  of  the  Ancient  Order  of 
Foresters,  which  had  already  been  accom- 
plished by  the  action  of  the  English  High 
Court,  and  formed  a  Supreme  Court  of  the 
Ancient  Order  of  Foresters  of  America,  with 
a  new  constitution  and  by-laws.  Curiously 
enough,  the  newly  organized  American  Or- 
der began  with  thirteen  Grand  Courts  in 
thirteen  States  of  the  Union,  subordinate  to 
its  Supreme  Court.  Its  primary  objects  are 
to  provide  sick  and  funeral  benefits  for 
members  and  to  contribute  to  their  moral 
and  juaterial  welfare  and  those  dejiendent 
upon  them.  A  feature  'of  this  Ancient 
Order  of  Foresters  for  a  number  of  years 
was  an  endowment  or  insurance  fund,  not 
to  exceed  $2,000,  for  the  benefit  of  widows, 
children,  or  other  representatives  of  de- 
ceased members.  There  are,  in  addition, 
sick,  temporary  relief,  and  burial  funds. 
Membership  is  confined  to  white  men  from 
eighteen  to  fifty  years  of  age,  of  good  moral 
character,  soundness  of  health   and  bodv. 


freedom  from  disease,  and  a  belief  in  a 
Supreme  Being.  The  government  of  the 
Order  as  well  as  its  material  benefits  are  in 
part  patterned  after  those  of  the  Odd  Fel- 
lows, as,  indeed,  is  the  form  of  govern- 
ment of  nine  out  of  ten  of  the  hundred  and 
more  mutual  benefit  assessment  secret  soci- 
eties which  have  sprung  into  existence  in 
the  United  States  within  the  past  twenty- 
five  years. 

The  Supreme,  formerly  High,  Court  of  the 
Foresters  of  America  is  composed  of  officers 
and  representatives  of  Grand  Courts,  M'hich 
in  turn  are  made  up  of  officers  and  repre- 
sentatives from  subordinate  Courts  in  States, 
territories,  provinces,  or  countries.  In  ad- 
dition to  declaring  itself  independent  of  the 
English  Order,  changing  its  name  and  the 
titles  of  governing  Courts,  the  Ancient  Or- 
der formulated  new  general  laws,  adopted 
new  regalia  and  ritual,  incorporated  the 
American  flag  in  its  insignia,  prefixed  "  Lib- 
erty "  to  the  ancient  motto  of  the  Order, 
"Unity,  Benevolence,  and  Concord,"  and 
established  August  15th  as  "Foresters' 
Day,'"  and  the  second  Sunday  in  June  as 
Memorial  Day.  In  the  United  States  the 
paraphernalia  and  ritual  of  Forestry  have 
been  elaborated  more  than  in  England,  and 
in  1879  a  benevolent  branch  of  the  Ancient 
Order,  known  as  the  Knights  of  the  Sher- 
wood Forest,  was  instituted  at  St.  Louis. 
At  the  Philadelphia  Subsidiary  High  Court 
in  1883,  this  l)ranch  or  appendant  Order  of 
Forestry  was  recognized  as  the  second  de- 
gree, and  now  constitutes  the  semi-military 
or  uniformed  body  among  this  Order  of  For- 
esters, with  a  Supreme  Conclave  of  the  World 
numbering  fifty  subordinate  Conclaves,  and 
1,700  members.  The  Ancient  Order  of 
Shepherds  became  the  third  degree  of  the 
Order  in  1889,  shortly  after  the  jMinneapolis 
Convention,  it  having  finally  separated  from 
English  Forestry,  by  which  it  was  incorpo- 
rated iis  the  second  degree  in  1835.  As  in 
England,  the  Shepherds  degree, while  a  bene- 
ficiary branch,  has  the  distinctive  aim  to  so- 
cially unite  the  brethren  of  different  Courts. 


234  GERMAX   ORDER   OF   HARUGARI 

COMPARATH'E    STATISTICS    OF    MEMBERSHIP    OP   VARIOUS    ORDERS    OF    FORESTERS. 


Total 
Membership. 

Foresters- 

of 
America. 

Independent 
Order. 

United 
Order 

t  (Ist). 

Independent 
Order  of 
Illinois. 

Canadian 
Order. 

Catholic 
Order. 

United 
Order 

1!  (2d). 

Irish 

National 

Order. 

(English) 
Ancient 
Order. 

1895        

119,000 

116,000 

114,000 

105,000 

91,000 

69,000 

56,000 

*29,000 

*24,000 

86,521 
70,055 
43,000 
32,303 
24,4G(i 
1(),000 
14,286 
4,628 
2,959 
1,700 
369 
11,000 
15,000 
13,976 
7,029 
500 

17,330 
18,375 
21.152 

20,791 
18.641 
16,295 
14,208 
12,  .51 4 
10,282 
8,625 
5,1.31 
4,305 
2,900 
1,710 
X  1,.500 

34,847 
29,130 
37,000 

1,300 

i;500 

881,000 

1894 

765,000 

1893            

750,000 

189'' 

1891 

1890 

21,000 

694,000 

1889 

1885 

188--5 

§  300 

1881 

*10,000 

X  l'S,000 

1880 

X  2,.500 

1879 

543,000 

1878 

1877 

1874 

*2,800 

1872 

277,000 

1864 

*  1  Court 

1855 

100,000 

1845  

66,000 

1836 

17,260 

1835 

15,000 

1834 

*  1  Court 
119,000 

12,000 

1895  U  S  alone 

37,008 

None 

17,330 

34,847 

1,200 

500 

16,000 

1896,  Canada .   . 

22,651 

20,000 

*  These  totals  (prior  to  secession  of  1889)  refer  to  the  Ancient  Order  of  Foresters  in  the  United  States. 

t  Died  within  next  few  years.  i  Secessions  from  the  Independent  Order. 

§  Secession  from  the  Independent  Order  of  Illinois.  ||  Recent  origin.  *f  In  the  United  States  alone. 


A  not  less  important  branch  is  the  Com- 
panions of  the  Forest,  membership  in  which 
is  confined  to  Foresters  and  women  relatives 
and  friends.  The  latter  meet  in  Circles,  the 
first  of  which  was  organized  at  San  Fran- 
cisco in  June,  1883.  The  Comj)anions  be- 
came the  fourth  degree  of  the  Order  at  the 
Detroit  Subsidiary  High  Court  in  1885,  and 
exercises  an  important  influence  in  favor  of 
the  growth,  stability,  and  popularity  of  the 
Order.  This,  as  well  as  the  preceding  de- 
grees, makes  provision  for  sick  and  dis- 
tressed members  and  the  burial  of  the  dead. 
By  1895,  ten  years  after  it  had  been  offi- 
cially recognized,  the  Companions  of  the 
Forest  numbered  20,000,  showing  a  rapid- 
ity of  growth  and  a  degree  of  pros2)erity  en- 
titling it  to  a  share  in  the  distinction  which 
has  been  awarded  the  Daughters  of  Eebekah 
attached  to  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows.  An  outgrowth  of  the  English 
Juvenile  Foresters  is  found  in  the  Junior 
Foresters  of  America,  membership  in  which 
is  confined  to  youths  of  from  twelve  to  eigh- 
teen years  of  age.  Its  total  membership  is 
about  2,200.     In  the  first  six  years  of  its  in- 


dependent existence  the  Foresters  of  Amer- 
ica paid  about  14,000,000  in  endowments  in 
addition  to  sick  and  funeral  benefits.  The 
new  ritual  naturally  brings  in  Robin  Hood, 
but  events  in  biblical  history  relative  to  the 
Garden  of  Eden  are  touched  upon  as  well, 
the  lesson  taught  being  to  help  those  less 
fortunate  than  the  members  of  the  society. 
From  the  date  of  the  independence  of  the 
Foresters  of  America  its  extension  has  been 
steady  and  fruitful. 

Gerinau  Order  of  Harugari. — Organ- 
ized in  New  York  city  in  1847,  at  a  time 
when  the  Germans  in  the  United  States, 
among  other  foreigners,  were  antagonized 
by  the  dominance  of  native  American  sen- 
timent. The  founders  were  Dr.  Philipp 
Merkle,  F.  Germann,  Th.  Rodmann,  J.  De- 
ger,  Y.  Denzer,  J.  Germann,  W.  Schwarz, 
Peter  Schnatz,  A.  Glahn,  and  S.  Merz. 
The  society  was  made  up  exclusively  of  Ger- 
mans, and  formed  not  only  an  asylum  or 
refuge  but  contemplated  affording  relief  to 
its  members  in  sickness  and  distress  and  car- 
ing for  their  widows  and  orphans.  Yarious 
German  societies  existed,  here  at  that  time, 


GRAND    UNITED   ORDER   OP^   ODD    FELLOWS 


235 


b^^t,  not  being  knit  together,  accomplished 
little  in  the  face  of  the  hostility  with  which 
German  immigrants  were  then  regarded. 
The  Order  was  formed,  in  addition  to  the 
purposes  specified,  for  the  preservation  of 
the  German  language,  literature,  customs, 
and  traditions  in  America.  This  it  has 
succeeded  in  doing  during  its  fifty  years  of 
existence,  which  were  duly  celebrated  at 
Newark,  N.  J.,  July  12,  1897,  when  it  was 
announced  that  Philipp  Merkle,  Fredrech 
Germann,  and  Peter  Schnatz,  among  the 
founders,  alone  survived.  The  name  Ilaru- 
gari  was  identified  with  the  ancient  German 
tribe,  the  Cherusci,  wliich  was  conquered 
by  the  Romans  under  Tiberius,  but  achieved 
its  independence,  led  by  Arminius,  when  it 
defeated  the  Romans  under  "S'arus.  The 
name  was  taken  from  the  old  German. 
Haruc  signified  a  forest,  and  the  old  Teu- 
tons who  met  in  the  forests  were  called 
Harugaris.  The  first  Ilarugari  Lodge  was 
called  after  the  great  Cherusci  leader,  Ar- 
minia.  No.  1.  The  motto  adopted,  follow- 
ing the  example  of  older  and  similar  or- 
ganizations, was  "Friendship,  Love,  and 
Humanity."  An  exceptionally  altruistic 
declaration  of  principles  was  adopted,  fea- 
tures of  which  were  the  brotherhood  of 
man  and  the  desirability  of  working  for 
the  good  of  society  in  general  instead  of  for 
self.  The  Order  grew  slowly,  but  soon  made 
its  appearance  in  Pennsylvania,  thence  in 
Illinois,  and,  successively,  in  Massachusetts, 
New  Jersey,  Maryland,  and  Ohio.  It  now 
has  about  300  Lodges  in  twenty-seven  States 
of  the  Union,  and  a  total  membership  of 
about  30,000  men  and  women.  Women 
members,  which  number  about  7,000,  meet 
in  separate  Lodges,  which  are  governed  and 
conducted  as  are  those  for  men.  Subordi- 
nate Lodges  are  under  the  direction  of  Grand 
Lodges,  which,  in  turn,  are  controlled  by 
the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  L^nited  States. 
During  a  half  century  the  German  Order 
of  Ilarugari  has  paid  out  more  than  §5,- 
000,000  for  the  relief  of  sick  and  distressed 
worthy  members,  their  widows  and  orphans. 


One  of  the  outgrowtlis  of  the  organization 
is  the  Ilarugari  Singing  Society,  to  which 
30,000  members  belong. 

Grand  United  Order  of  Galilean  Fish- 
ermen.— Founded  by  Anthony  S.  Perpener 
at  Washington,  D.  C,  in  185G,  one  of  the 
oldest  benevolent  and  beneficiary  secret  so- 
cieties in  the  country,  membership  in  which 
is  confined  to  negroes.  It  pays  from  §3  to 
15  a  week  in  sick  benefits,  death  benefits  of 
from  $300  to  ^-lOO,  and  claims  to  be  "one 
of  the  wealthiest  institutions"  of  its  kind 
in  the  United  States,  as  the  aggregate  vahie 
of  the  halls,  land,  personal  property,  bonds, 
etc.,  owned  by  it  is  about  $125,000.  It  will 
interest  Scottish  Rite  Freemasons  to  learn 
that  it  claims  Masonic  origin,  and  that  it 
displays  the  sacred  emblem  the  fish  as  well 
as  the  passion  cross,  rose,  and  I  N  R  I  of 
the  eighteenth  degree  of  the  Ancient  Ac- 
cepted Scottish  Rite.  (See  the  account  of 
the  Ancient  Accepted  Scottish  Rite  among 
the  negroes  in  the  United  States.)  The 
Order  of  Galilean  Fishermen  claimed  56,000 
members  in  1897  in  Lodges  scattered  from 
New  England  to  the  Gulf.  Both  men  and 
women  are  eligible  to  membership. 

Grand  United  Order  of  Xazarites. — 
One  of  the  older  societies  for  the  payment 
of  sick  and  funeral  benefits,  it  having  been 
organized  at  Baltimore  in  1803,  primarily 
for  charitable  and  fraternal  purposes.  Let- 
ters addressed  to  it  are  returned  unopened, 
but  the  society  evidently  had  an  existence 
of  nearly  thirty  years,  as  its  title  appears 
in  the  records  of  the  census  for  1890. 

Grand  United  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows.— It  is  singular,  yet  no  more  than 
a  coincidence,  that  in  1843,  the  year  fol- 
lowing the  declaration  of  independence 
by  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows, United  States  of  America,  from  the 
English  Independent  Order,  Manchester 
Unity,  a  Lodge  of  colored  Odd  Fellows 
was  established  in  the  city  of  New  York 
by  the  mother  organization,  the  United 
Order  of  England,  although  prior  to  18-43 
there    had    been    several    Lodges   of   white 


236 


GRAND   UNITED   ORDER   OF   ODD   FELLOWS 


Odd  Fellows  at  and  uear  Pottsville,  Pa., 
liolding  allegiance  to  the  Grand  United 
Order  in  England.  In  1843  Patrick  II. 
Reason,  James  Fields,  and  others  (negroes) 
of  Xew  York  city,  members  of  a  social  and 
literary  society  known  as  the  Philomathean 
Institute,  petitioned  the  American  Inde- 
pendent Order — jjrobably  just  prior  to  the 
secession  of  the  latter  from  the  ^Manchester 
Unity — for  a  dispensation  to  form  the  In- 
stitute into  an  Odd  Fellows'  Lodge.  The 
petition  was  not  granted  because  the  signers 
were  of  African  descent.  But  the  latter 
Avith  others,  notably  members  of  the  Phila- 
del])hia  Library  Company  and  Debating  So- 
ciety, had  seen  and  appreciated  the  need  for 
societies  affording  mutual  aid  and  protection 
in  case  of  sickness  and  distress,  and  were  de- 
termined not  to  be  jmt  ofP,  as  they  believed, 
because  of  a  prejudice  against  associating 
with  people  of  color.  Then  it  was  that 
Peter  Ogden,  a  negro  member  of  A^ictoria 
Odd  Fellows'  Lodge,  No.  448,  at  Liverpool, 
Grand  United  Order,  a  seafaring  man,  ad- 
vised that  a  dispensation  be  asked  for  a 
Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows  at  New  York,  through 
Victoria  Lodge,  from  the  United  Order  of 
England.  It  will  be  borne  in  mind  that 
that  Indejjendent'  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
United  States  of  America,  then  held  alle- 
giance to  or  was  just  about  severing  it  from 
the  Independent  Order,  Manchester  Unity, 
England,  Avhich,  in  1813,  seceded  from  the 
Grand  United  Order,  which  was  then  (1842- 
43)  about  to  be  asked  to  establish  Lodges  in 
the  United  States  among  petitioners  of  Afri- 
can descent.  Peter  Ogden's  advice  was 
taken.  He  sailed  to  Liverpool,  and  secured 
through  Victoria  Lodge  and  the  governing 
body  of  the  Order  at  Leeds  a  dispensation 
to  institute  Philomathean  Lodge,  No.  646, 
at  New  York  city,  which  was  formed  March 
1,  1843.  The  four  self-instituted  white 
Lodges,  chartered  by  the  Grand  United  Or- 
der, situated  near  Pottsville,  Pa.,  refused  to 
recognize  Peter  Ogden  as  Deputy  from  the 
English  Grand  Body,  because,  as  they  ad- 
mitted, of  a  prejudice  against  associating 


with  men  of  color.  Whether  they  discon- 
tinued their  Lodges  or  allied  themselves 
with  the  American  Independent  Order  is 
not  known.  Peter  Ogden,  the  founder  of 
the  Grand  United  Order  in  this  country, 
was  of  humble  birth,  but  evidently  of  great 
energy.  He  enjoyed  a  superior  education, 
which  enabled  him  to  lay  broad  and  deep 
the  foundations  of  the  American  branch  of 
the  parent  stem  of  British  Odd  Fellowship. 
Neither  the  latter  nor  the  former  body 
prescribes  conditions  of  race  or  color  as 
requisites  for  membershij),  and  the  fact  that 
the  American  branch  is  composed  of  men  of 
African  descent  is  due  solely  to  its  having 
been  established  by  men  of  color  with  whom 
those  of  their  own  race  have  naturally  asso- 
ciated. Ogden's  published  letters  show  him 
to  have  been  a  clever  man.  Evidently  the 
English  body  acted  wisely  in  making  him 
their  representative  in  the  United  States. 
He  was  the  Thomas  Wildey  of  his  branch  of 
American  Odd  Fellowship.  Within  four 
years  (in  1847)  there  were  twenty-two  Ameri- 
can Lodges  under  Ogden's  administration, 
and  in  1851,  eight  years  after  Philomathean 
Lodge  was  organized,  representatives  from 
Lodges  in  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Con- 
necticut, Massachusetts,  New  Jersey,  Dela- 
ware, and  ]\Iaryland  presented  credentials 
at  the  meeting  of  the  Annual  Movable 
Committee,  which  met  in  New  Haven, 
Conn. 

Peter  Ogden  died  in  New  York  city  in 
1852,  and  his  name  will  undoubtedly  be  held 
in  grateful  remembrance  by  all  members  of 
the  Order.  By  1850  there  Avere  thirty-two 
Lodges  of  the  Grand  United  Order  in  Amer- 
ica, and  in  1860,  sixty-six,  of  which  seven- 
teen Avere  not  working,  a  net  gain  Avithin 
seventeen  years  of  forty-nine  Lodges.  When 
the  questions  agitating  the  public  and  the 
disturbed  political  conditions  during  those 
seventeen  years  are  recalled,  the  progress 
achieved  is  seen  to  be  creditable.  At  the 
celebration  of  the  tAventieth  anniversary  of 
the  Order  in  the  United  States  at  Washing- 
ton, in  1863,  it  Avas  announced  there  Avere 


GRAXD  UNITED  ORDER  OF  ODD  FELLOWS 


237 


fifty  active  Lodges  in  the  United  States, 
Canadti,  and  Beniiuda,  with  a  total  mem- 
bership of  about  1,U00.  About  81,500  had 
been  paid  for  relief  of  the  sick  and  burial 
of  the  dead  within  a  year,  in  addition  to 
which  !i?4,000  had  been  invested.  In  18G7 
the  membership  was  3,358,  double  the  total 
four  years  before,  and  the  number  of  Lodges 
was  sixty-six.  By  1873  the  Order  had  ex- 
tended west  to  Colorado  and  south  to  Flor- 
ida. At  that  period  the  ritual  was  revised 
and  improved.  It  divided  the  society,  as  now, 
into  Lodges  (symbolic  color,  white),  House- 
hold of  Ruth  (color,  blue).  Past  Grand  Mas- 
ters' Councils,  judicial  branch  (colors,  scarlet 
and  black),  and  Most  Venerable  Patriarchies 
(colors,  royal  purple  and  emerald  green). 
During  the  next  decade  rapid  progress  was 
made.  Lodges,  Households,  Councils,  and 
Patriarchies  being  established  with  notice- 
able frequency.  In  1879,  according  to  offi- 
cial reports,  the  Order  had  "spread  like 
wildfire ''  in  Texas  and  the  links  of  the 
fraternity  had  been  extended  to  San  Fran- 
cisco. The  forty-first  general  meeting  at 
Washington,  1893,  was  the  largest  gather- 
ing of  its  kind  ever  held.  There  were  400 
delegates  present,  among  them  clergymen, 
physicians,  lawyers,  bankers,  merchants, 
manufacturers,  army  officials,  and  others 
from  New  England,  California,  Canada,  the 
Gulf  States,  and  Cuba,  among  them  "a 
Spaniard  from  Xew  York,''  and  one  other 
"  white  brother  from  Pennsylvania. ' '  Since 
then  the  Order  has  continued  to  grow  and 
prosper.  Its  English  allegiance  remains 
unshaken,  and  its  hands  are  said  to  be  ex- 
tended to  all  throughout  the  world  who 
claim  to  be  Odd  Fellows.  The  single  Lodge 
instituted  at  New  York  in  1843  through 
the  efforts  of  Peter 'Ogden,  has  increased 
within  fifty-three  years  to  2,253  Lodges,  and 
the  few  original  members  to  nearly  70,000. 
There  are  thirty-six  Grand  Lodges  control- 
ling 2)roperty  valued  at  ijil, 500,000,  and  in 
1894-95  the  Order  paid  out  184,000  for  the 
relief  of  sick  members,  widows  and  orphans, 
and   for   funeral   expenses.     Besides   2,253 


Lodges  there  are  1,003  Households  of  Ruth 
having  40,000  members,  182  Councils  with 
3,420  members,  and  88  Patriarchies  with 
1,889  members.  The  growth  of  the  Order 
since  18G3  has  been  continuous,  tlie  mem- 
bership increasing  seventy-two  times  within 
thirty-two  years,  and  the  annual  expenditure 
for  relief  fifty-six  times.  The  child  with  its 
various  branches  has  evidently  reached  the 
stature  of  the  parent,  for  the  total  member- 
ship of  the  British  Grand  United  Order  is 
only  about  107,000,  perhaps  one-seventh  of 
that  number  being  in  Australia,  East  and 
West  Indies,  and  Africa.  Councils  of  Past 
Grand  Masters  or  the  Patriarchal  Order  of 
Past  Grand  blasters  in  America  were  estab- 
lished in  1844.  Only  Past  Grand  Masters 
are  eligible  to  membership.  Patriarchies, 
composed  of  Most  Venerable  Patriarchs 
(Past  Grand  Masters),  who  have  rendered 
the  Order  particularly  meritorious  services, 
are  an  English  adjunct  of  the  Grand  L^nited 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  introduced  into  the 
American  branch  in  1873.  It  is  unlike  any 
similarly  named  division  of  any  other  branch 
of  Odd  Fellowship.  In  it  are  conferred 
three  degrees,  as  is  also  the  case  in  the 
Households  of  Ruth  and  Councils  of  Vener- 
able Grand  Masters.  The  Household  of 
the  Degree  of  Ruth  receives  wives,  widows, 
widowed  mothers,  sisters,  and  daughters  of 
members  of  the  Order,  and  Past  Noble 
Grands  among  male  members,  ami  was  sug- 
gested by  Patrick  II.  Reason  of  Hamilton 
Lodge,  No.  710,  New  York  city,  in  185G. 
In  1857  a  ritual  of  this  degree  was  submitted 
and  forwarded  to  the  English  governing 
l)ody,  which  approved  it  in  time  for  its  adop- 
tion in  America  in  1858.  The  first  House- 
hold of  Ruth  was  established  at  Harrisburg, 
Pa,,  in  1850.  This  branch  of  the  Order, 
with  its  three  degrees,  has  proved  popular 
and  numbered  in  1893  over  800  Households 
with  40,000  members.  The  ritual  is  orig- 
inal with  the  Grand  L'nited  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows  in  America,  and  is  founded,  as  may 
be  inferred,  on  the  story  of  Rntb  and 
Naomi. 


'r..<< 


vi^^^V.- 


238 


IMPERIAL    (IRDEK    OF    MUSCOVITES 


Imperial    Order  of  Muscovites, — See 

Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  United 
States  of  America. 

Improved  Order,  Knights  of  Pyth- 
ias.— The  only  break  in  the  ranks  of  the 
Knights  of  Pythias  has  been  the  secession  of 
some  of  the  German- American  members  be- 
canse  permission  to  conduct  the  work  in  the 
German  language  was  withdrawn.  The  ac- 
tion of  the  Supreme  Lodge  of  the  Knights 
of  Pythias,  in  1892,  in  1894,  and  again  in 
1895,  in  declining  to  jierniit  Lodges  to  ren- 
der the  ritual  in  any  other  than  the  English 
language,  when  there  Avere  quite  a  number 
of  Lodges  in  which  it  had  been  customary  to 
use  the  German  language  during  the  cere- 
monies, resulted  in  the  secession  of  mem- 
bers of  a  number  of  German  Lodges,  At 
Indianapolis,  in  June,  1895,  the  seceding 
element  organized  the  Improved  Order, 
Knights  of  Pythias,  The  schismatic  branch 
has  not  grown  rapidly,  and  the  outlook  is 
that  the  breach  will  be  healed. 

Improved  Oi'der  of  Red  3Ieii. — The 
oldest  charitable  and  benevolent  secret  so- 
ciety of  American  origin  founded  on  aborig- 
inal American  traditions  and  customs..  Its 
government  is  modelled  on  the  lines  of  Odd 
Fellowship,  as  are  its  practical  aims,  and, 
like  Odd  Fellowship,  it  has  cut  its  cloth,  but 
to  a  more  limited  extent,  after  Masonic  pat- 
terns. Its  claim  to  be  "the  oldest  secret 
society  of  purely  American  origin  in  exist- 
ence," *  rests  on  its  being  a  virtual  continu- 
ation of  the  Sons  of  Liberty  formed  prior  to 
the  War  of  the  Eevolution,  and  the  secret 
societies,  to  Avhich  the  latter  gave  birth.  The 
Greek  letter  college  secret  society.  Phi  Beta 
Kappa,  was  founded  in  1776  (though  it  has 
not  been  secret  since  1831),  and  the  Col- 
lege Greek  letter  fraternities.  Kappa  Alpha 
(1825),  Sigma  Phi  (1827),  Delta  Phi  (1827), 
Alpha  Delta  Phi  (1832),  and  Psi  Upsilon 
(1833),  well-known  social  and  literary  col- 
lege secret  societies  to  this  day,  all  antedate 

*  Letter  from  Great  Prophet  Thomas  E.  Peckin- 
paugh,  November  24,  1894. 


the  establishment  of  the  Improved  Order  of 
Ked  Men  at  Baltimore  in  1834,  In  its  tra- 
ditions, teachings,  principles,  and  aspira- 
tions, the  Improved  Order  of  Eed  Men 
seeks  to  elevate  the  character,  relieve  the 
misfortunes,  and  add  to  the  happiness  of  its 
novitiates.  From  the  nature  of  its  ceremo- 
nials, nomenclature,  and  legends,  it  ranks 
an  acknowledged  conservator  of  the  his- 
tory, customs,  and  virtues  of  the  aboriginal 
Americans,  Local  organizations  are  desig- 
nated Tribes;  these  are  subordinate  to  Great 
(State)  Councils,  and  the  latter  to  the  Great 
Council  of  the  United  States,  which  is  the 
Supreme  body.  The  ceremonials  of  Tribes 
are  divided  into  the  Degrees  of  Adoption, 
and  the  Hunter's,  Warrior's,  and  Chief's 
Degrees,  A  few  additional  honorary  de- 
grees or  grades  are  attainable  by  those  who 
have  filled  executive  positions  in  Tribes  and 
Great  Councils,  in  addition  to  which  there 
is  the  Beneficiary  Degree,  the  Chieftain's 
League,  described  as  the  Uniformed  Eank, 
and  the  Degree  of  Pocahontas,  designed  for 
women,  but  to  which  members  who  have  re- 
ceived the  Chief's  Degree  are  also  eligible. 

Candidates  for  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men  must  be  white  citizens  of  the  L'nited 
States,  twenty-one  years  of  age,  of  good 
moral  character,  of  sound  health,  and  have 
a  "belief  in  the  existence  of  a  Great  Sjnrit 
in  Avhom  all  power  exists,"  Xorth  Ameri- 
can Indians  are  not  eligible  to  membership. 
Xo  question  of  politics  or  religion  is  allowed 
to  enter  the  Wigwams,  and  as  a  man  enters 
the  Wigwam  "  so  he  departs — a  free  man." 
The  nomenclature  of  the  Order  is  rich 
with  Indian  expressions,  words,  and  names. 
Members  are  said  to  attend  a  Council,  in  a 
Wigwam,  on  a  certain  Sun  of  a  certain  Moon 
of  the  Great  Sun  (year)  of  Discovery,  i.e., 
discovery  of  America.  The  Council  fire  is 
kindled  instead  of  the  meeting  being  opened, 
and  the  close  is  described  as  the  quenching 
of  the  Council  fire.  Fathoms,  feet,  and 
inches  stand  for  dollars,  dimes,  and  cents, 
and  every  adopted  paleface  receives  a  new 
proper  name,  often  that  of  an  animal,  bird. 


IMPROVED    ORDER   OF   RED   MEN 


239 


or  some  quality  or  characteristic  of  mind  or 
body.  The  names  of  officials  are  Indian, 
and  methods  of  expression  and  rituals  are, 
as  may  be  supposed,  replete  with  Indian 
words  and  figures  of  speech,  many  of  the 
latter  being  picturesque,  often  2)oetical. 
The  roll  call  of  tiie  Order  shows  more  than 
140,000  members,  exclusive  of  probably 
2C,000  women  members  of  Councils  of  the 
Degree  of  Pocahontas,  a  grand  total  of  1G6,- 
000.  The  annual  receipts  are  in  excess  of 
$2,000,000,  and  the  expenditures  one-half 
of  that  sum,  while  investments  of  the  or- 
ganization aggregate  no  less  than  ^1,500,000. 

In  summarizing  the  characteristics  of 
this  oldest  American  charitable,  l)enevo- 
leut,  and  originally  political  secret  society, 
it  is  proper  to  explain  that  from  1772  to 
1830,  under  its  several  forms,  it  was  first 
jwlitical  and  afterward  social  or  social  and 
charitable  in  its  objects.  Not  until  1833-3-4 
Avere  all  the  political  features  eliminated. 
In  the  eighteenth  century  the  qualifications 
for  membership  were  that  the  candidate 
should  be,  first,  a  citizen,  and  next  of  "cor- 
rect political  principles."  The  value  of  this 
explanation  lies  in  the  fact,  not  heretofore 
pointed  out,  that  from  colonial  days  dow^n  to 
the  present  time  we  have  not  been  without 
one  or  more  great  secret,  political  societies, 
except,  perhaps,  for  a  decade  or  more  at  the 
close  of  the  first  half  of  the  present  century. 

Not  since  its  reorganization  in  1 834  has  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  j\Ien  tolerated  po- 
litical or  religious  discussions  in  its  Coun- 
cils. But  Avith  the  advent  of  the  United 
Order  of  American  ^Mechanics  in  1845  and 
other  American  secret  societies  which  have 
taken  a  more  or  less  active  interest  in  political 
questions,  we  find  a  direct  continuation  by 
means  of  secret  societies  of  something  akin 
to  the  activity  which  marked  the  eai'lier  lied 
Men's  or  Tamiua  Societies  from  1772  to 
1830.  The  Kcd  ^len,  as  now  organized, 
was  founded  at  Baltimore,  Md.,  1833-34, 
the  natural  outgrowth  of  the  secret  soci- 
eties of  Eed  Men  which  flourished  at  or 
near   the   centres  of  population  from '  the 


Hudson  to  the  Potomac  for  twenty  years 
following  the  War  of  1812.  The  genealogy 
of  the  Order,  as  given  in  the  "  Official  His- 
tory of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men" 
(edited  I^y  Charles  11.  Litchnuin,  Past  Croat 
Ocohonee,  The  Fraternity  Publishing  Com- 
pany, Boston),  traces  the  line  of  descent 
from  the  patriotic  societies  of  colonial  days. 
These  were  the  Sons  of  Liberty,  1705,  the 
Saint  Taniina  Society  at  Annapolis,  1771, 
and  the  Society  of  Red  Men  organized  at 
Fort  Mifflin  on  the  Delaware  in  1813 — '"  cer- 
tainly prior  to  181G  " — which  incorporated 
the  usages,  names,  and  ceremonies  of  the 
Saint  Tamina,  or  Tammany  societies.  The 
first  society  of  Red  ]\[en  had  an  existence  of 
twenty  years  when  it  succumbed  to  the  dom- 
inance of  conviviality,  which,  by  the  way, 
was  a  primary  cause  of  the  first  great  schism 
in  English  Odd  Fellowship  in  1813.  Dur- 
ing and  subsequent  to  the  War  of  the  Revo- 
lution, Saint  Tamina  ajipeared  to  have  been 
l^opular  with  citizens  and  soldiers  alike. 
Saint  Tamina*    Day,   May    12th,   was   ol)- 

*  Tammany  (or  Tamina,  Tammanen,  Teraeny, 
Tamanend,  Tamane,  or  Tamancd,  said  to  mean 
"the  Affable '")  was  a  distinguished  Indian  cliief, 
said  to  be  both  merciful  and  brave,  a  cultivator  of 
the  arts  of  peace  as  well  as  those  of  war.  One  ac- 
count states  that  he  was  a  Delaware,  at  the  head  of 
the  Lenni  Lenape  confederacy,  and  that  his  wig- 
wam once  stood  where  Princeton  College  is  located. 
It  is  also  declared  he  lived  in  Pennsylvania,  near  the 
Schuylkill,  and  was  buried  about  four  miles  from 
Doylestown.  Bucks  County.  While  not  authenti- 
cated, he  is  declared  to  have  been  at  the  Great 
Council  under  the  elm  tree  at  Shakanuixon,  after 
Penn's  first  arrival  in  America.  His  name  appeal's 
on  the  treaty  for  the  purchase  of  lands  by  Penn 
in  10^2,  but  not  on  the  subsequent  treaty  "  liv 
which  a  large  portion  of  Pennsylvania  was  ac- 
quired." The  inference,  therefore,  has  been  drawn 
that  Tammany  died  between  those  years.  The 
purely  legendary  accounts  of  Tammany,  whicli. 
perhaps,  maybe  presumed  to  have  a  place  in  the 
ceremonials  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men, 
embody  the  oldest  story  in  history,  the  struggle 
between  good  and  evil,  between  Tammany,  the 
great  and  good  chief  of  the  tribes  between  the  Alle- 
gheniesand  the  Rockies  prior  to  the  discoveries  of 
De   Soto   or  La  Salle,  and   the   Evil  Spirit.     For 


240 


IMPROVED  ORDER  OF  RED  MEN 


served  by  the  army  from  the  time  of  the 
Eevolution  until  the  practice  was  forbidden 
just  prior  to  the  War  of  1812. 

Extract  from  "Myths  and  Legends  of 
our  own  Land,"  by  Charles  M.  Skinner  ; 
published  by  J.  B.  Lippincott  Co.,  Phila- 
delphia, 1896. 

The  aborigines,  whatever  may  be  said  against 
them,  enjoyed  natural  beauty,  and  their  habitations 
were  often  made  in  this  delightful  region,  their 
councils  being  attended  by  Cliief  Tamanend,  or 
Tammany,  a  Delaware,  whose  wisdom  and  virtues 
were  such  as  to  raise  him  in  the  place  of  patron 
saint  of  America.  The  notorious  Tammany  Society 
of  New  York  is  named  for  him.     When  this  cliief 

years  the  two  waged  a  bitter  warfare,  the  latter 
sending  plagues  of  poison  sumach  and  stinging 
nettles,  rattlesnakes  and  mammoths,  all  of  which 
Tammany  overcame.  The  Evil  Spirit  then  dammed 
up  what  are  now  called  the  Detroit  and  Niagara 
Rivers,  threatening  the  overflow  of  the  trans-Alle- 
gheny region,  which  the  great  chief  overcame  by 
digging  the  drains  which  are  now  the  Miami, 
Wabash,  Allegheny,  and  Ohio  Rivers.  After  Tam- 
many had  overcome  the  tribes  of  the  North  and 
East,  which  had  been  sent  to  overcome  him  by  his 
enemy,  after  he  had  astonished  them  by  treating 
them  leniently  instead  of  torturing  them,  he  en- 
gaged in  a  personal  encounter  with  the  Evil  Spirit 
and  nearly  slew  him,  forcing  him  to  retreat  to  the 
remote  regions  of  Labrador  and  Hudson's  Bay. 
This  was  followed  by  a  season  of  peace,  in  which 
agriculture  was  prominent,  and  "Tammany  and 
Liberty  "  were  said  to  be  the  watchwords  of  his 
people.  The  precepts  which  Tammany  delivered  to 
his  followers,  prior  to  visiting  Mexico  to  meet  the 
Inca  of  Peru  and  advise  him  as  to  his  form  of 
government  (according  to  "  the  researches  of  the 
late  Dr.  Samuel  L.  Mitchell'"),  are  cleverly  com- 
posed. They  consist  of  brief  addresses  to  Chil- 
dren of  the  Thirteen  Tribes,  in  which  he  counsels 
.them  as  to  their  action,  citing  the  characteris- 
tics of  the  Eagle,  Tiger,  Deer,  Wolf,  Bufl'alo,  Dog, 
Beaver,  Squirrel,  Fox,  Tortoise,  Eel„Bear,  and  Bee 
for  illustration.  On  his  return  from  Mexico,  Tam- 
many found  his  old  enemy  had  instilled  notions  of 
idleness  and  dissipation  into  the  minds  of  his  people, 
which  he  finally  overcame.  He  lived  to  an  unusual 
age,  in  peace  and  happiness,  and  was  wonderfully 
beloved.  Great  honor  was  paid  him  after  death, 
and  the  legend  says  he  lies  buried  under  that  won- 
derful monument,  "second  only  "  in  size  and  labor 
to  the  Pyramids,  the  great  Indian  fort  near  Musk- 
ingum. 


became  old  and  feeble,  his  tribe  abandoned  him  in  a 
hut  at  New  Britain,  Penn.,  and  there  he  tried  to 
kill  himself  by  stabbing,  but  failing  in  that  he 
flung  burning  leaves  over  himself  and  so  per- 
ished. He  was  buried  where  he  died.  It  was  a 
princess  of  this  tribe  that  gave  the  name  of  Lover's 
Leap  to  a  cliff  on  Mount  Tammany,  by  leaping 
from  it  to  her  death,  because  her  love  for  a  young 
European  was  not  reciprocated. 

The  Sons  of  Liberty,  which  became  a 
secret  revolutionary  society,  first  appeared 
in  Maryland  in  17G4-65,  as  organized  oppo- 
sition to  "taxation  without  representation," 
the  "stamp  act,^'  the  "quartering  act,'' 
and  other  oppressive  legislation.  It  was 
Colonel  Isaac  Barre,  among  the  few  mem- 
bers of  Parliament  who  opposed  the  passage 
of  the  stamp  act,  in  1765,  and  called  the 
opposing  parties  in  the  colonies  "  the  Sons 
of  Liberty."  As  declared  in  the  Official 
History,  that  name  was  immediately  after- 
ward adopted  by  the  society.  The  early 
history  of  the  colony  of  Maryland  is  au- 
thority for  the  statement  that  the  Sons  of 
Liberty  "claimed  a  genuine  Indian  chief- 
tain as  its  tutelar  saint  and  patron."  The 
formation  of  a  Saint  Tamina  Society  at 
Annapolis,  in  1771,  is,  therefore,  a  natural 
sequence,  amounting,  practically,  to  a  change 
only  of  name  of  one  of  the  societies  of  the 
Sons  of  Liberty.  The  secrecy  attached  to 
both  organizations  was  the  natural  outcome 
of  their  persistent  and  consistent  opposition 
to  the  English  Government  in  view  of  the 
consequences  of  rebellion.  The  career  of 
the  Sons  of  Liberty  in  Massachusetts,  1765- 
1774,  is  familiar  to  every  American,  includ- 
ing the  boarding  of  English  vessels  in 
Boston  harbor  by  forty  or  Mty  "Mohawk 
Indians,"  who  emptied  342  chests  of  tea 
into  the  bay  as  a  protest  against  the  tax  on 
tea. 

The  fact  that  the  modern  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men  of  1834  continues  the 
Indian  ceremonials,  nomenclature,  and  cus- 
toms adopted  by  the  Sons  of  Liberty,  and 
by  them,  in  part  at  least,  transmitted  to 
succeeding  organizations,  may  or  may  not 
be  rendered  of  special  significance  when  one 


IMPROVED    ORDER    OF    RED    MEN' 


241 


is  reminded  that  the  forty  or  fifty  ^'  Mohuw  k 
Indians "  who  threw  the  tea  into  Boston 
harbor  were  nearly  all  members  of  a  Boston 
Lodge  of  Freemasons.  Yet  this  certainly 
points  to  a  general  membership  of  Free- 
masons in  the  Sons  of  Liberty  and  may  ex- 
plain how  and  why  the  ceremonial  fabric 
of  earlier  Red  Men's  societies  was  em- 
broidered after  Masonic  designs,  even  thongli 
with  novel  material.  Paul  Revere,  himself, 
at  one  time  Grand  Master  of  Freemasons  of 
Massachusetts,  was  sent  with  news  of  the 
"  tea  party  "  to  New  York  and  Philadelphia. 
The  activity  of  the  Sons  of  Liberty  at  Bal- 
timore and  elsewhere  in  Maryland  as  early  as 
1T66-77,  gave  rise  to  the  organization  of  St- 
George's,  St.  Andrew's,  and  St.  David's 
societies  in  that  State,  composed  of  those 
who  were  loyal  to  the  British  crown,  and  it 
is  explained  that  in  order  to  ridicule  those 
organizations,  the  Sons  of  Liberty  "^claimed 
the  patronage  of  an  undoubted  American, 
an  Indian  chief  or  king  named  Tamina  or 
Tamanend  "  whose  life  and  exploits  they 
professed  to  trace  from  liis  own  descendants. 
The  Sons  of  St.  Tamina,  after  the  War  of 
the  Revolution,  constituted  the  organized 
embodiment  of  j^opular  patriotism  and 
loyalty  ;  of  antagonism  to  the  writings  of 
Paine,  Rousseau,  and  Voltaire  ;  opposition 
to  resident  royalists  and  those  among  tiie 
Federalists  who  talked  of  and  for  a  dicta- 
torship, or  presidency  for  life  ;  and,  lastly, 
was  actively  opposed  to  the  Society  of 
the  Cincinnati,  as  then  regarded,  with  its 
hereditary  membership  and  alleged  anti- 
republican  features.  Thus  the  affiliated 
Sons  of  Saint  Tamina,  who  employed  the 
disguise  of  Indians  and  secrecy  to  conceal 
the  identities  of  members,  who,  if  success- 
ful were  to  be  patriots,  and,  if  unsuccessful, 
rebels,  found  new  reasons  for  existence,  not 
least  among  them  being  the  tendency,  as 
they  believed,  of  a  return  to  royal  customs, 
particularly  through  the  elevation  of  the 
military  above  the  civilian.  This  spirit 
first  showed  itself  in  the  formation  of  the 
Tamina  (now  Tammany)  Society,  or  Colum- 
16 


bian  Order,  at  New  York  city  in  1789, 
which  exists  to  this  day.  The  new  form  of 
the  name  is  due  to  a  compromise,  the  origi- 
nal idea  having  been  to  discontinue  a  refer- 
ence to  Saint  Tammany  and  call  the  society 
after  Columbus.  It  should  be  added  that 
this  New  York  branch  is  the  only  one  wiiich 
preserves  an  unbroken  cluiin  of  existence 
back  to  the  patriotic  societies  founded  in 
the  early  portion  of  the  latter  half  of  the 
eighteenth  century.  The  Grand  Sachem 
of  the  Columbian  Order,  or  Tammany  Soci- 
ety, incorporated,  which  exists  only  at  New 
York,  is  the  president  of  that  organization. 
The  latter  owns  the  building  known  as 
Tammany  Hall,  on  Fourteenth  Street,  New 
York  city,  and  is  nominally,  if  not  actually, 
a  more  or  less  secret  charitable  society.  It 
is  secret,  at  least,  in  that  only  its  members  are 
present  at  its  meetings,  which  constitute  its 
only  known  activity.  It  should  not  be 
necessary  to  add  that  it  is  in  no  wise  con- 
nected with  the  widespread  secret  society 
known  as  the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men, 
which  has  the  same  ancestry.  This  will 
make  plain  the  apparent  similarity  in  official 
titles  and  reported  Indian  ceremonials  at 
the  reception  of  new  members  by  both  the 
New  York  City  Tammany  Society  and  by 
the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men.  Allied 
to  but  distinct  from  the  Tammany  Society 
is  the  political  organization  known  as 
Tammany  Hall,  although  the  latter  is  to 
an  extent  controlled  by  the  former.  Some 
Tammany  Society  members  have  been  con- 
spicuous for  their  opposition  to  the  Tam- 
many Hall  })olitical  organization.  Governor 
Tilden  was  a  member  of  the  Tammany 
Society  when  he  was  fighting  the  Tweed 
ring,  and  so  was  Abram  S.  Hewitt.  Maurice 
J.  Power  is  stated  to  have  been  a  member 
of  Tammany  Society  while  leader  of  the  old 
New  Y'ork  County  Democracy  which  an- 
tagonized Tammany  Hall. 

A  society  known  as  the  American  Sons  of 
King  Tammany  was  founded  at  Philadel- 
l)hia  in  1772,  one  year  later  than  the  one 
with  a  like  name  at  Annapolis,  although 


242 


IMPROVED    ORDER   OF   RED   MEN 


claimiug  a  previous  existence  of  ''some 
years,"  which,  as  a  patriotic  and  afterwards 
political  and  benevolent  society,  was  patron- 
ized by  many  of  the  first  citizens  of  Penn- 
sylvania. A  Saint  Tammany  Society,  or 
Columbian  Order,  like  that  at  Xew  York, 
was  founded  at  Baltimore  in  1805  and  be- 
came a  i)urely  secret  political  organization, 
witli  "a  characteristic  word  "  to  gain  ad- 
mission to  its  gatherings,  but  it  was  not 
long-lived.  The  Annapolis  society  preserved 
a  continuous  existence  until  1810.  Another 
outgrowth  of  the  early  secret  societies  with 
Indian  ceremonials  was  the  Kickapoo  Ami- 
cable Association  which  existed  at  Washing- 
ton in  1804.  'No  Saint  Tammany  societies 
are  recorded  north  or  east  of  Xew  York 
city,  which  is  natural,  when  it  is  recalled 
that  the  hunting  grounds  of  the  Lenni 
Lenape  extended  over  what  are  now  New 
Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  Delaware,  and  part 
of  Maryland.*  The  Saint  Tamina  (and 
Tammany)  societies  of  1771-1810,  or 
later,  were,  at  first,  political  organiza- 
tions. Most  or  all  of  them  afterward 
become  social  and  benevolent  in  their 
purposes,  with  the  accent  in  some  instances 
more  on  the  social  than  the  benevolent 
features.  In  the  third  stage  of  their  devel- 
opment they  again  became  distinctively 
political,  and  from  1790  to  1810  many  am- 
bitious political  leaders  were  enrolled  among 
them.  A  military  company  was  stationed 
at  Fort  Mifflin,  about  four  miles  below  Phil- 
adelphia, on  the  Delaware  Eiver,  in  1812, 
"  composed  of  sons  of  leading  men  of 
Philadelphia,"*  among  whom,  in  1813, 
originated  a  Society  of  Red  Men.  The 
claim  is  made  that  members  of  Saint  Tamina 
societies  were  among  the  founders,  and  that 
the  Indian  usages,  ceremonials,  customs, 
and  nomenclature  which  the  Sons  of  Liberty 

*  The  reports  of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Freemasons 
of  North  Carolina  record  the  institution  of  St.  Tam- 
many Lodge  of  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  Decem- 
ber 25,  1795,  at  Wilmington  in  that  State,  the 
founders  being  desirous  of  escaping  the  "too  fre- 
quent calling  from  labor  to  refreshment." 


transmitted  to  the  Sons  of  Saint  Tamina 
were  made  the  basis  of  tlie  ritual  used.  One 
of  the  most  prominent  officials  of  the  new 
organization  was  a  Freemason.  The  pur- 
poses of  this  society,  as  indicated  by  the 
preamble  of  the  constitution  of  the  Red 
Men's  Society  of  Pennsylvania,  were  not 
only  social,  "  but  to  relieve  each  other  in 
sickness  and  distress "  and  to  '■'  adhere  to 
each  other  in  defence  of  our  country's 
cause."  The  prominence  now  given  to  re- 
lief from  distress  among  members  of  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  suggests  the 
only  conjecture  found  as  to  wliy  the  name 
Red  Men  was  substituted  for  Tammany. 
Tammany  societies  had  first  and  last  been 
political  rather  than  otherwise.  Under  the 
new  dispensation  of  mutual  relief  a  different 
name  was  needed,  yet  one  in  harmony  with 
the  character  and  traditions  of  the  organi- 
zations of  which  this  was  merely  an  adapta- 
tion. For  that  matter.  Saint  Tammany 
societies  still  continued  to  exist,  notably  at 
Philadelphia  until  1822,  and  many  were 
known  to  have  held  membership  in  them 
and  the  new  Society  of  Red  Men.  In  con- 
sequence of  the  War  of  1812,  reorganization 
became  necessary,  which  was  accomplished 
in  1816,  after  which  the  work  of  extension 
was  pushed.  Records  are  meagre  prior  to 
1821,  yet  mention  is  made  of  a  Tribe  at 
Charleston,  1818-21,  which  is  striking,  as 
no  slaveholder  could  become  a  member. 
At  about  the  same  period  the  society  found 
lodgment  in  New  Jersey,  and  a  little  later, 
probably,  in  New  York.  Tribes  were  estab- 
lished at  Lancaster,  Pa.,  in  1819;  at  Wil- 
mington, Del.,  in  1823  ;  at  Albany  in  1826, 
and  at  Baltimore  about  that  time  or  soon 
after.  In  the  period  1826-28  a  Tribe  was 
formed  at  Reading,  Pa.,  which  achieved 
distinction  by  maintaining  an  independent 
existence  as  a  society  of  Red  Men  until 
1854,  before  consenting  to  be  absorbed  by 
the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  which  was 
founded  at  Baltimore  in  1834  after  the 
collapse  of  the  Society  of  Red  Men.  The 
latter   would   appear   to    have   been   quit^ 


IMPROVED   ORDER   OF    RED   MEN 


243 


prosperous  in  1821,  holding  regular  month- 
ly meetings  in  Pliiluclelphiu  and  elsewhere, 
assisting  distressed  brothers  and  their 
families  and  burying  their  dead.  It  is 
not  unlikely  that  at  that  period  it  was  more 
successful  than  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  which  was  established  at 
Baltimore  in  1819,  three  years  after  the  re- 
organization of  the  Society  of  Red  Men  at 
Philadelphia.  It  is  not  even  unlikely  that 
so  late  as  1825,  when  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows  numbered,  all  told,  only 
about  500  members,  that  the  Red  Men  were 
far  stronger  numerically. 

With  the  final  dissolution  of  Saint  Tam- 
many societies  in  Philadelphia,  about  1822, 
many  members  joined  the  Red  Men.  Others 
had  been  members  of  both  organizations. 
From  1823  to  1827,  Saint  Tammany's  Day, 
May  12th,  was  duly  celebrated,  and  in  the 
announcements  of  the  ceremonies  with 
which  the  Red  Men  were  to  welcome  La- 
fayette to  Philadelphia  the  somewhat 
surprising  mention  is  made  of  George 
Washington  as  our  "'late  Grand  Sachem." 
Xo  explanation  is  obtained  of  the  marked 
decline  of  the  society  from  1827  to  1830, 
though  one  may  suppose  the  anti-Masonic 
excitement  had  something  to  do  with  it. 
One  chronicler  attributes  the  numerous 
resignations  and  lack  of  interest  to  mem- 
bers having  become  "  too  clannish,  espe- 
cially at  Philadelphia."  It  is  admitted, 
however,  that  for  some  time  meetings  had 
been  held  at  or  over  taverns  and  that 
adjournments  for  convivial  purposes  liad 
caused  great  dissatisfaction  and  many  with- 
drawals from  membership.  By  1830,  or 
soon  after,  except  at  Philadelphia  and  a 
few  other  points,  the  society  was  practically 
dead,  which  closes  the  second  epoch  in  the 
life  of  the  organization  which  was  revived 
at  Baltimore  in  1834  as  the  Improved 
Ord-er  of  Red  Men. 

There  are  two  claims  as  to  the  date  of 
the  organization  of  the  Improved  Order  of 
Red  Men.  One  gives  it  March  12,  1834,  at 
the  house  of  D.  McDonald,   Bond   Street, 


Fell's  Point,  Baltimore,  under  the  name. 
Society  of  Red  Men,  Tribe  of  Maryland, 
No.  1,  while  the  other  declares  the  pre- 
liminary meeting  to  have  been  held  in 
December,  1833,  and  the  meeting  of  perma- 
nent organization  early  in  1834,  certainly 
during  the  winter  season.  According  to 
the  latter  version,  at  Elisha  Snike's  Tem- 
perance House,  Thames  Street,  Logan 
Tribe,  No.  1,  Order  of  Red  Men,  after- 
wards rechristencd  Logan  Tribe,  No.  1, 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  was  organized 
as  a  protest  against  the  dominance  of  social 
proclivities,  an  association  ''^  for  mutual 
fraternity  and  benevolence.''  It  adopted 
the  motto,  "Freedom,  Friendship,  and 
Charity."  George  A,  Peter  was  the  first 
Sachem  of  Logan  Tribe,  and  is  regarded  as 
the  founder  of  the  Improved  Order  of  Red 
Men.  The  first  act  of  Logan  Tribe  was  to 
prohibit  meetings  in  buildings  where  liquor 
was  sold,  and  the  next  to  get  rid  of  mem- 
bers who  opposed  such  action.  With  such 
success  did  the  Improved  Order  meet  that 
a  second  Tribe  was  instituted  at  Baltimore 
in  1834,  and  delegates  from  the  two  Tribes 
established  a  Grand  CouTicil  of  Maryland, 
May  20,  1835,  of  which  William  T.  Jones 
was  the  first  Great  Sachem.  The  Grand 
Council  instituted  a  third  Tribe  in  1838, 
and  with  a  growing,  zealous  membership 
the  new  organization  seemed  on  the  high 
road  to  prosperity  ;  notwithstanding,  only 
two  Tribes,  Numbers  1  and  3,  remained  in 
existence  as  late  as  1840.  The  Order  con- 
tinued to  grow  in  Baltimore,  and  in  1844 
and  1845  Tribes  were  established  in  Wash- 
ington, which  also  organized  a  Great  Coun- 
cil. A  Great  Council  of  the  United  States 
was  formed  by  the  Great  Councils  of  Mary- 
land and  the  District  of  Columbia  in  1847, 
and  incorporated.  Just  prior  to  that  time 
there  were  ten  Tribes  in  existence,  six  in 
Maryland,  two  in  the  District  of  Columbia, 
and  two  in  Virginia,  under  the  jurisdiction 
of  the  Great  Council  of  the  Federal  district. 
The  disputants  of  the  foregoing  account 
claim  that   Logan   Tribe,   No.    1,  was  not 


244 


IMPROVED  ORDER  OF  RED  MEN 


formed  until  May  12,  1836,  being  organized 
by  withdrawing  members  of  Tribe  of  Mary- 
land, No.  1,  organized  March  12,  1834. 
Documentary  evidence  is  wanting,  and  the 
recollections  of  aged  members  are  all  that 
remain  on  either  side.  Tlie  first  three  or 
four  years  in  the  life  of  the  Great  Council 
of  the  United  States  were  filled  with  hard 
work.  New  Tribes  were  instituted  in 
Pennsylvania  and  in  Delaware  in  1847,  and 
in  New  York  in  1848,  where  "•'ancient"  or 
hold-over  Orders  of  Red  Men  were  dis- 
covered. The  latter  readily  recognized  the 
authority  of  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States  and  applied  for  and  received 
charters  as  Tribes  of  the  Improved  Order. 
In  1850  a  Tribe  was  formed  at  Newark, 
N.  J.,  and  soon  after  at  Camden  in  the 
same  State.  The  period  1835  to  1860  was 
one  of  upbuilding,  following  the  anti-Ma- 
sonic agitation  ;  it  was  not  only  a  quarter 
of  a  century  of  prosperity  in  the  life  of  all 
then  existing  secret  fraternities,  but  gave 
birth  to  a  number  of  similar  societies  which 
are  still  active  and  growing.  The  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men,  as  now  formed,  was 
born  promptly  after  the  recession  of  the 
anti-Masonic  wave,  and  by  the  time  it  was 
thirteen  years  old,  in  the  year  the  Great 
Council  of  the  United  States  was  formed, 
the  customary  reaching-out  after  more  or 
"  higher  "  degrees  was  experienced  in  an 
agitation  which  afterward  resulted  in  the 
establishment  of  Beneficial  Degree  Councils 
and  a  Chieftain's  League,  and  in  the  desire 
to  have  business  of  Councils  done  in  the 
Chief's  or  highest  degree.  It  was  also  in 
1847  that  a  demand  was  made  for  a  revision 
of  the  ritual  and  for  a  uniform  regalia,  both 
of  which  were  secured  by  1850.  In  the 
year  last  mentioned  tlie  permanence  of  the 
growth  of  the  Order  was  attested  by  the 
schism  of  Metamora  Tribe  of  Baltimore, 
working  in  the  German  language.  Meta- 
mora Tribe  had  refused  to  pay  a  benefit 
even  after  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland 
and  the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States 
had  decided  it  was  legal.      It  therefore  sur- 


rendered its  charter  and  formed  an  Inde- 
jjendent  Order  of  Red  Men.  Most  of  the 
few  German  Tribes  or  Stamms  of  1850  were 
asked  to  join  in  the  secession,  but  few  if 
any  did  so.  This  schismatic  order  had  be- 
fore it  the  precedent  of  the  "Ancient" 
Masonic  Grand  Lodge  of  England,  one 
hundred  years  before,  and  the  cutting  loose 
of  the  Manchester  Unity  (English)  Odd 
Fellows  from  the  Grand  United  (parent) 
Order  in  1813 ;  but  in  this  instance  no 
like  measure  of  success  has  been  attained. 
The  fact  that  the  Independent  Order  of  Red 
Men  uses  the  German  language  naturally 
circumscribes  its  field,  yet  it  planted  its 
Stamms  in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Penn- 
sylvania, Maryland,  Ohio,  West  Virginia, 
Illinois,  Missouri,  Louisiana,  California, 
Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island,  and  in  a  few 
other  States.  Its  maximum  membership 
during  forty-five  years  has  been  12,000. 
During  the  past  fifteen  years  it  is  declared 
by  officials  of  the  Improved  Order  that 
many  members  of  Stamms  or  Tribes  of  the 
Independent  Order  have  returned  and  at- 
tached themselves  to  the  trunk  of  the 
parent  tree.  From  1851  to  1860  the  prin- 
cipal work  aside  from  extension  was  directed 
to  obtaining  a  new  and  satisfactory  ritual. 
So  much  difficulty  attended  this  that  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States  offered 
a  j)remium  to  the  brother  who  would  pro- 
duce one  that  would  prove  satisfactory.  It 
is  noteworthy  that  a  proposition  to  estab- 
lish a  Pocahontas  Degree  was  made  in  1852, 
by  Brother  George  Percy  of  Virginia,  and 
again  in  1853.  The  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows  produced  their  Rebekah  De- 
gree for  wives,  mothers,  and  daughters  of 
Odd  Fellows  in  1851,  and  Percy's  Degree  of 
Pocahontas  was  probably  suggested  by  it. 

The  extension  of  the  Order  called  for  con- 
siderable activity,  when  the  natural  effects 
of  the  business  depression  of  1857-58  are 
considered.  Tribes  were  formed  in  Ohio 
in  1853  ;  North  Carolina,  Kentucky,  and 
Massachusetts  in  1853  ;  Indiana,  Illinois, 
Iowa,  and  California  in  1854 ;   Louisiana 


IMPROVED  ORDER  OF  RED  MEN 


245 


and  Missouri  iu  185G  ;  Connecticut  in  1858, 
and  in  Mississippi  in  1859.  Serious  dissen- 
sions among  Tribes  in  Pennsylvtuiiti  and 
New  York  marked  tliis  period,  and  Tribes 
in  the  latter  gave  up  their  charters.  To 
tliis  time  Maryland,  the  home  of  the  Or- 
der, continued  to  report  the  largest  total 
membership,  and  Baltimore  remained  to 
be  the  place  of  the  annual  meeting  of  the 
Great  Council  of  the  United  States.  Sev- 
eral changes  were  made  in  the  title  of  offi- 
cers in  1853,  and  in  1854  a  ritual  was 
adopted  for  ''raising  up  Chiefs.''  Over- 
tures were  made  to  the  "ancient"  (unrec- 
onciled) Order  of  lied  Men  at  Eeading, 
Pa.,  iu  1853,  looking  to  union,  and  in  1854 
a  committee  was  appointed  to  form  a  "  gen- 
eral recognition  sign."  The  public  appre- 
ciation of  the  high  standing  of  the  Order  at 
that  time  is  shown  by  the  latter  having 
been  invited  to  lay  the  cornerstone  of  a  new 
Custom  House  at  Wheeling,  (now  West) 
Virginia,  which  ceremony,  although  hardly 
in  line  with  the  traditions  of  the  society, 
it  performed  satisfactorily.  The  period  of 
the  Civil  War,  1861-G5,  was  marked  by  a 
falling  off  of  about  one-third  of  its  member- 
ship. No  national  Council  was  held  in 
1862  or  1864.  In  1861  a  Beneficial  Degree 
ceremonial  for  opening  and  closing  was 
adopted,  and  in  1863,  after  many  years 
of  effort,  there  was  secured  a  "complete 
symmetrical  and  attractive  ritual."  By 
1865  membership  began  to  increase  again, 
and  the  growth  of  the  Order  was  rapid, 
many  Tribes  being  revived  and  new  ones 
established,  notably  at  the  South.  It  was 
in  this  year,  also,  the  Order  began  the  use  of 
the  official  date,  from  the  Great  Sun  (year) 
of  Discovery,"  i.e.,  discovery  of  America. 
In  1867  the  Great  Council  of  the  United 
States  was  held  at  Philadelphia.  There 
was  another  revision  of  the  ritual  in  J 808, 
and  from  1866  to  1870  inclusive  the  work 
of  rehabilitation  and  extension  was  ])ushed, 
Tribes  being  established  in  Texas  in  1866, 
in  Tennessee  and  Michigan  in  1868,  and  in 
Alabama  in  1869.     In  the  latter  vear,  and 


again  in  1870,  unsuccessful  efforts  were 
made  to  absorb  the  Independent  (German 
schismatic)  Order  of  Red  Men.  In  1870 
the  use  of  the  apron  as  a  j)art  of  the  regalia 
of  Red  Men  was  discarded.  For  about  a 
dozen  years  after  the  founding  of  the  Im- 
proved'Order,  its  growth  was  irregular  and 
its  future  uncertain,  and  it  was  not  until 
the  formation  of  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States  in  1847  that  statistical  data 
of  value  were  obtained.  Comparisons  dur- 
ing the  first  twenty-three  years  of  the  life 
of  the  Order  are  as  follows  : 

18C  1850  18(iO  1870 

Total  No.  of  Jiiristlictions . .          5  5  11  Ul 

Total  No.  Tribes *  12  45  91  3!tG 

Totiil  No.  ineinbeiK 1,168  3,17.5  O.W»6  2.3,784 

Total  relief  paid   brethren...  S^705  S4,015  SIS-OB-t  84«,(>43 

Total  relief  paid  widows....  \jm  2,3.58  7,890  12,192 
Total  relief  paid  for  cduca- ( 

tioii S            1'  10.3  410  3,8 

Total  receipts  of  the  Order..       .5,390  181,!)-J5 

*  About  that  number. 

This  comparison  shows  that  within 
twenty-three  years  the  membership  in- 
creased twenty  times,  and  the  number  of 
Tribes  twenty-five  times,  total  annual  re- 
ceipts thirty-six  times,  and  the  total  annual 
l^ayments  for  relief,  benefits,  funerals  and 
education,  thirty-six  times.  The  decade 
1870-1880  opened  auspiciously,  but  follow- 
ing the  panic  of  1873  there  were  four  or 
five  years  of  declining  membership  and 
financial  stringency,  which  began  with  an 
unusually  large  expenditure  in  1874  by 
the  Great  Council  of  the  United  States  for 
mileage  and  per  diem.  This  left  practi- 
cally no  funds  for  expenses  of  organizers 
of  new  Tribes.  Renewed  l)ut  unsuccessful 
efforts  were  made  in  1873  and  in  1878  to 
consolidate  with  or  harmonize  schismatic 
or  other  "Red  Men,"  and  in  1873-74  fur- 
ther attempts  were  made  to  establish  a 
degree  for  women,  and  to  have  the  work 
of  Tribes  conducted  in  the  Chieftain's  De- 
gree. The  example  and  i)opularity  of  the 
Masonic  Orders  (»f  Knighthood  and  of  the 
Encampment  Degrees  of  Odd  Fellowship 
are  doubtless  seen  in  a  proposition,  in  1877, 
to  establish  a  new  or  uniformed  degree  of 
Red  Men,  in  which  the  continental  uniform 
of  Revolutionary  days  was  to  be  worn.     A 


246 


IMPROVED  ORDER  OF  RED  MEN 


standard  or  banner  of  the  Order  was  adopted 
in  1875.  In  1876  a  system  of  life  insurance 
to  the  amount  of  $2,000  was  suggested,  and 
was  put  into  operation  in  1877.  One  would 
naturally  suppose,  after  noting  the  doing 
away  with  aprons,  that  the  Order  would 
have  seen  the  anomalousness  of  adopting  a 
ceremony  to  be  used  in  laying  *' corner 
stones  of  wigwams,"  yet  such  a  ceremony 
was  adopted  by  the  Great  Council  of  the 
United  States  \n  1876.  The  year  1877  was 
marked  by  establishing  a  Tribe  on  the  Ha- 
waiian Islands,  but,  notwithstanding  King 
Kalakaua  and  other  distinguished  residents 
of  the  then  Island  kingdom  were  mem- 
bers, this  outpost  of  Improved  Red  Men 
did  not  long  survive.  Prior  to  1870,  the 
Order,  while  growing  and  prosperous,  num- 
bered only  about  20,000  members,  and  con- 
trasted with  some  other  secret  societies  at 
that  time  it  was  comparatively  obscure. 
The  effects  of  the  check  to  its  growth, 
which  revealed  itself  about  1875-76  and 
continued  several  years,  are  shown  by  the 
following  official  exhibits  : 

1875  *        1879  1880  t 

Total  No.  Jurisdictions 35              33  33 

Total  No.  Tribes 582            505  491 

Total  No.  members 40,504       38,075  37,314 

Total  amt.  relief  paid  brethren. .       $91,530      $79,811  $71,337 

Total  amount  relief  paid  wid- 1          on  ir-          o -ei  a  am 

o\v8  and  orphans (          20,16,           3., 61  8,694 

Total  amount  paid  education  I              ,„„              ,_^  „,_ 

orphans )'              "163              153  35o 

Total  receipts 315,345        234,049  244,376 

*  High  water  mark  to  that  date. 

t  Low  point  after  the  decline  which  began  in  1875-76. 

Thus  within  four  years  the  number  of 
Tribes  fell  off  almost  20  per  cent.,  and  the 
total  membership  nearly  one-third.  The 
amount  paid  brethren  for  relief  diminished 
22  per  cent.,  and  that  for  aid  of  widows  and 
orphans  55  per  cent.,  while  the  sum  paid 
annually  for  educating  orphans  decreased 
45  per  cent.  The  total  amount  expended 
annually  for  relief  was  more  than  28  per 
cent,  smaller  in  1880  than  in  1875,  while 
the  grand  total  of  receipts  shrunk  22  per 
cent,  during  the  same  period.  In  1880, 
however,  with  the  revival  in  general  trade, 
the  Order  awakened  and  a  new  career  of 
growth  and  prosperity  followed,  the  end  of 
which  is  not  yet.     The  panic  of  1893  and 


consequent  depression  in  industrial  and 
commercial  lines  had  a  perceptible  effect  on 
the  membershij)  in  1894,  the  net  loss  being 
about  4,000  ;  yet  so  great  was  the  headway 
of  the  organization  that  the  check  was  only 
temporary. 

The  degree  of  Daughters  of  Pocahontas 
was  adopted  in  1885  and  established  in 
1887,  after  repeated  efforts  to  secure  such 
a  degree  since  1852.  The  name  of  the 
degree  was  taken,  as  may  be  supposed,  from 
the  historical  character  Pocahontas.  Any 
woman  over  eighteen  years  of  age  and  of 
good  moral  character  is  now  eligible  to 
membership.  The  degree  has  proved  pop- 
ular, as  shown  by  its  26,000  women  members. 

A  Chieftain's  League  was  established  in 
1886-87  to  gratify  the  desire  for  a  uniformed 
degree.  In  1889  a  separate  government 
Avas  granted  the  Chieftain's  League,  with 
the  qualification  that  only  Eed  Men  should 
be  eligible  to  membership,  but  this  did 
not  prove  as  successful  as  expected. 

It  was  in  1889  that  the  Great  Council  of 
the  United  States  finally  consented  to  have 
the  business  of  the  Tribes  conducted  in  the 
Chieftain's  Degree.  A  general  review  of 
the  growth  of  the  Order  is  shown  in  the 
following  comparisons  : 

1847*  1860  1879  1895 

Total  No.  Jurisdictions 5  11  33  .32 

Total  No.  Tribes 13  '      94  505  1,678 

Total  No.  members 1,168  9,096  28,079  133,485 

Total  relief  paid  brethren... $1,705  $1.5,065  $79,811  $319,352 

Total   relief    paid   widows  j.  j  539  7  ego  2,761  8,893 

and  orphans t 

Total  amount  paid  educa-  /        jy  44Q  553  j  gQ  553 

tion  orphans f  ' 

Total  amount  receipts 5,396     234,049  1,087,787 

*  Present  Order  organized  1834.  +  For  burial  of  the  dead. 

From  the  foregoing  it  is  gathered  that  in 
forty-eight  years  the  number  of  Tribes  has 
increased  140  times,  the  total  membership 
114  times,  and  the  total  annual  receipts  of 
the  Order  201  times,  while  the  total  amount 
of  relief  paid  annually  was  nearly  ninety-five 
times  larger  in  1895  than  in  1847.  The  fore- 
going outline  marks  the  organization  as  hav- 
ing in  some  respects  particularly  attractive 
characteristics  among  the  many  important 
and  successful  charitable  and  benevolent 
secret  societies  in  the  United  States.     Its 


INDEPENDENT   ORDER   OF   ODD   FELLOWS 


2i7 


distinctively  American  origin,  its  tendency 
to  stinmliite  interest  in  tiie  early  history  of 
the  country  tiud  the  entertaining  details 
■which  have  been  preserved  res]>ectiug  its 
evolution  from  the  patriotic  and  political 
societies  of  Revolutionary  days  into  a  mod- 
ern social,  charitable,  and  benevolent  secret 
fraternity,  should  form  a  substantial  basis 
for  permanent  growth  and  prosperity. 

ludepencleut  Order,  Mystic  Brothers. 
— Founded  at  Boston  in  1883  to  pay  weekly 
sick  bench ts  of  $3.  It  was  in  existeuce  in 
1890,  but  is  now  untraced. 

Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. — 
The  first  recorded  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellow^s 
(England)  was  Loyal  Aristarcus,  No.  9, 
17-45,*  at  the  Oakley  Arms,  South wark. 
Globe  Tavern,  Hatton  Garden,  or  the 
Boar's  Head  in  Smithfield,  '^  as  the  Xoble 
Master  may  direct."  The  London  "Gentle- 
man's Magazine  "  refers  to  the  Odd  Fellows 
Lodge  as  a  ])lace  where  very  comfortable 
and  recreative  evenings  might  be  spent. 
Daniel  Defoe  also  mentions  the  society  of 
Odd  Fellows.  One  writer  states  that  the 
society  in  its  earlier  days  evidently  had  for 
its  objects,  beefsteak,  tripe,  ale  and  the  like  ; 
but  in  some  of  its  Lodges  contributions 
were  made  to  a  fund  from  which  relief  was 
afforded  needy  and  unfortunate  brethren. 
The  membership  was  originally  largely  com- 
posed of  day  laborers  and  mechanics.  They 
were  not  overburdened  with  funds,  but,  as 
explained,  mutual  relief  from  sickness  and 
distress  was  afforded  through  voluntary 
contributions  by  members  and  visitors  at 
Lodge  meetings.  Sometimes  "  a  whole 
lodge  would  visit  another  lodge,  each 
member  making  a  contribution, ''  and,  if 
needed,  would  continue  to  visit  week  after 
week  until  the  needs  of  the  i)articular  Lodge 
were  met.  This  was  the  beginning  of  the 
existing  system  of  paying  "  weekly  dues 
and  benefits."  Before  the  end  of  tlie  last 
century  the  practice  of  holding  meetings  at 
public  houses,  so  common  among  all  socie- 
ties in  those  days,  was  checked,  the  cere- 
*  Encyclopaedia  Britannica. 


monial  was  revised,  and  mutual  relief  and 
charity  became  the  practical  objects.  By 
that  time  the  organization  had  spread  to 
most  of  the  larger  cities  of  England,  its 
sphere  of  influence  had  been  extended  and 
its  character  improved.  One  of  the  objects 
of  the  society  was  to  "uphold  the  dignity 
of  the  sovereign  of  the  realm.*'*  But  it  is 
also  recorded  that  each  member  })aid  one 
penny  a  week  for  the  poor  and  burial  fund 
— undoubtedly  the  beginning  of  the  pres- 
ent system  of  regular  contributions  for 
the  relief  of  the  poor  and  distressed,  their 
widows  and  orphans.  Details  of  the  origin 
of  the  society  of  Odd  Fellows  will  i)rob- 
ably  ever  remain  obscure.  But  the  inci- 
dents attending  the  extension  of  Freema- 
sonry in  England,  America,  and  on  the 
continent,  between  its  revival  in  1717  and 
the  year  1740,  together  with  the  similarity 
of  emblems,  and,  to  an  extent,  the  mechan- 
ical arrangement  of  ceremonials,  and  the 
fact  that  Odd  Fellowshiii  could  not  have 
appeared  prior  to  1739,  lead  to  the  presump- 
tion that  Freemasonry  was  the  inspiration 
of  the  organization  of  the  other.  Lideed, 
there  is  a  well-known  tradition  that  a  num- 
ber of  London  Freemasons,  1830-40,  had  a 
difference  with  their  Lodge,  withdrew,  and 
started  another  society — a  lodge  or  club 
6f  Odd  Fellows.  Even  as  early  as  1739 
Freemasonry  had  begun  to  attract  wide  at- 
tention throughout  the  United  Kingdom 
and  on  the  continent  of  Europe.  Not 
only  had  it  crossed  to  America,  but  the 
work  of  embroidering  the  original  fabric  of 
Freemasonry  in  France  liad  excited  wide 
attention  on  both  sides  of  the  channel. 
Alleged  exposes  were  })ublished,  as  well  as 
pamphlet  attacks  and  defences,  in  the 
midst  of  which  Odd  Fellows'  Lodges  ap- 
peared. Shortly  after  1845  they  began  to 
spring  up  with  more  or  less  frecpiency, 
practically  independent  one  of  the  other ; 
but  gradually  a   bond   of    unity  grew   up 

*  History  of  the  Onler  of  Odd  Fellows,  Manches- 
ter Unity,  18G6.  London,  James  Spry,  Provincial 
Corresponding  Secretary.  Plymouth  District. 


248 


INDEPENDEXT  ORDER   OF   ODD   FELLOWS 


between  them,  and  they  adopted  a  similar 
ritual,  ultimately  becoming  confederated  as 
the  Ancient  and  Honorable  Loyal  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows.  The  custom  followed 
by  nearly  all  societies  at  that  period,  of 
meeting  at  taverns  and  indulging  in  con- 
viviality, soon  became  one  of  its  character- 
istics. In  1788  the  British  poet  Montgom- 
ery wrote  an  ode  to  Odd  Fellowship,  which 
would  indicate  that  the  Order  had  become 
known.  It  finally  extended  to  Liverpool, 
where  the  Lodges  united  in  a  general  system, 
first  under  the  name  of  the  Patriotic  Or- 
der, and  later  the  Union,  or  United  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows,  with  London  as  the  seat  of 
government. 

The  titles,  the  Ancient  and  Honorable 
Loyal  Order,  and  the  Patriotic  Order,  late 
in  the  eighteenth  century,  were  due  to  the 
period  being  one  tending  to  stimulate  2:)olit- 
ical  partisanship.  Suspicions  of  sedition  re- 
sulted in  laws  prohibiting  meetings  of  secret 
societies  other  than  of  the  Freemasons,  to 
which  royalty  itself  was  attached.  History 
records  that  other  organizations,  notably 
the  Orangemen  (1795-1800),  occasionally 
met  in  Masonic  Lodge  rooms  immediately 
after  the  latter  had  closed,  in  order  to 
avoid  official  surveillance;  but  whether  Odd 
Fellows  participated  in  this  extension  of 
what  may  be  regarded  as  extreme  fraternal 
courtesy,  is  not  known.  In  any  event,  it 
is  certain  that  Orangemen  sometimes  met  in 
that  manner,  when  they  would  not  have 
been  permitted  to  meet  by  the  authorities, 
there  being  instances  of  a  Masonic  warrant 
conveniently  left  with  them,  from  which 
fact,  and  the  additional  one  that  many 
Orangemen  were  members  of  Masonic  Lodges, 
are  explained  superficial  resemblances  of 
some  Orange  and  Masonic  ceremonies.  It  is 
not  beyond  probability  that  Lodges  of  Odd 
Fellows  were  occasionally  treated  similarly, 
particularly  as  Odd  Fellows  at  times  were 
also  obliged  to  conceal  their  affiliation  with 
that  society.  That  the  organization  showed 
a  desire  to  be  Avell  regarded  is  indicated  by 
the  titles  Patriotic  Order  and  Ancient  and 


Honorable  Loyal  Order,  both  of  which,  at 
the  close  of  the  century,  were  merged  into 
the  Union,  or  United  Order.  During  the 
Lord  George  Oordon  riots  in  1780  a  number 
of  Odd  Fellows  were  arrested  for  denounc- 
ing the  government,  which  may  have  re- 
sulted in  the  change  of  the  name  of  the 
society.  The  jjossible  debt  of  Odd  Fellowship 
to  Freemasonry,  in  that  the  former  conferred 
a  degree,  in  1797,  known  as  the  ''  Royal 
Arch  of  Titus,  or  degree  of  Fidelity,"  may 
be  of  little  or  no  significance.  By  that  time 
schism  had  begun  to  assert  itself,  even  as  it 
had,  long  before,  among  Freemasons.  One 
of  the  first  secessions  to  appear  was  the 
Ancient  Independent  Order,  in  1805.  It 
did  not  live  long,  but  was  revived  in  1861, 
fifty-six  years  later,  under  the  same  name, 
but  with  the  additional  description,  Kent 
Unity.  Five  years  earlier,  in  1800,  the 
Free  and  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows 
appeared  as  a  separate  organization,  but  did 
not  prove  long-lived.  Many  Lodges  seceded 
from  the  Union  or  United  Order  prior  to 
and  after  1800,  owing  to  the  proscription  of 
all  secret  societies,  except  the  Freemasons, 
and  also  because  the  Order  was  so  wedded 
to  conviviality.  In  1809  an  effort  was  made 
by  some  Lodges  to  reform  this  tendency,  but 
without  success,  and  in  1812  there  was 
another  schism,  seceding  members  taking 
the  title,  Nottingham  Ancient  Imperial 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  This 
is  still  in  existence.  In  1813  there  was  a 
distinct  revolt  against  the  predominance  of 
the  convivial  over  the  charitable  objects  of 
the  society  and  the  result  was  a  large  seces- 
sion from  the  United  Oi-der,  under  the  title, 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
Manchester  Unity,  which  body  grew  rapidly, 
prospered  greatly,  and  to-day  includes  by 
far  the  larger  proportion  of  English  Odd 
Fellows.  While  not  the  mother  Order,  it 
is  the  jH'iucipal  re^jresentative  of  the  society 
in  England  in  point  of  numbers,  wealth, 
and  influence.  The  first  Lodge  of  the  In- 
dependent Order,  Manchester  Lenity,  was  at 
Ashton-under-Leeds,  Victoria,  No.   1,  and 


r»l 


'174-0 

'1750 

■  /760 

\l7'7'0 

1 730 

irgo 


•■1650 

/546 
1850 

teeo 
•jaro 

I860 

ja9o 


Hon  «-  TMCRt  ARE  20  OThCR  50CI£T/CS  OF  OOD 
FtLLdiVS  (5CHlSMAriC)-ORi6IISAr/fiG  rROM  TMC 
MASCM€5T£R  UNITY  Off  THE  (jfiAND  UHITED  OPD£ff 

or  England 

CHART   SHOWLNU   THE    LAK<iEK    AND   MOKE   PROMINENT 
'       ENGLISH    AND    AMEHU'AN    ORDERS    OF    ODD 
FELLOWS,    ANCESTRY    OF  EACH 
AND  DATES  OF  ORIGIN. 


250 


INDEPENDENT   ORDER    OF   ODD    FELLOWS 


seventy-four  years  after  its  foundation  this 
Order  reported  $35,000,000  of  sick,  funeral, 
and  other  benefit  funds.  The  English  Or- 
ders of  Odd  Fellows  mentioned,  with  other 
among  the  more  important  branches  into 
which  they  have  been  divided,  are  as  fol- 
lows : 

No. 

Members. 

1895. 

Grand  United  Order  (Parent  Society) 107,000 

Ancient    Independent    Order,  Kent  Unitv 

(1805) ■.       3,000 

Nottingham  Imperial  Independent   Order 

(1812) 50,000 

Independent    Order,     Manchester    Unitv 

(1813) ■.    740.000 

Norfolk  and  Norwich  Unity  (1849) 7,000 

National  Independent  Order  (1846) 64,000 

Ancient  Noble  Order,  Bolton  Unity 35,000 

Improved  Independent  Order 15,000 

British  United  Order 14.000 

Albion  Order 8,000 

Derby  Midland  United  Order  (1856) 7,000 

Leeds  United,  Economical,  Enrolled .  .  1 
Ancient  True,   Kingston  Unitv,  Aux-   | 

iliary,  Staffordshire,  West  Bromwich,    V        31,000 
Wolverhampton,    and    Handsworth,   | 
and  other  Orders  of  Odd  Fellowship.  J 

Grand  Total 1.081,000 

In  1893  the  Grand  Secretary  of  the 
English  Grand  Lodge  of  the  United  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows  wrote  that  after  the  schism 
of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
Manchester  Unity,  in  1813,  the  next  most 
important  English  secession  was  that  of  the 
National  Independent  Order  in  1846  (which 
was  from  the  Manchester  Unity),  and  after 
that  (from  the  Grand  United  Order)  the  Not- 
tingham Order  in  1812,  already  mentioned. 
Odd  Fellows'  societies  in  England,  the  out- 
groAvth  of  the  United  Order,  present  slight 
differences  as  to  ritual  and  management,  and 
the  "All-Seeing  Eye,"  the  "three  links," 
and  the  story  of  David  and  Jonathan  are 
familiar  to  the  members  of  all  of  them. 
Their  objects  and  methods  of  contributing 
relief  are  also  much  the  same.  It  is  of 
interest  to  note  that  the  separation  of  Eng- 
lish Odd  Fellowship  into  so  many  inde- 
pendent secret  societies  with  similar  titles 
and  ceremonies  went  even  further,  in  many 
instances  giving  birth  to  like  organiza- 
tions, but  with    entirely  different   names. 


among  them  the  Foresters,  Druids,*  Shep- 
herds and  Free  Gardeners.  If  the  member- 
ship of  the  American  children  of  English 
Orders  of  Odd  Fellows  be  added  to  that 
of  the  English  societies,  the  grand  total 
is  found  to  be  approximately  as  follows  : 

Membership, 
1895. 

Various  British  Odd  Fellows  organiza- 
tions  1,081,000 

Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,U.S.  A., 
including  Dausrhters  of  Rebekah, 
about ". 900,000 

Grand  United  Odd  Fellows  in  America 
(negro),  including  Households  of 
Ruth,  about 111,000 

Grand   Total   Membership,   British    and 

American  Orders  of  Odd  Fellows 2,192,000 

Contemplation  of  this  extraordinary 
membership  of  the  twenty-seven  divisions 

*  Ancient  Order  of  Romans. — The  English  An- 
cient Order  of  Romans,  while  not  a  large  society, 
deserves  recognition,  because  it  is  the  probable  insiii- 
ration  of  several  well-known  American  beneficiary 
societies.  Unlike  Freemasonry  and  Odd  Fellowship, 
which  drew  freely  on  sacred  history  ;  differing  from 
the  Druidic  Order,  which  utilized  the  ceremonies 
and  legends  attaching  to  ancient  Druidic  priest- 
hood, and  from  the  Foresters,  who  revived  Robin 
Hood,  Friar  Tuck,  Little  John,  and  others  who 
accompanied  the  gentle  outlaw  ;  and  quite  distinct 
from  the  Ancient  Order  of  Free  Gardeners,  or  the 
Shepherds,  which  may  be  said  to  have  gone  back  to 
t-he  soil  to  plant  the  ceremonies  with  which  they 
propose  to  teach  morality,  benevolence,  and  truth 
— the  Ancient  Order  of  Romans  seized  on  some  of 
the  more  brilliant  incidents  in  profane  history  for 
its  mythical  prototypes,  among  them  ^Eneas,  "  the 
noblest  Roman  of  them  all,"  whom  the  Ancient 
Roman  of  tliese  days  is  taught  to  emulate.  The 
originators  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  Romans  have 
been  described  as  comjiaratively  humble  though 
well  read  and  earnest  men — prominent  among 
them  John  Cheesman,  a  schoolmaster,  and  Thomas 
Burras,  afterwards  the  celebrated  artist.  The  first 
or  Grand  Senate  (corresponding  to  Grand  Lodge) 
was  opened  at  Leeds,  England,  August  26,  1833. 
The  presiding  officer  was  originally  styled  "Most 
Excellent  Dictator,"  afterwards  changed  to  "  Most 
Excellent  Consul."  The  government  of  the  Order 
takes  the  form  of  an  Annual  Movable  Congress 
or  Committee,  consisting  of  one  member  from 
each  Senate,  patterned  after  the  Odd  Fellows  and 
Foresters,  Grand,  provincial,  and  subordinate  Sen- 
ates.    There  is  a  sick  and  funeral  benefit,  but  the 


INDEPENDENT  ORDER  OK  ODD  FELLOWS 


251 


into  which  the  ancient.  United  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows  is  split  excites  regret.  One 
cannot  well  help  wishing  the  various 
branches    might    be  reunited,    if    only  for 

Order  does  not  centralize  its  funds,  leaving  the 
Senates  to  disburse  their  own  collections  or  assess- 
ments. Chief  oflicers  of  Grand  Senates  are  a  Most 
Excellent  Senator,  a  Most  Excellent  Vice-Senator, 
four  Lictors,  and  two  Centurions.  The  total  mem- 
bership of  the  Society  is  not  large,  about  10,000, 
but  its  liberality  to  meml)ers  in  distress,  and  its 
business  management,  are  said  to  be  worthy  of  im- 
itation by  many  older  and  better  known  societies 
with  similar  aims.  The  Ancient  Order  of  Romans 
seeks  by  its  ritual  to  contrast  the  wretched  condi- 
tion of  Britain  {)rior  to  the  Christian  era  with  the 
civilizing  and  peaceful  nature  of  the  Roman  do- 
minion, and  has  therefore  naturally  remained  in 
England.  Xo  recbi-d  is  known  of  an  attempt  to 
extend  its  membership  across  the  Atlantic,  but 
members  of  the  English  Order  of  Romans,  or  others 
who  have  seen  its  ritual,  have  apparently  utilized 
its  achievements  in  building  up  similar  organiza- 
tions in  the  United  States. 

Ancient  Order  of  the  Golden  Fleece,  Bradford 
Unity. — The  pretentiousness  of  the  title  of  this 
exclusively  English  secret  beneficiary  society  is  not 
altogether  unwarranted,  although  Jason,  who  led 
the  Argonauts  to  Colchis  in  search  of  the  Golden 
Fleece,  which  was  guarded  by  tame  bulls  and  the 
monstrous  dragon,  is  not  claimed  as  the  founder. 
But  the  name  of  Jason  is  perpetuated  in  the  society 
which  styles  the  chief  officer  of  a  Lodge  "  Most  Xo- 
ble  Jason,"  and  his  assistant,  '"  Deputy  Jason." 
Tradition  has  it  that  there  existed  in  Bradford, 
England,  as  long  ago  as  1780,  some  say  earlier 
than  that,  an  Ancient  Grand  United  Order  of  the 
Golden  Fleece,  which  was  brought  into  England 
by  some  German  workmen  at  the  time  of  the  intro- 
duction of  woollen  goods  manufacture  into  the 
United  Kingdom.  This  earlier  Order  of  Golden 
Fleece  was  largely  convivial  in  its  objects,  although 
charitable  purposes  were  not  overlooked.  It  is  to 
be  regretted  that  like  so  many  other  of  the  old  work- 
ingmen's  guilds,  no  records  or  early  history  have 
been  preserved  of  this  one.  The  ceremonial  of  the 
Ancient  Grand  United  Order  was  very  florid,  and, 
like  the  Forestei's,  contained  a  second  order  within 
it,  the  Patriarchs,  to  wliich  none  was  eligible  ex- 
cept members  of  the  Golden  Fleece.  Dissensions 
arose  in  1833,  and  John  Milncr,  "  founder  of  the 
new  Order,"  and  ten  others,  seceded,  and  at  Brad- 
ford opened  Lodge  No.  1  of  present,  or  Ancient  Or- 
der, Bradford  Unity.  This  Order  did  not  grow 
very  rapidly,  did   not  adopt   tested  and  approved 


the  sati.sfaction  uf  counting  the  2,200,000 
members  in  one  grand  organization.  By 
a  singular  coincidence  it  was  in  18L3, 
the  very  year  in  which  British  Freemasonry 

methods  of  collecting  and  paying  sick  and  funeral 
beneiits,  continue<l  firmly  opjiosed  to  registering 
under  the  frieniljy  societies  act,  hedged  its  trustees 
of  beneficiary  funds  with  extraordinary  checks 
against  dishonesty,  and  provided  for  suspension  of 
membei*s  who  should  obtain  goods  or  property  from 
any  brother  and  not  act  according  to  contract. 
By  1851  another  dissension  arose,  and  twenty-one 
lodges  with  900  members  seceded  and  formed  the 
Independent  Order  of  the  Golden  Fleece,  whicli  for 
some  years  prior  to  1880  it  was  thought  could  be 
induced  to  reunite  with  the  Ancient  Order.  The 
government  of  the  Order  is  lax,  although  it  follows 
in  general  outline  that  of  the  Ancient  Order  of  For- 
esters. The  chief  officer  of  the  Order  is  the  Grand 
Sire,  which  statement  is  also  true  of  the  Indepen- 
dent Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  Tlie  Ancient  Order  of 
the  Golden  Fleece,  of  England,  is  the  skeleton  of 
what  such  a  society  should  be.  It  was  started  on 
a  modern  basis  one  year  before  the  Ancient  Order 
of  Foresters  seceded  from  tlie  Royal  Order  of  For- 
esters, yet  the  Foresters  number  900,000  members, 
and  the  former  perhaps  5,000.  The  Ancient  Order 
of  Golden  Fleece  is  chiefly  of  interest  here  because 
of  its  contributions  to  rituals  of  similar  societies  in 
the  United  States. 

Loyal  Ancient  Order  of  Shepherds. — Even  more 
distinctly  a  child  of  Odd  Fellowship  than  was  the 
Ancient  Order  of  Foresters,  the  Loyal  Order  of 
Shepherds  must  not  be  confounded  with  the  An- 
cient Order  of  Shepherds,*  which  now  constitutes 
the  second  degree  of  the  Foresters  of  America,  an 
order  within  an  order.  When  dissensions  broke 
out  in  the  English  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  Manchester  Unity,  in  182(5,  over  the  limit 
of  the  powers  granted  the  Grand  Master,  an  appli- 
cation for  a  fourth  Odd  Fellows'  Lodge  at  Ashton, 
Lancashire,  was  refused  by  the  Grand  Lodge,  which 
was  not  to  be  wondered  at  when  tlie  Grand  Lodge 
was  "fighting  for  its  very  existence."!  The 
petitioners  for  a  charter  to  open  a  Lodge  of  Odd 
Fellows,  among  them  Thomas  Scholtield,  William 
Shaw,  George  Down.sand  nine  others,  at  a  meeting 
in  Friendship  Inn,  Ashton,  t lie  landlord  of  which, 
Mr.  Thonuis  Scholfield,  was  an  Odd  Fellow,  there- 
upon determined  to  form  a  new  society.  They  ac- 
cordinglv  met  on   Christmas  Dav,   182'!,   with   the 


*  See  Ancient  Order  of  Foresters. 
+  A  .Short  History  of  the  Chief  Friendly  Societies, 
Leeds,  England.  . 


252 


INDEPENDENT   ORDER   OF   ODD   FELLOWS 


consolidated  after  its  long  schism,  that 
the  first  serious  and  permanent  split 
took  place  in  the  ranks  of  English  Odd 
Fellows.     The  line  of  descent   of  various 

intention  of  forming  an  ordinary  sick  benefit  society, 
an  open  local  organization,  but  changed  their  minds 
and  agreed  to  make  it  a  secret  society.*  This 
implied  no  small  degree  of  courage,  for  as  an  open 
benefit  society  it  would  have  secured  the  protection 
of  the  law  and  the  approbation  of  the  authorities  ; 
as  a  secret  society  it  could  get  neither.  The  second 
meeting  was  held  February  3,  1827,  when  it  was  re- 
solved to  call  the  organization  the  Society  of  An- 
cient Shepherds.  Chroniclers  of  this  prosperous 
English  friendly  society  have  referred  to  it  as  the 
Loyal  Order  of  Shepherds,  Ashton  Unity,  notwith- 
standing that  within  two  months  of  its  birth  it 
christened  itself  the  Society  of  Ancient  Shepherds. 
It  is  singular,  too,  that  its  chroniclers  do  not  refer 
to  the  apparently  coincident  existence  of  this  with 
a  more  "ancient"  Order  of  Shepherds,  Royal  Sanc- 
tuaries of  which  were  originally  "  attached  "  to  the 
Royal  Order  of  Foresters,  but  which  was  absorbed 
by  and  became  the  second  degree  of  the  Ancient 
Order  of  Foresters  at  the  disruption  of  the  Royal 
Order  in  1834.  In  any  event  there  is  no  evidence 
that  this  "Loyal"  or  Ancient  Order  of  Shepherds 
of  182G  had  any  connection  with  the  Ancient  Order 
of  Forestic  association. 

The  name,  Society  of  Ancient  Shepherds,  was 
suggested  at  the  February  meeting,  1827,  by  Phillip 
Buckley,  the  son-in-law  of  "  a  real  sliepherd."  His 
interest  in  basing  the  ritual  and  insignia  of  the  new 
society  on  shepherdry  is  illustrated  by  his  collat- 
ing all  the  passages  in  the  Bible  having  reference 
to  shepherds  and  their  employment.  With  these 
and  his  gift  of  expression,  his  pastoral  references 
*and  "apt  similitudes  between  Judean  shepherds 
and  the  Order  of  Shepherds  he  sought  to  see 
established,"  he  secured  the  adoration  of  the  new 
name  and  basis  of  ceremonial.  The  first  Lodge 
was  characteristically  named  Loyal  Abel,  No.  1, 
"after  the  first  shepherd."  At  the  beginning,  the 
chief  officer  of  the  Lodge  was  called  the  Deputy 
Master  ;  the  initiating  ceremony  was  called  the 
"making;"  there  was  a  Past  Master,  and  a 
' '  charge  "  was  delivered  ;  all  of  which  savors  of 
certain  Masonic  titles  and  phrases.  But  the  titles 
of  the  chief  officials  were  changed  to  Chief  Shep- 
herd and  Deputy  Chief  Shepherd  soon  after,  prior 
to  the  fir.st  annual  meeting  at  Ashton,  December 
23,  1827.     From  that  time  more  attention  was  paid 


*  A  Short  History  of  the  Chief  Friendly  Societies, 
Leeds,  England. 


English  and  American  Orders  of  Odd 
Fellows  from  the  parent  English  society 
is  shown  in  an  accompanying  "family  tree " 
of  Odd  Fellows^  societies. 

to  ceremonial,  emblems,  ritual,  and  decorations. 
The  Inside  and  Outside  Guardians  carried  shears  in 
processions,  and  wore  broad-brimmed  hats.  A  harp 
was  carried  by  the  Minstrel,  and  "  lambskin  aprons 
were  worn  by  members."  In  the  first  six  years  the 
Order  numbered  2,160  members,  and  by  1836  its 
total  membership  was  5,468.  In  1840  the  total  was 
8,667  ;  in  1847  it  was  15,206  ;  in  1856,  18,151  ;  in 
1865,  30,844  ;  and  in  1880,  73,596  ;  while  to-day  it  i& 
estimated  at  approximately  120,000  ;  in  which  aggre- 
gate about  40,000  wives  and  widows  are  included. 
The  jubilee  meeting  of  the  Order  was  celebrated  at 
Ashton  in  1876,  when  a  fully  equipped  life-boat, 
"  The  Good  Shepherd,"  paid  for  by  voluntary  sub- 
scriptions of  members,  was  presented  to  the  National 
Life-Saving  Association.  The  Order  suffered  from 
the  secession  of  1,384  members  at  Wisbeach,  but  in 
1876  received  400  members  of  the  Worcester  Lodges 
of  the  Wolvei-hampton  Unity  of  Odd  Fellows,  who 
brought  witli  them  a  capital  of  £2,000.  Prior  to 
1860  the  business  of  the  Order  was  conducted  by 
the  three  chief  officers,  who  were  always  chosen 
from  the  Ashton  district  ;  but  they  have  since  been 
chosen  from  the  entire  membership.  In  1878  the 
annual  meeting  was  held  at  Hawarden,  when 
the  Rt.  Hon.  W.  E.  Gladstone  was  initiated  into  the 
mysteries  of  Shepherdry,  in  what  was,  perhaps,  the 
most  unique  initiation  ceremony  ever  held  by 
a  sick  benefit  secret  society.  The  lawn  in  front  of 
the  rectory  at  Hawarden  was  the  "  Lodge  room," 
and  the  fringe  of  trees,  and  fleecy  clouds  which, 
ranged  across  the  sky,  probably  proved  as  pastoral 
as  the  most  enthusiastic  shepherd  could  wish.  The 
laws  of  the  Order  are  modelled  after  those  of  the 
Manchester  Unity  of  English  Odd  Fellows.  Grad- 
uated scales  of  contributions  were  enforced  as  early 
as  1875-77.  From  one  point  of  view  this  organiza- 
tion is  virtually  another  order  of  Odd  Fellowship 
under  a  different  name  and  with  a  ceremonial  and 
ritual  exclusively  its  own.  It  has  spi-ead  to  the 
United  States  and  to  Australia.  (Compare  with 
the  Orders  of  the  Star  of  Bethlehem,  Shepherds  of 
Bethlehem,  and  Shepherds  of  America.) 

National  United  Order  of  Free  Gardeners. — The 
Order  of  Gardeners  is  one  of  the  older  English  ben- 
eficiary secret  societies.  No  authentic  or  satisfac- 
tory account  of  its  origin  has  been  published, 
although  it  is  believed  the  different  English  orders 
of  Garderners,  like  the  orders  of  Odd  Fellows,  are 
the  result  of  successive  secessions  from  the  parent 
body.     Among  the  various  branches  are  the  Scotch 


The  Ancient  and  Honorable,  Loyal  Odd  Fellows, 

the 

Patriotic  Ordkji  ok  Odd  Fellows 

and  various  iudepeiideut  Odd  Fellows'  Lodges, 

merged  as 

The  Union  [later  United,  afterwards  (Ihand  United]  Order  op  Odd  Fellows. 


From  the  T^nioii  Order  spraiii^  : 


The  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
Manchester  Unity,  England; 

and  from  that 

I 

The  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 

United  States  of  America  ; 


■with  itS" 


Lodares 


Encampments. 


Daughters  of  Rebekah, 
Daughters  Militant. 


Patriarchs  Militant,  also  the 

Imperial  Order  of  Muscovites. 


The  following  English  Orders  of  Odd  Fellowship 


« 


The  Grand,  United  Order  op  Odd  Fellows 
in  Asierica  (Neqro). 

I  I 

Lodges.  Households  of  Rath. 


I 


Councils. 

I 

Patriarchies. 


I 


Ancient  Independent  Order,  Kent  Unity, 


Nottingham  Imperial  Independent  Order, 

I 

National  Independent  Order,  ' 

Ancient  Noble  Order  of  United  Odd  Fellows,  Bolton  Unity, 


Improved  Independent  Order,  S.  L.  Unity, 
Derby  Midland,  I'nited  Order, 

I 

The  British  Order,         and 

The  Norfolk  and  Norwich,  the  Albion,  the  Kingston  Unity,  the  Leeds  United,  Leicester  Unity, 
the  Elconomical,  the  Ilkstone  Unity,  the  Enrolled,  tlu!  Ancient,  True,  The  Staffordshire,  The  Auxiliary 
the  West  Bromwich,  and  the  Handsworth  Orders  of  Odd  Fellows. 

CHART    SHOWING    THE    LEA1)L\(J    S()(TP:TIHS    INTO    WHICH    ANCIENT    ENGLISH   ODD 

FELLOWSHIP    IS    DIVIDED. 


254 


INDEPENDENT   ORDER   OF   ODD   FELLOWS 


The  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows 
is  the  oldest  and  largest  of  the  beneficiary 
secret  societies  in  the  United  States  in 
which  members  systematically  contribute 
to  a  fund  from  which  to  relieve  sick  and 
distressed  members,  their  widows  and  or- 
phans. It  was  established  in  the  United 
States,  in  1819,  by  five  Englishmen,  at 
Baltimore,  members  of  the  English  United 
Order,  since  which  time  its  membership 
has  increased  to  nearly  1,000,000.  There 
are  more  than  11,000  Lodges  of  the  Order, 
all  but  400  being  in  the  United  States.  It 
aims  to  inculcate  truth,  visits  the  sick, 
relieves  the  distressed,  buries  the  dead,  and 

Order  of  Free  Gardeners,  one  of  the  oldest,  dating 
back  into  the  eighteenth  century,  and  an  Ancient 
Order  in  the  North  of  England.  In  addition  there 
'  are  tlie  British,  the  United,  the  Loyal,  and  the 
National  United  Orders  of  Free  Gardeners,  the 
last  named  of  which  is  by  far  the  largest.  The  five 
first  named  have  probably  no  less  than  25,000  mem- 
bers, while  the  National  United  Order  has  nearly 
three  times  as  many.  Gardeners'  Lodges  were 
originally  called  after  the  flowers,  such  as  Moss 
Rose,  Myrtle,  Lily  of  the  Valley,  and  in  the  early 
days  of  the  Order  tlie  ceremonies  are  declared  to 
have  been  of  an  extreme  though  impressive  type. 
The  initiatory  ceremony  and  lectures  were  not 
printed,  and,  with  the  rules  of  the  Order,  were  jeal- 
ously guarded.  A  considerable  item  of  expense 
formerly  incurred  was  for  relief  of  members  when 
"  tramping  in  search  of  work."  The  latter,  about 
the  middle  of  the  century,  received  two  shillings 
per  day  and  what  was  voluntarily  given  them.  A 
refusal  to  cut  down  the  ''tramping  allowance," 
and  to  have  the  initiatory  ceremonies  and  lectures 
printed,  resulted  in  a  secession  from  the  Order  of 
Ancient  Free  Gardeners,  Lancashire  L^nion,  in 
1842.  The  newly  formed  society  described  itself 
by  the  same  general  title,  Yorkshire  Union,  and 
as  the  Grand  National  Order  merged  with  the 
parent  body  in  1871,  then  known  as  the  United 
Order,  the  reunited  bodies  became  known  as  the 
National  United  Order.  The  general  government 
of  the  Gardeners  suggests  that  of  the  English  For- 
esters and  Odd  Fellows.  The  titles  of  officers  of 
the  Order,  Grand  Master  and  Deputy  Grand  Mas- 
ter, were  drawn  directly  from  the  Freemasons  and 
Odd  Fellows.  The  Gardeners,  so  far  as  known, 
have  not  spread  to  the  United  States,  whicli  is 
remarkable  in  view  of  the  vogue  of  beneficiary 
secret  societies  here. 


educates  tlie  orphan.  Its  cornerstone  is 
fraternity,  and  the  motto  on  its  banner  is 
"Friendship,  Love,  and  Truth.*'  An  Odd 
Fellow  who  is  sick  is  entitled  to  and  re- 
ceives specified  financial  relief,  irrespective 
of  actual  need.  An  applicant  for  member- 
ship must  profess  a  belief  in  the  existence 
of  a  Supreme  Being,  and  within  the  Lodge 
he  is  impressed,  in  addition  toother  lessons, 
with  the  fatherhood  of  God  and  the 
brotherhood  of  man.  When  Washington 
Lodge,  No.  1,  was  organized  at  Baltimore 
in  1819,  there  were  only  three  degrees  con- 
ferred, the  White,  Blue,  and  Scarlet.  In 
1820  two  additional  or  intermediate  de- 
grees, called  the  Covenant  degree  and  the 
degree  of  Eemembrance,  prepared  by  Past 
Grand  John  P.  Entwisle  of  that  Lodge,  were 
adopted  and  conferred  in  the  Lodges  as  num- 
bers two  and  four,  the  original  three  being 
renumbered  one,  three,  and  five.  These  new 
or  intermediate  degrees  were  jiresented  to 
the  attention  of  the  parent  body,  the  Man- 
chester Unity,  in  1826,  and  by  it  incorpo- 
rated in  the  English  ritual.  They  remained 
there  until  1843,  the  year  the  American 
Order  became  independent,  after  which 
the  English  Order  discarded  those  two 
degrees.  The  five  degrees  were  conferred 
in  American  Lodges  from  1820  until  1880^ 
when  the  Sovereign,  American,  Grand 
Lodge  reduced  or  condensed  them  into  the 
Initiatory  (White)  and  the  Pink,  Blue,  and 
Scarlet  degrees.  The  presiding  oflBcer  of 
the  Lodge  is  called  the  Noble  Grand,  and 
former  presiding  oflBcials  are  Past  Grands, 
on  whom  is  conferred  the  Grand  Lodge 
degree.  Past  Grands,  as  well  as  Noble 
Grands,  represent  Lodges  in  Grand  (State) 
Lodges,  and  the  Grand  Lodges  in  turn  send 
presiding  and  past  presiding  officers.  Grand 
Masters  and  Past  Grand  Masters  who  re- 
ceive the  Eoyal  Purple  degree  in  the  En- 
campment, as  delegates  to  the  Sovereign 
Grand  Lodge,  the  presiding  ofiicer  of  which 
must  have  been  a  Grand  Master  and  is 
called  the  Grand  Sire.  The  Sovereign  Grand 
Lodge  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 


INDEPENDENT   ORDER   OF   ODD   FELLOWS 


255 


fellows  exercises  jurisdiction  over  the  larg- 
est beneficiary  secret  society  in  the  world. 

The  principal  emblems  in  the  Initiatory 
degree  are  the  All-Seeing  Eye,  the  three 
links,*  skull  and  cross  bones  and  scythe; 
in  the  degree  of  Friendship,  the  bow  and 
arrow,  and  the  quiver  and  bundle  of  sticks; 
in  the  degree  of  Love,  the  axe,  the  heart 
and  hand,  the  globe,  ark  and  serpent ;  and 
in  the  degree  of  Truth,  the  scales  and 
sword,  the  Bible,  hour-glass  and  the  coffin. 
In  the  Encampment  of  Patriarchs,  charity, 
religious  toleration,  and  hospitality  are 
emphasized,  and  its  motto  is  '*  Faith,  Hope, 
and  Charity."  The  Jew,  therefore,  the 
Mohammedan  and  Christian  are  alike  eli- 
gible to  membership  in  the  Encampment  as 
well  as  in  the  Lodge. 

The  so-called  superior  degrees  of  Odd 
Fellowship  are  conferred  in  Encampments. 
To  be  qualified  to  receive  them,  an  Odd 
Fellow  must  be  in  good  standing  in  his 
Lodge,  and  apply  for  and  be  elected  to 
membership  in  an  Encampment.  Encamp- 
ments are  presided  over  by  Worthy  Patri- 
archs, and  are  under  the  immediate  direc- 
tion of  Grand  (State)  Encampments.  The 
latter,  though  entirely  separate  from  Grand 
(State)  Lodges,  are,  like  them,  subordinate 
to  the  Sovereign  Grand  Lodge  of  the  L^nited 
States  of  America.  Subordinate  Encamp- 
ments form  a  strong  section  of  Odd  Fellow- 
ship, having  an  enrolled  membership  of 
about  150,000,  one-sixth  of  the  entire  Or- 
der. They  contribute  annually  for  relief 
^lerhaps  one-tenth  as  much  as  the  gross  sum 
so  expended  by  the  Lodges.  The  Encamp- 
ment degrees.  Patriarchal,  Golden  Rule, 
and  Royal  Purple,  were  invented  or  adopted 
from  ''floating  material,"  and  originally 
conferred  in  Odd  Fellows'  Lodges  as  supple- 
mentary degrees  or  ceremonies,  much  the 
same  as  various  Masonic  degrees  were  orig- 
inally conferred.  In  1821  a  Golden  Rule 
degree  was  introduced  into  the  Lodge  rit- 
ual,  and  frequently  referred  to  in  Grand 

*  Tlie  tliree  interlaced  circles  were  an  ancient 
emblem  of  the  Trinity. 


Lodge  minutes  as  "the  fourth  degree." 
In  1825  the  Royal  Purple  degree  was  pro- 
mulgated by  the  Grand  Lodge,  and  became 
a  part  of  the  ritual  in  182G,  both  being  of 
American  origin.  In  tiie  same  year  the 
Patriarchal  degree  was  received  from  the 
English  Independent  Order,  which  "  com- 
pleted the  superior  degrees  of  the  Order." 
Though  last  to  be  adopted,  the  Patriarchal 
degree  was  placed  first  in  the  work  of  the 
Encampment.  Not  much  of  any  of  these 
three  degrees,  as  ado])ted  in  1821-26,  re- 
mains to-day,  except  the  names,  owing  to 
revisions,  alterations,  and  additions  in  1835, 
18-45,  and  1880.  When  these  degrees  had 
been  adopted  in  1825-2G,  they  were  conferred 
only  on  Past  Grands  and  at  sessions  of  Grand 
Lodges.  The  word  Encampment  was  then 
tmknown.  The  first  Encampment  appeared 
at  Baltimore,  in  1827,  formed  to  confer  the 
''superior  degrees"  on  brothers  who  were 
not  members  of  a  Grand  Lodge.  It  was, 
therefore,  a  distinct  innovation;  for  in  Eng- 
land, even  to  this  day,  the  only  degrees 
known  to  the  Order  are  conferred  in  Lodges. 
It  was  named  and  chartered  Encampment 
Lodge,  No.  1,  but  in  1829  was  rechartered 
as  an  Encampment  of  Patriarchs,  with 
power  to  establish  Encampments.  Patriar- 
chal Odd  Fellowship  spread  rapidly  into 
Pennsylvania  and  New  York,  and  in  1831 
the  possession  of  the  Royal  Purple  degree  was 
made  a  necessary  qualification  to  become 
Grand  Representative.  After  the  revision 
of  the  ritual,  in  1845,  the  Encampment 
branch  became  more  popular,  and  Grand 
Encampments  multi|)lied  so  fast  that  jeal- 
ousy was  shown  at  the  interest  taken  in  the 
Patriarchal  degrees.  An  effort  was  made 
to  merge  the  Encamiunent  degrees  in  the 
Lodge  work,  which  extended  over  a  number 
of  years,  but  it  was  successfully  resisted  in 
the  Grand  Lodge,  now  Sovereign  Grand 
Lodge,  of  the  Ignited  States,  and  Patri- 
archal Odd  Fellowship  remains  to  this  day 
where  it  began,  a  goal  toward  which  mem- 
bers of  Lodges  travel  or  which  they  hope  to 
attain.     A  little  less  than  thirty  years  ago 


256 


INDEPENDENT   ORDER   OF   ODD    FELLOWS 


the  desire  spread  for  a  patriarchal  uniform, 
admittedly  influenced  by  Masonic  Knight 
Templar  displays,  and  after  an  extended 
propaganda  in  1874  the  movement  suc- 
ceeded, and  in  1883  the  Sovereign  Grand 
Lodge  adopted  a  degree  of  Uniformed  Pa- 
triarchs. The  Patriarchs  Militant,  as  the 
reorganized  Uniformed  Rank  of  Patriarchs 
is  called,  furnished  the  degree  which  super- 
sedes the  Uniformed  Camp  degree  of  the 
Uniformed  Patriarchs.  This  is  the  existing 
military  branch  of  the  Order,  and  is  re- 
cruited from  among  the  Patriarchs.  Can- 
tons, as  the  separate  bodies  of  Patriarchs 
Militant  are  described,  are  organized  into 
regiments,  brigades,  and  divisions.  Mem- 
bers of  Cantons  are  known  as  Chevaliers 
and  the  ofl&cers  of  the  organization  have  dis- 
tinctively military  titles.  The  uniform, 
drill,  and  tactics  are  modelled  somewhat  as 
are  those  of  the  Masonic  Knights  Templars. 
This  new  military  branch  of  the  Order  was 
first  proposed  in  1870.  It  took  shape  in 
1885,  and  in  1887  was  reorganized  to  confer 
three  degrees:  (1)  The  Grand  Decoration 
of  Chivalry,  to  be  conferred  on  Chevaliers, 
selected  by  the  Commander;  (2)  the  Deco- 
ration of  Chivalry,  to  be  conferred  on  Chev- 
aliers selected  by  Cantons  and  by  Depart- 
ment Commanders;  and  (3)  the  Decoration 
of  Chivalry,  to  be  conferred  on  women 
members  of  the  degree  of  Rebekah,  as  pro- 
vided for.  On  September  30, 1885,  there  Avas 
only  one  Canton  of  Patriarchs  Militant,  with 
a  total  membership  of  thirty;  but  two  years 
later  there  Avere  reported  462  Cantons  and 
15,259  Chevaliers.  In  preceding  years  the 
growth  was  less  rapid,  but  of  late  there  is  a 
revival  of  interest  in  this  the  uniformed 
branch  of  Encampments.  On  September  1, 
1894,  there  were  reported  171  Cantons  of 
Patriarchs  Militant  in  fourteen  States  and 
one  Territory,  and  one  each  in  British  Co- 
lumbia and  Manitoba,  with  a  total  member- 
ship of  7,310,  having  $92,669  worth  of 
property,  and  $7,425  cash  on  hand.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1895,  the  Sovereign  Grand  Lodge 
reported  that  "  the  usual  prosperity"  ex- 


isted among  the  Caatons,  and  that  many 
dormant  Cantons  had  been  revived  and  new 
ones  organized.  In  1896  no  fewer  than 
25,000  Odd  Pellows  were  enrolled  in  the 
army  of  Patriarchs  Militant. 

American  as  Avell  as  English  Odd  Fel- 
lows regard  with  veneration  Thomas  Wil- 
dey,  founder,  or  chief  organizer,  of  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  United 
States  of  America.  The  early  portion  of 
the  century  naturally  witnessed  the  emigra- 
tion of  English  Odd  Fellows,  members  of  the 
L'nited  as  well  as  the  Independent  Orders, 
to  the  new  but  democratic  empire  of  possi- 
bilities on  this  side  of  the  Atlantic.  Among 
them,  in  1817,  at  the  age  of  thirty -five, 
came  Thomas  Wildey.  He  was  born  in  Lon- 
don, January  15,  1782,  where  he  attended  a 
parish  school  until  he  was  fourteen  years 
old,  Avhen  he  learned  the  trade  and  became 
skilled  as  a  blacksmith.  A  member  of  Odd 
Fellows  Lodge,  No.  17,  at  London,  he  took  a 
great  interest  in  the  Order,  being  the  leader 
in  establishing  a  new  Lodge  in  the  suburbs 
of  the  city.  Over  that  Lodge  he  presided 
three  terms.  Shortly  after  his  arrival  in 
Baltimore,  he,  with  John  Welch,  a  brother 
Odd  Fellow,  published  a  call  for  a  meeting 
of  such  members  of  the  Order  as  the  notice 
might  reach.  On  April  13,  1819,  Thomas 
Wildey,  John  Welch,  John  Duncan,  John 
Cheatham,  and  Richard  Rushworth  met  in 
response  to  the  call.  They  or  most  of  them 
were  members  of  the  United  Order,  by 
whose  laws  any  five  members  "by  ancient 
usage"''  could  organize  and  constitute  a  legal 
Lodge.  So,  at  the  city  of  Baltimore,  April 
26,  1819,  they  organized  and  constituted 
such  a  Lodge.  It  was  opened  by  Thomas 
Wilde}',  he  taking  the  obligation  '"in  the 
presence  of  the  other  four,"  after  which 
'•'he  administered  the  obligation  to  them." 
The  title.  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows, copied  from  the  English  Order  of  that 
name,  was  given  to  American  Odd  Fellow- 
ship, probably  because  Washington  Lodge, 
Xo.  1,  Baltimore,  was  chartered  by  Duke  of 
York  Lodge,  Preston,  England,  one  of  the 


INDEPENDENT   ORDER  OF   ODD   FELLOWS 


257 


subordinate  Lodges  of  the  English  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  Manchester 
Unity.  This  indicates  that  some  of  the 
founders,  though  from  English  Lodges  be- 
longing to  the  United  Order,  sympathized 
with  the  schism  of  1813.  In  1802  a  self- 
constituted  Lodge  of  English  Odd  Fellows 
(United  Order)  ajipeared  at  Baltimore  and 
another  at  Xew  York  in  1800,  but  they 
did  not  live  long.  Others  sprang  into  life 
similarly,  prior  to  and  after  the  War  of 
1812,  but  it  remained  for  Thomas  Wildey 
and  four  brethren  to  establish  the  society. 
Several  Lodges  Avere  chartered  in  the  United 
States  l)y  both  the  L^nited  Order  and  by  the 
Manchester  Unity  between  1820  and  1825, 
and  as  late  as  1841-42  there  were  several 
Lodges  in  Pennsylvania  holding  wai-rants 
from  the  English  United  Order.  One  ac- 
count of  the  society  in  the  United  States 
says  there  were  sixteen  Lodges  with  Man- 
chester Unity  charters  in  Boston  as  late  as 
188G,  with  a  total  membership  of  976;  seven 
in  Providence,  with  438  members;  and  one 
in  Xew  York  city,  Avith  sixty-one  members; 
a  total  of  twenty-four  English  Lodges,  with 
1,475  members  in  these  cities.  At  that 
date  there  were  forty-one  Manchester  Unity 
Lodges  in  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  the  total 
membership  of  which  was  1,908.  It  is  not 
unlikely  that  there  are  still  a  few  Lodges  of 
Odd  Fellows  in  this  country  with  Manchester 
Lenity  charters. 

In  1821  the  Grand  Committee  of  the 
Mancliester  Unity  confirmed  the  charter 
granted  an  American  Lodge  by  an  English 
Lodge,  and  constituted  the  ''Grand  Lodge 
of  Maryland  and  the  United  States,"  with 
power  to  grant  charters.  The  subordinate 
Lodge  receiving  this  dual  charter  surren- 
dered the  Grand  Lodge  charter  to  its  Past 
Grands,  who  thereupon  constituted  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  Maryland  and  the  United 
States.  Thomas  Wildey  was  the  first  Grand 
]\Iaster  of  this  Grand  Lodge,  which  held 
allegiance  to  the  Manchester  Lenity,  First 
among  subordinate  Lodges  chartered  were 
"Washington,  Xo.  1.  and  Franklin,  Xo.  2. 
"it 


There  was  Init  little  progress  for  several 
years,  which  is  jiot  surprising  when  one  re- 
calls the  difficulties  attending  travel  and  in- 
tercommunication in  the  third  decade  of  the 
century.  It  is  striking  testimony  to  the 
energy  and  perseverance  of  Thomas  Wildey 
that  he  was  able  to  keep  alive  the  fires  of 
enthusiasm  and  fraternity,  not  only  within 
himself,  but  among  his  brethren,  and  so  en- 
kindle them  in  the  hearts  of  those  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact,  that  even  after  a 
few  years  Avithout  making  much  progress 
he  undertook  the  task  of  building  up  a 
great  brotherhood,  a  conce])tion  he  did  not 
appear  to  have  entertained  at  first. 

Grand  Lodges  were  formed  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, Xew  York,  and  ^Massachusetts  within 
four  years  after  the  fornuition  of  the  Cirand 
Lodge  of  Maryland  and  the  L'nited  States, 
and  on  January  15,  1825,  the  first  Grand 
Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows  of  the  United  States 
Avas  organized  and  a  communication  Avas  held 
February  22,  that  year.  At  that  time  there 
were  only  nine  siibordinate  Lodges  and  500 
members,  all'told.  Thomas  Wildey  Avas  in- 
stalled Grand  Sire  on  March  30,  1825,  and  in 
the  following  year  he  visited  the  mother 
country,  Avhere  ''he  Avas  joyfully  received  by 
Odd  Fellows  as  the  founder  of  the  Order  in 
America."  It  is  seldom  allotted  to  man  to 
live  to  see  so  large  a  share  of  the  fruits  of  his 
labor  as  was  granted  the  founder  of  American 
Odd  Fellowship.  At  the  date  of  his  death, 
October  19,  1801,  forty-two  A'ears  after  the 
organization  of  Washington  Lodge,  Xo.  1, 
there  were  forty-two  Grand  jurisdictions 
and  200,000  members  of  the  Order.  Fully 
500,000  candidates  had  been  initiated  dur- 
ing the  forty-tAvo  years,  >!20,00(>.0(i()  weekly 
dues  had  been  paid,  and  nearly  !?9,000,000 
in  all  expended  for  the  relief  of  the  sick, 
burial  of  the  dead,  and  education  of  orphans. 

The  growth  of  the  society  was  delayed  be- 
tween 1827  and  1835  by  the  antagonism  ex- 
cited toward  all  secret  societies  consequent 
on  the  anti-Masonic  agitation.  There  was, 
hoAvever,  some  gain,  and  the  first  Odd 
Fellows  Hall  erected  and  dedicated  to  the 


258 


INDEPENDENT   ORDER   OF   ODD   FELLOWS 


exclusive  use  of  the  Order  was  in  Baltimore 
in  1831.  During  the  years  1820-30  the  or- 
ganization was  practically  only  a  beneficial 
society,  numbering  a  few  Lodges  at  larger 
Eastern  cities.  Soon  after  (at  the  height 
of  the  anti-^lasonic  agitation)  ""educated 
men  from  every  honorable  profession  and 
business  "  sought  admission,  and  are  said  to 
have  eliminated  what  remained  of  the  con- 
vivial character  of  meetings,  and  to  have 
strengthened  the  moral  and  the  beneficial 
features.  A  comparison  of  official  2:)ublica- 
tions  concerning  Odd  Fellowshij)  and  Free- 
masonry on  this  point  is  not  without  sig- 
nificance. Systematic  contributions  for  the 
relief  of  the  distressed,  burial  of  the  dead, 
and  education  of  orphans  amounted  to  only 
15,000  in  the  year  1838,  from  which  it  may 
be  inferred  that  the  total  membership  twenty 
years  after  the  establishment  of  Washington 
Lodge,  No.  1,  Avas  small.  Five  years  later, 
in  1843,  the  total  membership  was  only 
30,000.  But  in  the  single  year  1879, 
$1,714,805  were  expended  for  relief,  and  in 
1893  the  total  appropriated  was  13,313,000, 
nearly  double  the  amount  in  1879. 

On  September  32, 1842,  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  the  United  States  adopted  a  resolution 
prohibiting  all  intercourse  between  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  In- 
dependent Order,  Manchester  Unity,  pro- 
claiming the  sole  authority  the  Grand  Lodge 
of  the  United  States.  Since  1843  the 
American  Order  has  been  actually  as  well 
as  nominally  independent.  This  secession 
was  a  blow  to  the  English  Society,  for  its 
American  branch  promised,  as  has  proved 
the  case,  to  outrun  the  parent  organization 
in  numbers,  wealth,  and  influence.  Causes 
which  led  to  complete  separation  have  been 
variously  stated.  One  version  is  that  the 
Manchester  Unity  "abandoned  the  ancient 
work  and  landmarks,  .  .  .  violated  its 
principles,"  and  invaded  "chartered 
rights,"  which  points  to  the  probability  of 
the  American  Order  having  grievances 
which  the  English  body  refused  to,  or  at 
least  did   not,  redress.     Another  version  is 


that  the  separation  was  due  to  a  desire  on 
the  part  of  American  Odd  Fellows  to  be 
relieved  from  the  obligation  of  granting 
pecuniary  assistance  to  visiting  English  Odd 
Fellows,  in  addition  to  a  reassertion  of  the 
"  spirit  of  secession  which  showed  itself  in 
England  in  1813,"  and  which  descended  to 
the  offspring  of  the  schismatic  Manchester 
Lenity  rightfully,  as  an  inheritance.  Early 
in  the  fourth  decade  Odd  Fellowship  began 
to  make  rapid  progress,  increasing  in  mem- 
bership and  influence  steadily  until  checked 
by  the  Civil  War.  Since  1865  its  record 
has  been  remarkable.  It  has  thirty-one 
times  the  membership  to-day  it  had  in  1843, 
and  flve  times  what  it  had  in  1800.  Very 
soon  after  the  close  of  the  Civil  War,  in 
1865,  the  northern  and  southern  divisions 
of  the  Order  met  at  Baltimore,  where  the 
Society  was  founded  forty-six  years  before, 
and  reunited  under  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the 
United  States.  In  1879  the  title  of  the 
latter  body  was  altered  to  that  of  the  Sover- 
eign Grand  Lodge,  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  United  States  of  America. 

American  Odd  Fellowship  was  taken  to 
the  Dominion  of  Canada  as  early  as  1843, 
to  the  Sandwich  Islands  in  1846,  and  to 
Australia  in  1868.  A  few  Lodges  were 
established  in  England,  but  did  not  live 
long.  There  appears  to  have  been  no  other 
reason  why  it  has  not  successfully  invaded 
the  United  Kingdom,  except  that  the  Eng- 
lish Orders  are  preferred  there.  Lodges 
of  the  American  Order  were  established  in 
Germany  in  1870,  in  Peru  and  Belgium  in 
1872,  Chili  in  1874,  Den^iark  in  1878,  Mex- 
ico in  1882,  Cuba  in  1883,  Japan  in  1891, 
France  in  1892,  and  in  Newfoundland,  Hol- 
land, and  Italy  in  1894.  American  Odd 
Fellowship  in  foreign  lauds  has,  on  the 
whole,  progressed  satisfactorily.  In  Aus- 
tralasia, except  Victoria,  there  has  been  en- 
couraging progress,  but  in  Chili  it  has  not 
met  expectations,  owing  to  lack  of  interest. 
Cuba  reported  an  increasing  membership 
until  1895,  when  the  insurrection  broke  out. 
Lodges  in  Denmark  have  been  doing  well, 


INDEPENDENT  ORDER  OF  ODD  FELLOWS 


259 


bnt  in  France  tlie  spread  of  atheistic  ideas 
has  checked  the  previous  rate  of  gain.  In 
Germany,  however,  the  Order  has  grown 
and  prospered.  Arrangements  were  made 
through  a  number  of  Freemasons  to  or- 
ganize a  Grand  Lodge  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows  for  Italy  at  Naples, 
they  '*  having  considered  not  only  greatly 
useful  tlie  propagation  of  said  Order  in  this 
nation,  but  also  of  great  usefulness  to  the 
Masonic  Order  itself."*  But  the  Italian 
venture  did  not  succeed.  In  Japan  there 
have  been  reverses,  owing  to  the  acts  of 
unworthy  members.  Mexico  has  held  its 
own,  although  interest  is  lacking.  Hol- 
land, with  only  a  few  Lodges  and  little  in- 
crease, reports  the  outlook  encouraging.  In 
Peru  growth  has  been  slow  and  "  non-j^ay- 
ment  of  dues  "  conspicuoi;s.  The  Hawaiian 
Islands  report  lack  of  material,  but  the 
outlook  since  annexation  is  brighter.  The 
Order  in  Sweden,  as  in  Germany,  has  con- 
tinued "  in  a  highly  prosperous  condition," 
and  the  brethren  are  enthusiastic  and  un- 
tiring in  their  efforts.  In  Switzerland,  while 
the  membership  is  small,  considerable  pro- 
gress has  been  made. 

In  1895  the  Order  owned  3,830  halls 
or  buildings  used  for  Lodge  meetings  and 
other  purposes,  which,  with  the  land,  cost 
§12,857,468  and  Avere  valued  at  116,521,- 
724.  In  addition  it  owned  twenty-four 
homes,  asylums,  and  orphanages,  Avith  3,882 
acres  of  land  valued  at  sjil, 000,000.  Homes 
are  situated  in  Xew  York  (4),  Pennsylvania 
(4),  Ohio  (2),  Connecticut,  Florida,  Idaho, 
Illinois,  Kansas,  Massachusetts,  Minne- 
sota, New  Hampshire,  Missouri,  Nebraska, 
North  Carolina,  Tennessee,  Texas,  Ver- 
mont, California,  and  Wisconsin.  An  Odd 
Fellows  Home  has  also  been  established 
at  Greiz,  Germany,  the  first  of  the  kind  on 
the  continent  of  Europe.  There  were,  in 
1895,  49  papers  and  periodicals  published 
in  half  a  dozen  languages,  in  the  interest  of 
this  branch  of  Odd  Fellowship:  43  in  the 

*  Report,  Sovereign  Grand  Lodge,  1895. 


United  States,  2  in  Canada,  1  in  Australia, 
and  1  each  in  Germany,  Denmark,  and  Swit- 
zerland. There  were  also  no  fewer  than 
10  mutual  aid  societies  in  the  United  States, 
and  one  in  the  Dominion  of  Canada,  to  which 
Odd  Fellows  only  were  eligible,  as  well  as 
several  mutual  accident  associations  with 
similar  requirements  as  to  membership. 

ke\t:nues  received  and  relief  afforded. 


1893. 


United  States.        Revenues.  Relief  Paid. 

Suljord.  Lodges. .  87,54r,.'>15  $2,980,378 
"       Encamj)- 

inents (J50,.5C(>  289,418 

Rebekah  Lodges..       312,!122  43,172 


Totals g8,511,(XM    83,312,970 


1897 


lievenues. Relief  Paid. 

$7,810,17.5    83,047,285 


603.170 
432.907 


20.5,965 

51  ,.378 

§8,840,258    83,364,628 


The  systematic  annual  contributions  of 
funds  for  the  relief  of  the  sick  and  dis- 
tressed, the  burial  of  the  dead,  and  the 
education  of  the  orphan  has  increased, 
therefore,  from  85,000  in  1838  to  $3,364,628 
in  1897,  or  more  than  660  times  during 
sixty  years,  while  the  membership  has  in- 
creased forty  times. 

STATISTICS  OF  THE  CONDITION  OF  THE  ORDER. 

For'n  &  Domes-  Foreign,  Domestic, 
January,  1.  tic,  1894.  1894.  1894. 

Indeiicnd't  C;rand  Lodges,  1 

((ierni' y,  Aiirtralia,  Den.  V 4  *55 

and  Switzerland)  No...  ) 
Subord.   Grand  Encamp- 
ments, No 54  4  50 

Subord.   Encamp'e,  No..  2,581  24  2.337 

Subord.    Lodges.  No 10,644  .349  10,295 

M'b'sh'p,  in  Lodges 800,013  2.5,281  780,192 

"     Sub.  Enc...  1.37,222  1,131  13(>,090 

Rebekah  Lodges,  No 3,300  8  3,292 

M'b's'p,  men...  9:5.910  1  o^n  (  +93,810 

"       women  108,732)"  "'^"l  +108,632 

*  Subordinate,  not  independent.        t  Approximately. 

STATISTICS  OF  THE  CONDITION  OF  THE  ORDER. 

Domestic. 

January  1.                              1895.        1896!^       1898. 
Indep.  G'd  Lodtrcs,  ((iormany.  Au- 
stralia, Den.  &  Switzerland)  No. . .  *.56      *.55 

Subord.  (i"d  En(  :iiii|MiiiHl.<,  No 50  .54  51 

Subord.  KiK-anipinents.  No 2.610        2,651        2,6.33 

Subord.   Lodges.  No 10..592      11,222       11,229 

Membership,  Lodges 7il0.795    825.629    814,776 

Sub.  Encampments....     13»,:«0    1.3.3.857    129.917 

Rebekah  Lodges,  No 3,027        4,117        4,7516 

'•        Membership,  men >  cy.-,c.  laa  '  110,242  )  .,or.  «oi 

women  ("  —^•'»*  ,  143,251  )" '^' '""^ 

♦  Subordinate,  not  independent. 

The  total  number  of  initiation.s  into  subor- 
dinate Lodges  from  1830  to  1895  was  2,012,- 
840,  and  no  more  striking  testimony  to  the 
work  of  the  in.stitution  can  be  furnished 
than    that    within    those    sixty-five    years 


260 


INDEPENDENT   ORDER   OF   ODD   FELLOWS 


1,902,562  members  received  material  assist- 
ance, inelutling  21G.178  widows  and  other 
members  of  families  of  members.  Revenues 
for  sixty-five  years  amounted  to  1176,780,- 
202,  of  which  $67,828,570  were  paid  to  the 
sick  and  distressed.  Thus  the  work  of  five 
humble  mechanics,  who  organized  Washing- 
ton Lodge,  No.  1,  at  Baltimore,  in  1819,  has 
spread  until  the  one  Lodge  has  become  more 
than  11,000;  five  members  have  increased  to 
nearly  800,000;  and  the  material  aid  af- 
forded has  grown  to  13,300,000  annually, 
while  gross  annual  revenues  are  $8,500,000. 
Meetings  of  Odd  Fellows,  originally  made 
up  largely  of  those  in  the  humbler  walks  of 
life,  now  include  not  only  laborers  and  me- 
chanics, but  merchants,  clergymen,  phy- 
sicians, lawyers,  and  statesmen. 

An  old  member  of  the  Sovereign  Grand 
Lodge  writes  that  the  list  of  distinguished 
citizens  who  are  or  have  been  Odd  Fellows  is  a 
very  long  one,  some  of  the  best  known  being 
ex-Presidents  Grant,  Hayes,  Garfield,  and 
Harrison;  ex-Vice-President  Schuyler  Col- 
fax; x4.ustin  Jones,  who  w^as  the  second  Presi- 
dent of  the  Republic  of  Texas;  Secretary  of 
State  John  Sherman ;  and  the  late  Senator 
Oliver  P.  Morton  of  Indiana.  The  work  of 
the  Order  is  carried  on  in  fourteen  countries, 
in  eight  of  the  leading  languages  of  the  world, 
as  far  east  as  Germany  and  west  to  Japan 
and  Australia. 

Late  in  the  first  half  of  the  century  efforts 
were  made  by  I.  D.  Williamson,  of  the  Grand 
Lodge,  "  to  institute  a  ladies'  degree,"  but 
according  to  his  own  statement,  "  it  was 
unsuccessful."  At  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the 
United  States,  in  1850,  the  late  Schuyler  Col- 
fax, afterward  Vice-President  of  the  United 
States,  was  appointed  chairman  of  a  com- 
mittee to  i:)repare  a  degree  to  be  conferred 
on  the  wives  of  Odd  Fellows.  He  received 
valuable  suggestions  from  a  Past  Grand  in 
Maryland,  some  of  which  he  adopted  in  a 
modified  form,  he  himself  writing  the  lec- 
tures and  preparing  the  ritual  in  1851,  in 
Avhich  year  the  degree  was  adopted.  I'his 
innovation  had  been  strongly  urged  on  the 


favorable  notice  of  the  Grand  Lodge  for  sev- 
eral years,  and  when  the  minority  report 
was  made,  embodying  the  completed  degree, 
it  was  adopted,  47  to  37,  "  in  spite  of  power- 
ful opposition  "  by  a  small  majority  of  a 
committee.  A  well-known  writer  on  Odd 
Fellowship  regards  the  degree  of  Rebekah 
as  "an  epitome  of  Odd  Fellowship  in  all  its 
parts,"  and  adds  that  "a  woman  who  re- 
ceives it  (wives,  sisters,  ^vidows,  and  daugh- 
ters of  Odd  Fellows  and  Odd  Fellows  only 
were  then  eligible)  and  appreciates  it  prop- 
erly, comprehends  the  Institution,"  knows 
what  Odd  Fellowship  is.  The  degree  was 
named  Rebekah  because  the  practical  work- 
ings of  the  Order  suggest  so  forcibly  the  ten- 
der and  considerate  action  of  the  Biblical 
character  of  that  name  when  she  first  looked 
upon  Eleazer  at  the  well  of  Nahor.  Of  the 
ritual  and  impressiveness  of  the  ceremonial 
of  the  degree,  it  has  been  declared  that  no 
degree  of  Odd  Fellowship,  "not  even  the 
RoA^al  Pur23le,  excels  this  excellent  produc- 
tion." It  remains  to  this  day  substantially 
unchanged  since  its  adoption.  The  principal 
emblems  are  the  beehive,  moon,  and  seven 
stars,  and  the  dove.  The  popularity  of  the 
degree  among  the  immediate  relatives  of  Odd 
Fellows  has  been  and  continues  marked. 
Rebekah  Lodges  in  the  United  States  re- 
ported a  total  membership,  January  1, 1898, 
of  297,691.  The  degree  was  originally  con- 
ferred in  Odd  Fellows  Lodges  on  wives  and 
daughters  of  such  Odd  Fellows  as  had  at- 
tained the  Scarlet  or  highest  Lodge  degree. 
In  1869  separate  Rebekah  Lodges  were  in- 
stituted. The  requirements  for  eligibility  to 
the  degree  have  been  changed  several  times, 
and  in  1894  "all  single  white  women, 
of  good  moral  character,  over  eighteen 
years  of  age,"  were  declared  eligible,  in  ad- 
dition to  wives,  widows,  and  daughters  of 
Odd  Feilow^s.  In  1896  the  Sovereign  Grand 
Lodge  adopted  what  it  described  as  a  uni- 
versal sign  of  recognition  between  Odd  Fel- 
lows and  Daughters  of  Rebekah.  Rebekah 
Lodges  are  presumed  to  supplement  the 
work  of  Odd  Fellowship   in  relieving  the 


INDEPENDENT   ORDER   OF   ODD   FELLOWS 


261 


sick  and  distressed  and  caring  for  the  widow 
and  orphan.  An  extract  from  the  address 
of  the  Grand  Sire  before  the  .Sovereign 
Grand  Lodge  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  in  1895,  states  that  the  organ- 
ization of  Coteries  of  Daughters  Militant 
had  been  prohibited,  yet  such  Coteries  still 
existed  and  new  ones  were  being  organized 
with  ritual,  secret  work,  constitution  and 
by-laws.  The  Imperial  Order  of  Musco- 
Yites  bears  i)ractically  the  same  relation  to 
Odd  Fellowship  that  the  Ancient  Arabic 
Order  of  Xobles  of  the  Mystic  Shrine  does 
to  the  Masonic  Fraternity.  Odd  Fellows 
alone  are  eligible  to  become  ^Muscovites. 
The  society  was  founded  at  Cincinnati  a 
few  years  ago.  Its  sessions  are  secret,  and 
its  objects  are  largely  social  and  recreative. 
The  chief  oflEicer  is  styled  Supreme  Czar, 
and  the  various  branches  or  bodies  are  called 
Kremlins.  The  Patriarchical  Circle  was 
formed  in  1881.  It  existed  almost  solely 
in  AVisconsin,  and  its  members  were  drawn 
exclusively  from  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows.  It  sought  to  estab- 
lish and  propagate,  independently,  '"'  the 
new  degrees  for  Uniformed  Patriarchs." 
Despite  strenuous  opposition  from  the  Sov- 
ereign Grand  Lodge,  this  oi'der  within  an 
order  continued  to  live  and  even  to  grow 
for  four  or  five  years,  when  it  was  officially 
reported  to  have  been  killed  by  the  action 
of  the  Sovereign  Grand  Lodge,  which  threat- 
ened to  expel  every  Odd  Fellow  who  con- 
tinued his  membership  in  it.  As  a  matter 
of  fact  it  did  not  die,  but  continued  an  in- 
dependent existence.  At  the  annual  con- 
vention of  its  Supreme  Council,  held  in 
Chicago  in  1897,  it  discussed  a  plan  for  re- 
uniting with  the  parent  body,  the  Indepen- 
dent Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 

Past  Grand  Sire  John  H.  White,  in 
'*  Odd  Fellowship,  its  History  and  ^lanual," 
M.  "\V.  ITazen,  Xew  York,  1887,  sayB: 

It  is  soinetiraes  said  that  Odd  Fellowship  is  the 
offspring  of  Masonry,  but  this  is  in  no  sense  true, 
and  the  writer  of  this  knows  whereof  he  speaks. 
While  occasionally  a  similarity  of  expression  can  be 


traced  in  a  few  of  the  unimportant  parts  of  the 
ceremonials,  in  the  fundamentals  they  are  essentially 
different.  Masonry  is  a  noble  institution,  but  is 
as  unlike  Odd  Fellowship  as  two  institutions  or- 
ganized by  human  beings  can  well  be.  The  one 
is  theoretical,  the  other  practical ;  the  one  is  ancient, 
the  other  modern  ;  the  government  of  one  is  auto- 
cratic, the  other  democratic ;  the  one  deals  out 
charity  and  assists  its  needy  members,  but  only  to 
a  limited  extent  and  only  as  a  charity ;  the  other 
assists  its  members,  not  only  from  charity,  but 
because  it  is  their  due,  and  their  assistance  is  af- 
forded in  large  measure.  American  Odd  Fellow- 
ship is  composed  of  the  middle  and  industrial 
classes  almost  exclusively  ;  j\Iasonry  of  all  grades 
of  society,  from  the  titled  and  wealthy  of  this  and 
foreign  lands,  to  the  humblest  laborer  in  our  midst. 
In  England,  when  Odd  Fellowship  arose,  we  are 
told  that  Masonry  was  composed  almost  exclusively 
of  the  titled  and  the  proud,  and  not  of  the  mechanics 
and  working  men  who  organized  tlie  more  modern 
institution.  Masonry  has  been  long  in  achieving 
its  present  standing.  Odd  fellowship  in  less  than 
two  centuries  has  outstripped  it  in  numbers  and 
importance,  and  is  to-day  the  grandest  fraternal 
organization  of  the  world.  The  two  great  Orders  of 
Odd  Fellows,  the  Manchester  Unity  and  the  Ameri- 
can Order,  from  actual  returns,  number  1,164,000 
adult  males,  scattered  throughout  the  habitable 
globe.  Masonry,  according  to  partial  returns  and 
from  estimates  from  all  jurisdictions,  numbers 
among  its  devotees  throughout  the  world,  1,082,992 
persons,  or  81,898  less  (1895)  than  the  two  branches 
of  Odd  Fellows  above  mentioned.  IIow  nearly  cor- 
rect these  estimates  may  be  is,  of  course,  much  a 
matter  of  speculation,  as  there  are  no  returns  ac- 
cessible; for.unlike  Odd  Fellow.ship,  it  has  no  grand 
central  head  to  which  its  various  Grand  Bodies  hold 
allegiance  and  to  which  they  seiul  annual  reports. 

The  foregoing  is  true  in  some  respects 
and  in  others  not.  There  is,  indeed,  an 
occasional  similarity  of  expression  in  the 
rituals  of  Freemasonry  and  Odd  Fellowship. 
Each  and  both  indeed  are  noble  institutions. 
But  Freemasonry  is  not  merely  theoretical; 
it  is  intensely  practical.  It  dispenses  char- 
ity and  relief,  or  both,  not  only  when  needed 
and  as  agreed  upon  beforehand,  as  is  the 
case  in  various  orders,  but  to  an  extent 
based  upon  the  requirements  of  each  par- 
ticidar  case.  Odd  Fellowship  is,  indeed, 
practical ;  so  much  so  that  its  charity  is 
systematized,  is  based  on  a  business  arrange- 


262 


INDEPENDENT  ORDER  OF  RED  MEN 


meut,  a  })ractical  contract  to  jjaj'  such  and 
such  sums  under  such  and  such  conditions. 
With  this  understanding  as  to  Odd  Fellow- 
ship^ Freemasonry  is,  perhaps,  theoretical. 
But  it  is  hardly  fair  to  declare  that  the  older 
society  is  autocratic  and  the  younger  demo- 
cratic, unless  qualified  by  the  explanation 
that  Freemasonry  is  governed  absolutely,  by 
the  consent  of  the  governed.  But  it  is  ac- 
curate to  say  that  the  one  deals  out  charity 
to  only  a  limited  extent,  and  then  only  as  a 
charity,  while  the  other  assists  needy  mem- 
bers because  it  is  their  due.  The  bene- 
ficiaries of  Freemasonry  receive  aid  as  they 
may  require  it,  not  because  it  is  their  due, 
but  because  they  are  brethren  or  relatives  of 
brethren.  No  pretense  is  made  of  assisting 
those  who  do  not  need  assistance.  It  is  also 
unfair  to  both  societies  to  compare  them  as 
to  numerical  strength.  Candidates  for  ad- 
mission into  the  Fraternity  of  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Masons  must  apply  of  their  own  free 
Avill  and  accoi'd.  Ko  one  is  solicited  to  join, 
and  in  this  respect  the  society  is  unique. 
It  should  be  added  that  the  membership  of 
the  various  branches  of  Odd  Fellowshi]^  ex- 
ists almost  wholly  iji  the  United  States,  the 
Dominion  of  Canada,  Australia,  and  in  the 
United  Kingdom — an  extremely  small  pro- 
portion being  in  Germany,  the  Scandinavian 
peninsula,  France,  Italy,  Mexico,  and  in 
a  few  countries  in  South  America.  Less 
than  three  per  cent,  of  the  Indejiendent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows  of  the  United  States 
of  America  are  members  of  foreign  Lodges. 
The  Masonic  fraternity,  which  has  an  or- 
ganized existence  in  almost  every  civilized 
land,  is  open  only  to  those  who  knock,  and 
it  gives  freely  to  needy  members  without 
specific  agreement.  The  younger  society, 
with  modern  ideas  as  to  increasing  mem- 
bership, and  With  specific  agreements  as  to 
reciprocity  of  material  relief,  has  grown  to 
unexampled  proportions,  and  has  an  envi- 
able record  of  sums  paid  for  charitable  and 
beneficial  purposes. 

Iiidepeiideiit   Order  of  Red    Men. — 
An  offshoot  from  the  Improved   Ordfer  of 


Red  Men  in  1850,  composed  of  some  of  the 
Tribes,  or  Stamnis,  \vorking  in  the  German 
language.  It  still  existi^,  and  at  one  time 
numbered  12,000  members,  but  gives  no 
sign  of  vigorous  growth.  The  schism  was 
the  result  of  the  refusal  of  Metamora  Tribe 
of  Baltimore  in  1850  to  "pay  a  benefit," 
even  after  the  Great  Council  of  Maryland 
and  the  Grand  Council  of  the  United 
States  had  decided  it  was  legal  and  pro- 
per to  do  so.  (See  Improved  Order  of 
Red  Uen.) 

Irish  National  Order  of  Foresters. — 
Organized  in  1876  at  Dublin,  Ireland,  as  a 
beneficiary  fraternal  order.  Irishmen  or  men 
of  Irish  descent  alone  are  eligible  to  mem- 
bership. It  is  believed  to  be  one  of  the  nu- 
merous modern  Forestic  societies  which  find 
their  model  in  the  English  Ancient  Order 
of  Foresters.  The  Irish  National  Order 
soon  spread  throughout  the  United  King- 
dom, to  Canada,  Australia,  and  the  United 
States,  and  has  about  22,000  members  at- 
tached to  its  1,700  Courts.  The  latter  are 
subordinate  to  the  Executive  Council  at 
Dublin.  In  America  the  District  Council  at 
New  York  city  is  the  governing  body.  There 
is  an  honorary  and  a  beneficiary  mem- 
bership. The  latter  pays  1100  to  the  family 
of  a  deceased  member  and  175  to  a  member 
at  the  death  of  his  wife.  Each  Court  or 
branch  pays  its  own  benefits,  and  as  this  is 
done  by  means  of  dues,  entertainments,  etc., 
the  Order  may  be  classed  as  one  of  the  many 
varieties  of  English  friendly  secret  societies. 

Junior  Foresters  of  America. — An 
outgrowth  of  the  English  Juvenile  Forest- 
ers, attached  to  the  Foresters  of  America. 
(See  the  latter.) 

Knights  of  Cyprus. — See  Knights  of 
St.  John  of  Jerusalem,  Rhodes,  Malta,  etc. 

Knights  of  Golden  Links  of  the 
World. — A  Nashville  mutual  sick  and  fu- 
neral benefit  order  founded  in  1886,  but 
not  known  there  now. 

Knights  of  Liberty.  — See  International 
Order  of  Twelve,  of  Knights  and  Daughters 
of  Tabor. 


KNIGHTS   OF   PYTHIAS 


263 


Knights  of  Pythias. — Among  American 
cluiritable  and  benevolent  secret  societies 
not  more  than  one  outranks  the  Knights 
of  Pythias  in  numbers  and  influence  for 
good.  That  the  Odd  Fellows  should  stand 
first,  with  a  membershij)  of  nearly  900, 000, 
is  not  strange  when  it  is  recalled  that  the 
latter  order  in  this  country  is  eighty  years 
old.  The  Knights  of  Pythias,  however, 
tells  a  story  of  unexami)led  enthusiasm  and 
prosperity,  with  450,000  members  after 
thirty-one  years  of  existence.  This  society 
is  tlie  outgrowth  of  the  period  marking  the 
close  of  the  Civil  War.  It  was  born  at  the 
capital  of  the  nation,  and  the  hold  it  took 
on  the  interest  of  its  members  and  the  re- 
sjject  of  the  public  easily  makes  good  the 
claim  of  its  founders  that  it  forms  an  im- 
poi'tant  link  in  the  chain  of  larger  secret 
fraternities.  Like  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows,  it  seeks  to  systematically 
relieve  the  sick  and  distressed,  to  bury  the 
dead,  care  for  the  widow  and  orphan;  and 
in  one  section,  the  Endowment  Rank,  to 
which  admission  is  optional,  it  insures  the 
lives  of  those  belonging  to  it  on  the  mutual 
assessment  plan.  An  idea  of  the  growth  of 
interest  in  this  and  kindred  bodies  may 
be  derived  by  recalling  that  while  Odd  Fel- 
lowship increased  in  membership  about  700,- 
000  from  1864  to  1895,  the  Knights  of 
Pythias,  with  13  members  in  18G4,  now 
numbers  about  450,000. 

It  was  on  February  15,  1864,  at  Washing- 
ton, D.  C,  that  Justus  H.  Eathbone,  a 
Freemason,  with  J).  L.  Burnett,  W.  II. 
Burnett,  his  brother,  and  Robert  H.  Cham- 
pion, a  Freemason,  government  department 
clerks;  E.  S.  Kimball,  M.D.,  and  IVfessrs. 
Roberts  and  Driver,  all  accomplished  musi- 
cians, and  members  of  the  ''  Arion  Glee 
Club,"  took  preliminary  steps  looking  to  the 
fornuitiou  of  a  secret  society.  Mr.  Rathbone 
"was  the  moving  spirit,  as  shown  by  the  fact 
that  he  then  and  there  read  a  proposed  rit- 
ual of  an  order  to  be  called  the  Knights  of 
Pythias,  to  keep  the  secrets  of  and  })erform 
the  duties  enjoined  by  which  he  obligated 


himself  and  the  others.  The  meeting  ad- 
journed after  the  ajjpointment  of  a  commit- 
tee to  secure  additional  members.  It  is  re- 
lated that  the  ritual  read  by  ^Ir.  Rathbone 
was  originally  composed  and  written  by  him 
while  living  at  Eagle  Harbor,  Keewenaw 
County,  Lake  Superior,  ]\Iich.,  in  the  win- 
ter of  1860-61. 

Four  days  later,  February  19th,  a  meet- 
ing was  held  at  Temperance  Hall,  Washing- 
ton, since  acquired  by  the  Order,  at  which 
it  was  formally  decided  to  organize  a  secret 
society  with  friendship,  benevolence,  and 
charity  for  its  ultinuite  ol)jects.  An  obliga- 
tion of  secrecy  was  imposed,  the  Order  was 
styled  the  Knights  of  I*ythias,  and  the  ritual 
read  at  the  previous  meeting  was  adopted. 

A  Grand  Lodge  for  the  District  of  Colum- 
bia was  organized  seven  weeks  later,  April 
8tli,  and  the  work  of  organizing  subordinate 
Lodges  begun  on  Ajiril  12th, with  Franklin, 
No.  2.  The  latter  act  was  most  fortunate, 
as  Franklin,  No.  2,  is  said  to  have  saved  the 
Order  from  destruction  by  keeping  its  torch 
burning  for  many  months  when  the  lights 
of  sister  Lodges  had  all  been  extinguished. 
On  February  1,  1865,  Alexandria  Jjodge  was 
established  at  that  city,  in  Virginia,  after 
which  little  or  no  progress  Avas  nuide  for 
two  years.  On  April  18,  1866,  Blount  Ver- 
non Lodge  was  organized  in  the  District  of 
Columbia,  and  on  July  30th  Liberty  Lodge, 
at  the  Xavy  Yard.  A  year  later,  February 
23,  1867,  Excelsior  Lodge,  No.  1,  was  insti- 
tuted at  Philadelphia,  and  in  July  of  that 
year  Keystone  Lodge,  at  the  same  city.  The 
success  of  this  movement  north  of  the  Ma- 
son and  Dixon  line  was  pronounced.  The 
growth  of  the  society  was  steady,  and  later  be- 
came rapid.  In  November.  1S6T.  Maryland 
was  invaded  at  Baltimore,  and  in  December, 
New  Jersey  at  Camden  and  Mount  Holly, 
while  in  Ajiril.  1868,  three  Lodges  were 
constituted  in  Delaware.  During  1867  and 
1868  Lodges  were  also  formed  in  Massachu- 
setts, New  Hampshire,  Connecticut,  and 
other  New  England  States;  in  Ohio,  In- 
diana. Illinois,  Kentucky,  Missouri,  Kansas, 


2U 


KNIGHTS   OF   PYTHIAS 


and  Iowa.  At  that  period,  enlarged  views 
prevailed  as  to  the  function  and  prospects  of 
the  society,  and  at  a  convention  at  Washing- 
ton, June  9,  1868,  a  new  constitution  was 
adopted,  under  which  was  organized  and 
established,  August  11,  1868,  the  Supreme 
Lodge,  Knights  of  Pythias  of  the  World. 
Kathbone  Lodge  was  formed  at  New  York 
city,  and  later  in  1868  the  Order  appeared 
in  California,  West  Virginia,  and  Nebraska. 
This  order  of  knighthood,  with  the  story 
of  Damon  and  Pythias  on  which  its  cere- 
monials are  founded;  with  its  cardinal  prin- 
ciples of  Friendship,  Charity,  and  Benevo- 
lence; and  the  Pythian  motto,  "Be  Gener- 
ous, BraA-e,  and  True,"  speedily  found  its 
way  into  nearly  all  the  States  and  Territories 
of  the  Union,  across  the  border  into  the 
Canadian  Dominion,  beyond  the  Atlantic 
into  the  United  Kingdom,  south  into  Mexico 
and  west  to  the  Hawaiian  Islands.  To-day 
there  are  about  5,000  members  of  the 
Order  in  foreign  Lodges  holding  allegiance 
to  the  Supreme  Lodge  of  the  World  in  the 
Uni  ted  States.  Its  pri  ncijDles  are  declared  by 
John  Van  Valkenburg,  Past  Supreme  Chan- 
cellor of  the  Order,  "to  be  those  of  human- 
ity and  religion,"  and  its  object,  to  promote 
the  general  good  of  mankind  and  to  spread 
the  light  of  morality  and  knowledge.  Like 
Freemasonry,  Pythian  knighthood  confers 
three  ranks  or  degrees,  and  there  are  other 
similarities  between  them  in  addition  to  the 
fact  that  the  chivalric  orders  naturally  fur- 
nished some  of  the  fabric  on  which  Rath- 
bone  and  his  successors  wrought  the  designs 
Avhicli  have  made  it  distinctively  Pythian. 
In  May,  1866,  after  the  Order  had  been 
almost  at  a  stand  for  nearly  two  years,  the 
ritual  and  work  were  revised  and  placed 
substantially  on  the  basis  occupied  to-day. 
The  first  or  Initiatory  rank  is  that  of  Page; 
tlie  second,  the  Armorial  rank  of  Esquire; 
and  the  third,  the  Chivalric  rank  of  Knight. 
The  colors  of  the  regalias  are  respectively 
blue,  yellow,  and  red.  Requisites  for  ad- 
mission include  a  belief  in  a  Supreme  Being 
and  sound  bodily  health. 


By  September  30,  1866,  within  two  years 
and  a  half,  the  four  active  Lodges  had  only 
324  members;  by  December  31,  1866,  only 
370;  March  31,  1867,  only  470;  and  on 
June  30,  1867,  (six  Lodges)  the  total  was 
only  694.  In  1887,  twenty  years  later,  the 
membership  had  increased  to  more  than 
100,000,  and  in  1895,  at  thirty-one  years  of 
age,  the  Order  embraced  nearly  450,000  Sir 
Knights — had  more  than  quadrupled  within 
a  decade. 

Justus  Henry  Rathbone,  the  founder,  was 
born  at  Deerfield,  Oneida  County,  N.  Y., 
October  29,  1839.  His  father  was  a  well- 
known  lawyer  at  Utica,  and  his  mother, 
Sarah  E.  Dwight,  was  a  lineal  descendant 
of  Jonathan  Edwards.  After  attending 
Mount  Vernon  boarding  school,  Court- 
land  Academy,  and  Carlisle  Seminary,  he 
became  a  student  at  Madison  University. 
In  1857  he  went  to  Eagle  Harbor,  Mich., 
on  Lake  Superior,  where  he  taught  school 
and  acted  as  clerk  for  a  miniiig  comj^any. 
While  there  "he  became  so  inspired  with 
the  story  of  Damon  and  Pythias"  *  that  he 
wrote  a  ritual  of  an  "  Order  of  the  Knights 
of  Pythias."  In  1861  he  repaired  to  Ger- 
mantown.  Pa.,  where  he  became  chief  clerk 
in  the  United  States  Hospital.  In  1862  he 
married,  and  in  1863  was  ordered  to  Wash- 
ington for  duty  in  the  medical  department. 
He  accepted  a  civil  clerkshi}?  in  the  office  of 
the  Commissary  General  of  Subsistence  in 
1865,  and  in  1866  resigned  to  accept  a  clerk- 
ship in  the  Treasury  Department,  which  he 
held  until  1869,  when  he  resigned  and  went 
to  Boston  to  fill  a  position  in  a  publishing 
house.  He  went  to  New  York  city  in  the 
interest  of  the  firm,  and  became  treasurer 
of  the  Independent  News  Company,  after- 
ward its  superintendent.  Returning  to 
Washington,  he  entered  the  Adjutant-Gen- 
eral's office.  Besides  the  ritual  of  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  Mr.  Rathbone  was  the 


*  The  Knights  of  Pythias  Complete  Manual  and 
Text  Book.  John  Van  Valkenburg,  Canton,  0., 
1887. 


KNIGHTS   OF   PYTHIAS 


266 


author  of  the  ritual  of  the  "  S.  P.  K.,"* 
the  "Monks  of  xVvcadia/'*  the  "Mystic 
Order  of  Seven,"  *  and  other  compositions', 
among  them  a  musical  burlesque,  entitled 
"  Pocahontas  in  Black,"  in  which  he  him- 
self appeared.  Besides  his  marked  literary 
gifts,  ilr.  Rathbone  possessed  a  talent  for 
music,  composition  as  well  as  execution,  in 
Avhich  he  was  like  all  of  those  more  imme- 
diately associated  with  him  in  founding  the 
Order.  He  died  at  Lima,  0.,  December  9, 
1889. 

Among  the  earlier  Supreme  Chancellors, 
those  on  whom  the  work  of  building  uji  the 
fraternity  devolved,  in  addition  to  the 
founder,  J.  H.  Rathbone,  who  was  elected 
to  that  office  in  18G8,  were  Samuel  Read  of 
New  Jersey,  Henry  C.  Berry  of  Illinois, 
S.  S.  Davis  of  New  Hampshire,  an  Odd 
FelloAV,  David  B.  Woodruff  of  Georgia,  an 
Odd  Fellow,  George  W.  Lindsay  of  Mary- 
land, John  P.  Linton  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
John  Van  Valkenbnrg  of  Iowa.  Of  the  five 
who  more  than  others  contributed  to  create 
and  establish  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the 
first  to  die  was  Robert  Allen  Champion,  in 
1873,  at  the  early  age  of  thirty. 

The  EndoAvment  Rank  or  grade  was  es- 
tablislied,  not  without  opposition,  in  1S77, 
owing  to  the  demand  for  something  in  addi- 
tion to  $1  minimum  weekly  sick  benefits  and 
^20  minimum  funeral  benefits.  New  secret 
insurance  and  endowment  fraternities  were 
being  established  right  and  left  between 
1875  and  1880,  and  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
were  not  slow  to  perceive  that  they  had  ma- 
chinery with  which  to  promptly  put  such 
an  organization  full  grown  into  the  field. 
So  the  Endowment  Rank  Avas  formed,  with 
a  separate  government,  subordinate  to  the 
Supreme  Lodge.  Neither  the  Endowment 
nor  the  Uniform  ranks  are  "higher" 
grades,  but  are  created  as  additional  nui- 
chinery  with  which  to  carry  out  the  pur- 
poses of  the  Order.  Ten  years  after  the 
formation  of  the  Endowment  Rank  it  had 

*  Unknown. 


paid  for  death  benefits  during  that  period  a 
little  less  than  *3, 000, 000.  It  has  since, 
within  ten  years,  paid  nearly  $10,000,000,  or 
nearly  $13, 000,000  of  death  benefits  in  the 
eighteen  years  of  its  existence.  There  Avere 
more  than  43,000  members  of  the  EndoAv- 
ment  Rank  out  of  nearly  450,000  Sir 
Knights,  and  the  total  insurance  in  force 
Avas  over  1^85,000,000  two  years  ago,  repre- 
senting 2,800  sections  scattered  through 
the  States  and  Territories  and  most  of  the 
Canadian  provinces. 

The  Uniform  Rank  is  under  the  control  of 
the  Supreme  Lodge.  Eligibility  to  mem- 
bershij)  is  confined  to  those  Avho  have  re- 
ceived the  rank  of  Knight  and  Avho  are  ap- 
proved and  withstand  the  test  of  the  ballot. 
One  of  its  purposes,  beyond  particiimting  in 
the  ceremonial  of  initiation  Avhich  is  said 
to  be  a  masterpiece,  is  to  supply  a  military 
branch.  It  seems  to  have  been  a  logical  out- 
come of  the  existence  of  Patriarchs  Militant 
in  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
and  the  Masonic  Knights  Templars.  The 
regulations  provide  for  parades  tAvice  each 
year,  August  30th,  anniA^ersary  day  of  the 
Uniform  Rank,  and  February  10th,  known 
as  Pythian  period.  The  Uniform  Rank  has 
grown  rapidly  in  recent  years,  and  numbers 
about  50,000  members. 

There  are  tAvo  organizations  of  Avives, 
daughters,  sisters,  and  mothers  of  Knights 
of  Pythias,  the  Rathbone  Sisters,  formerly 
the  Pythian  Sisters,  and  the  Pythian  Sister- 
hood, "neither  of  Avhich,"  Avrites  R.  L.  C. 
White,  of  the  Supreme  Lodge  of  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  "  is  recognized  by  the 
Supreme  Lodge."  In  1896  Mrs.  M.  D. 
A\'ood,  of  Kansas  City,  Mo.,  occupied  the 
ranking  position  in  the  Rathbone  Sisters  of 
the  World,  and  Mrs.  Alva  A.  Young,  of 
Concord,  N.  H.,  the  founder,  a  correspond- 
ing position  in  the  Pythian  Sisterhood.  A 
fundamental  difference  between  the  Rath- 
bone Sisters  and  the  Pythian. Sisterhood  lies 
in  the  eligibility  to  membership  in  the  for- 
mer of  Knights  of  Pythias,  Avhile  the  latter 
prefers  to  remain  a  secret  society  for  women 


266     KXIGHTS  OF  PYTHIAS  OF  NORTH  AND  SOUTH  AMERICA,  EUROPE,  ASIA,  AND  AFRICA 


only.  A  ritual  foi"  an  auxiliary  secret  so- 
ciety, to  be  composed  of  both  meu  and 
women,  had  been  presented  to  several  meet- 
ings of  the  Supreme  Lodge  by  James  A. 
Hill,  of  Greencastle,  Ind.,  prior  to  1888,  ask- 
ing for  authority  to  organize  the  Pythian 
Sisters,  bnt  without  success.  (See  Ratlibone 
Sisters;  also  Pythian  Sisterhood.  For  sup- 
plementary order  of  Knights  of  Pythias  see 
Dramatic  Order  of  Knights  of  Khorassan.) 
Knights  of  Pythias  of  North  and 
South  America,  Europe,  Asia,  and 
Africa. — James  C.  Eoss,  Supreme  Chan- 
cellor of  the  World,  of  the  organization 
named,  a  school  principal  at  Savannah, 
Ga.,  on  being  asked  as  to  the  origin  of  this 
negro  fraternity,  writes  as  follows: 

At  the  session  of  the  Supreme  Lodge  of  the 
World  (white)  held  at  Richmond,  Va.,  March  8, 
1869,  an  application  from  a  number  of  colored  men 
of  Philadelphia  was  made  for  a  charter  for  a  Lodge 
of  Knights  of  Pythias.  The  petition  was  refused 
because  of  the  color  of  the  petitioners,  per  Consti- 
tution, Article  viii.,  Section  5,  etc.  •  Thereupon  E. 
A.  Lightfoot,  T.  W.  Stringer,  and  others,  were  nev- 
ertheless regularly  initiated  into  the  mysteries  of 
the  Order,  receiving  the  degrees  of  Page,  Esquire, 
Knight,  etc,  by  those  who  had  been  regularly 
initiated  into  all  the  mysteries  of  the  Order  in  a 
regular  Lodge  working  under  the  (wl\ite)  Supreme 
Lodge  of  Knights  of  Pythias. 

This  appears  to  confess  the  clandestine 
nature  of  the  colored  Order,  and  technically 
warrants  statements  made  by  leading  officials 
of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  (white)  that 
'"'there  are  no  negro  Knights  of  Pythias." 
Yet  here  is  the  other,  the  negro  organization, 
with  more  than  40,000  membei's  scattered 
throngh  Massachusetts,  New  York,  New 
Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  District  of  Columbia, 
Virginia,  West  Virginia,  North  Carolina, 
South  Carolina,  Georgia,  Florida,  Alabama, 
Mississippi,  Louisiana,  Texas,  Tennessee, 
Arkansas,  Kentucky,  Ohio,  Indiana,  Illi- 
nois, Montana,  Nebraska,  Iowa,  Missouri, 
Kansas,  Indian  Territory,  Oklahoma,  Cali- 
fornia, Colorado,  Michigan,  and  Minnesota, 
in  twenty  of  which  States  there  are  Grand 
Lodges.     The  colored  Order  also  has  Lodges 


on  several  West  India  Islands  and  in  Cen- 
tral America,  and  in  all  distributes  about 
$60,000  annually  in  relief  to  sick  and  dis- 
tressed members. 

There  is  an  auxiliary  society  to  which 
women,  relatives  of  members  of  the  Order, 
are  admitted,  and  in  these,  as  well  as  the 
Lodges  of  colored  Knights,  death,  sick, 
and  disability  benefits  are  paid.  In  1891 
the  Supreme  Lodge  of  negro  Knights  met 
at  New  York  city  and  paraded  with  700 
Sir  Knights  in  line  in  full  uniform.  As 
may  be  inferred,  there  is  no  affiliation  or 
relationship  between  the  white  and  negro 
Orders  of  Pythian  knighthood  other  than 
the  similarity  of  names,  emblems,  titles, 
uniforms,  rituals,  and  ceremonials. 

Kuights  of  St.  John  and  Malta  (Mod- 
ern).— Introduced  into  America  through 
Eobert  E.  A.  Land,  of  Hamilton,  Ontario, 
at  Toronto,  in  1870,  by  the  Imperial  Parent, 
Grand  Black  Encampment  of  the  Universe, 
situated  at  Glasgow,  Scotland.  The  latter 
declares  itself  a  lineal  descendant  of  the  an- 
cient chivalric  Order  of  Knights  of  St.  John 
of  Jerusalem,  Rhodes,  Malta,  etc.,  but  much 
is  lacking  to  substantiate  the  claim.  (For 
its  probable  origin  see  Non-Masonic  Orders 
of  Malta  in  America.)  The  Grand  Encamp- 
ment of  Canada  introduced  the  Order  into 
New  York  city  in  1874,  when  the  title  of 
the  supreme  body  resolved  itself  into  Su- 
preme Encampment  of  America.  In  1878 
this  body  expunged  the  Orange  and  alleged 
Masonic  degrees  from  its  ritual,  in  order 
to  confer  only  the  orders  which  j^aralleled 
those  identified  with  the  genuine,  ancient 
Knights  of  Malta,  as  exjalained  in  the  pre- 
ceding reference.  This  antagonized  the 
parent  body  in  Scotland,  and  in  1881  the 
Supreme  Encampment  of  America,  which 
had  reorganized  in  1878  as  the  Chapter  Gen- 
eral of  America,  withdrew  from  affiliation 
with  the  Imperial  Parent.  This  resulted 
in  a  rebellion  by  a  few  subordinate  Chap- 
ters, and,  in  1883,  in  the  formation,  by  can- 
celled and  seceding  Chaj^ters,  of  a  Grand 
Priory  of  America,  Ancient  and  Illustrious 


KNIGHTS   OF  ST.  JOHN    AND   MALTA 


267 


Order,  Knightsi  of  Malta.  This  organiza- 
tion was  recognized  and  chartered  in  the 
same  year  by  the  Glasgow  Inii)erial  Parent, 
when  it  promptly  reversed  the  reforms  of 
the  Chapter  General  of  America.  That 
action  resulted  in  another  schism  known  as 
''the  McClintock  rebellion.*'  which  took 
shape,  January,  1884,  as  the  Grand  Com- 
mandery,  Ancient  and  Illustrious  Order, 
Knights  of  Malta.  In  1889  the  latter  was 
recognized  and  chartered  by  the  Imperial 
Parent,  the  Grand  Priory  having  become 
dormant.  Its  Scotch  charter  is  still  believed 
to  be  extant,  although  its  members  are  affili- 
ated, very  generally,  with  bodies  chartered 
by  the  Chapter  General  of  America. 

Owing  to  its  reforms  and  its  attitude 
toward  the  ancient  Order  of  Malta,  the 
Chapter  General  of  America,  Knights  of 
St.  John  and  ^Vlalta,  may  be  said  to  be  an 
offspring  merely  of  the  general  jilan  of  the 
ancient  chivalric  Order  of  Malta,  although 
it  derived  its  warrant  of  constitution  from 
the  Imperial  Parent  of  Scotland.*  It  has 
long  ceased  to  be  governed  by  the  latter, 
and  has  no  affiliation  with  any  other  body. 
The  Order,  while  being  in  a  sense  universal, 
admitting  Christian  men  of  all  nations  into 
its  ranks,  is  American  in  its  character  so 
far  as  local  government  is  concerned.  Its 
ritual  teaches  the  fatherhood  of  God,  the 
brotherhood  of  man,  mercy,  charity,  hos- 
pitality, unity,  2)eace,  and  concord.  Its 
constitution  provides  for  endowments,  cer- 
tificates being  issued  from  §!500,  81,000,  and 
$2,000.  Its  ceremonies  are  sim|)le  and  im- 
pressive. The  Chapter  General  is  composed 
of  its  own  officers,  representatives  of  sub- 
ordinate bodies  styled  Encampments,  Past 
Grand  Commanders,  Grand  Priors,  District 
Deputies,  and  Past  Commaiulers.  In  each 
State  the  Order  is  under  the  supervision  of 
a  Grand  Prior,  and  its  temporal  affairs  are 

*  For  an  account  of  the  introduction  of  the  mod- 
ern Order  of  St.  John  and  ]Malta  into  tliis  country 
and  the  organization  of  the  Ancient  and  IHustrious 
Order,  Knights  of  Malta  in  the  United  States,  see 
Non-Masonic  Orders  of  ]\Ialta  in  America. 


managed  by  a  board  of  seven,  consisting  of 
the  Grand  Commander,  Grand  Chancellor, 
Grand  Almoner,  and  Grand  Medical  Ex- 
aminer, who  are  elected  annually,  and  three 
Grand  Trustees  elected  alternately  to  hold 
office  three  years.  This  Council  meets  at 
New  York  every  month  during  the  recess  of 
the  Chapter  General.  There  are  Encamp- 
ments in  New  York,  New  Jersey,  Delaware, 
Maryland,  Michigan,  Texas,  California, 
Illinois,  South  Carolina,  Arkansas,  and 
Canada,  with  a  membership  of  over  G,000. 
At  the  annual  convocation  in  1894  steps 
were  taken  to  place  the  military  department 
on  the  plan,  as  to  grade  and  rank,  of  the 
United  States  army,  general  direction  being 
given  to  General  Thomas  C.  ]\IcKean. 

The  College  of  Ancients  is  a  modern  in- 
stitution, having  been  formed  in  1880,  It 
was  introduced  by  Pobert  E.  A.  Land,  a 
member  of  the  Loyal  Orange  Institution,  a 
Freemason,  and  a  member  of  the  Order  of 
St.  John  and  Malta,  as  an  Order  of  Merit 
for  the  superior  officers  of  the  C'hajiter  Gen- 
eral. Membership  is  limited  to  one  hundred 
and  forty-four.  The  aims  of  the  College  are 
social,  beneficiary,  historical,  and  literary. 
The  College  meets,  in  Preeeptories,  and  its 
rites  and  symbolism  are  based  on  the  tradi- 
tions of  chivalry.  It  presents  twenty-one 
grades  in  the  ''  Perfect  and  Sublime  Iiite  of 
Exalted  Chivalry/'  four  in  the  Encamp- 
ments, and  seventeen  in  the  College  of  An- 
cients. These  grades  are  divided  as  follows: 
First  Class:  1,  Knights  of  Justice;  2,  Hos- 
pitalers; 3,  Priesthood;  and,  4,  lied  Cross 
and  Sepulchre.  The  ancient  Order  of  Malta 
comprised  only  three  orders.  Knights,  Hos- 
pitalers, and  Priests,  but  some  one  has  added 
the  Red  Cross  and  Sepulchre  '*as  a  proper 
syndjol  of  the  old  Christian  religion."  (See 
Knights  of  Rome  and  Red  Cross  of  Con- 
stantiue.)  Second  class.  Ancient  English 
Rite,  Order  of  Aquila:  5,  Serving  Brother; 
6,  Novice;  and,  7,  Knight  of  Aquila.  This 
inti'oduces  serving  brethren  and  a  degree  of 
knighthood  manifestly  borrowed  for  the  oc- 
casion.   Third  class,  historic  Maltese  grades: 


268 


KNIGHTS   OF   ST.  JOHN,  RHODES,  AND   MALTA 


S,  Brother  of  the  Hospital;  9,  Knight  of 
the  Dragon  ;  ami,  10,  Secret  Councillor. 
This  suggests  that  some  constructive  as 
well  as  imitative  ability  was  exercised  by 
the  builders  of  the  College.  Fourth  class, 
ancient  affiliated  chivalry:  11,  Knight  of 
St.  Anthon3',aud,  12,  Knight  of  St.  Lazarus. 
Fifth  class,  historic  Eonian  and  Grecian 
grades:  13,  Knight  of  the  Senate;  and,  14, 
Knight  of  the  Council.  Sixth  class.  Ee- 
ligio-philosojihic  grades:  15,  Knight  of  the 
East;  16,  Princely  Order;*  17,  Star  and 
Scimetar;*  18,  Adept  Brother;  and,  19, 
Knight  of  the  West.  The  foregoing  shows 
some  originality  in  construction  as  well  as 
taste  in  selection,  a  number  of  the  degrees 
touching  Buddhism  and  Mohammedanism, 
and  others  the  religious  philosophy  of  this 
Maltese  Order.  Seventh  class.  Perfect  and 
Sublime  Order:  20,  Commander  of  Malta. 
The  Master  grade  creates  the  Commander- 
elect  a  Perfect  and  Sublime  Knight.  Eighth 
class,  Official  and  Ultimate  Grade:  21, Knight 
of  the  Grand  Cross.  This  grade  is  honorary 
and  official,  and  membershii^  is  limited  to 
one  hundred  and  forty-four.  Evidently 
Land  and  his  associates  were  familiar  with 
the  rituals  of  the  dormant  Masonic  rites  of 
Memphis  and  of  Mizraim,  as  well  as  of  the 
Masonic  Order  of  Knights  of  Eome  and  of 
the  Eed  Cross  of  Constantine. 

Knights  of  St.  Jolin,  Rhodes,  and 
Malta,  of  Knights  Hospitalers  of  St. 
John  of  Jerusalem  (Ancient.) — Founded 
in  1048,  the  period  of  the  first  Crusade,  one 
of  the  most  illustrious  orders  of  religious 
and  military  knighthood.  It  was  not  a 
secret  order,  and  none  of  the  modern  or- 
ders of  Malta,  Masonic  or  other,  has  traced 
its  origin  to  it  other  than  that  the  former 
may  have  served  as  a  model  or  contributed 
of  its  traditions.  In  consequence  of  the 
resort  of  European  pilgrims  and  traders  to 
Jerusalem   in   the   eighth   century,  it   had 

*  Nos.  16  and  17  are  not  identical  with  Nos.  5 
and  6  of  Guide  Book  of  1854,  although  bearin^the 
same  name.  (See  Non-Masonic  Orders  of  Malta  in 
America.) 


become  necessary,  with  the  consent  of  the 
Saracens,  to  build  hospitals  and  jilaces  of 
entertainment.  In  1048  certain  merchants 
of  Amalfi,  Italy,  obtained  permission  from 
the  Egyptian  Caliph  to  erect  within  the 
walls  of  Jerusalem  an  asylum  or  hospital 
for  Latin  pilgrims,  where  they  might  cele- 
brate mass  according  to  the  Latin  ritual, 
without  fear  of  the  Mohammedans  or  others. 
The  governor,  by  that  prince's  order,  as- 
signed them  a  piece  of  ground  about  a 
stone's  cast  from  the  Holy  Sepulchre,  where- 
on they  built  a  convent  dedicated  to  the 
Holy  Virgin.  There  dwelt  an  abbot  and  a 
number  of  Benedictine  monks,  who  received 
and  entertained  pilgrims  and  gave  alms  to 
the  poor,  those  unable  to  pay  tribute  to  the 
Moslems  for  permission  to  visit  the  holy 
places.  Subsequently  the  monks  built  two 
houses  of  entertainment  near  by,  one  for 
men,  with  a  chapel  dedicated  to  St.  John 
Eleeman  the  compassionate,  and  one  for 
women,  dedicated  to  St.  Mary  Magdalene. 
These  new  houses  had  no  income  of  their 
own,  but  the  monks  and  pilgrims  whom 
they  received  were  maintained  by  the  abbot 
of  the  convent  of  the  Holy  Virgin,  who 
continued  to  be  the  recipient  of  alms  and 
charities  of  devout  and  wealthy  Christians. 
This  institution,  governed  by  the  Benedic- 
tine monks,  was  the  cradle  of  the  Order  of 
St.  John.  Seventeen  years  later  the  Tar- 
tars overran  Palestine  and  slaughtered  the 
Moslem  garrisons.  The  inhabitants  of  Jeru- 
salem scarce  met  with  a  better  fate.  Thou- 
sands were  butchered,  the  Hospital  of  St. 
John  was  plundered  and  the  Holy  Sepul- 
chre itself  would  have  been  destroyed  had 
not  avarice  prevented.  The  fear  of  losing 
the  revenues  derived  from  the  pilgrims 
alone  preserved  the  tomb  of  our  Saviour. 
Then  the  Turcomans  exacted  heavier  trib- 
utes than  ever,  and  many  sick  and  weary 
pilgrims  jDerished  at  the  gates  of  Jerusalem 
without  the  consolation  of  even  seeing  the 
Holy  Sepulchre.  Toward  the  close  of  the 
eleventh  century  Peter  the  Hermit,  who 
had  made  a  journey  to  Jerusalem,  was  so 


KNIGHTS  OF  ST.  JOHN,  RHODES,  AND  MALTA 


269 


touched  by  the  sufferings  of  the  pilgrims, 
that  he  conceived  the  design  of  rescuing  the 
Holy  Land  from  the  infidels.  Armed  with 
s.  letter  from  Simon,  the  Greek  Patriarch  of 
Jerusalem,  to  Urban  11. ,  the  head  of  the 
Latin  Church,  he  returned  to  Italy,  received 
the  blessing  of  the  Pope,  and  in  less  than  a 
year  roused  all  Europe  in  a  crusade  against 
the  infidel.  The  Pope,  having  heard  of  the 
fiuccess  of  the  Hermit's  mission,  called  a 
council  at  Clermont  in  Auvergne,  to  which 
the  entire  populace,  from  peasant  to  prince, 
responded.  After  hearing  of  the  miseries 
of  the  Christians  in  the  East,  a  thou- 
sand voices  cried  for  an  opportunity  to  go 
to  the  defence  of  their  bi'ethren  in  Jesus 
Christ,  declaring,  "Dieu  le  veut,"  Clod 
wills  it.  By  1097  the  Latin  army  had  ad- 
vanced into  Syria,  where  it  besieged  iVntioch 
for  seven  months,  when  the  Caliph  of 
Egypt,  taking  advantage  of  the  situation, 
entered  the  field  and  captured  Jerusalem 
after  it  had  been  held  by  the  Turks  for 
thirty-eight  years.  He  informed  the  Latin 
army  that  he  knew  how  to  hold  the  city 
without  foreign  aid,  but  that  its  gates  would 
alwa3'S  open  to  unarmed  Christian  pilgrims. 
The  Crusaders  replied  that  the  same  keys 
which  had  opened  the  gates  of  Nice,  Tar- 
sus, Edessa,  and  Antioch  would  open  those 
of  Jerusalem  and  on  June  7,  1099,  the 
Latin  army  encamped  before  the  walls  of 
Jerusalem.  After  five  weeks  of  unsuccess- 
ful attempts  to  capture  the  city,  the  army 
^gain  advanced  to  the  assault  on  July  15, 
"at  the  hour,"  says  a  chronicler,  ''when 
the  Saviour  of  the  world  gave  up  the  ghost, " 
and  at  three  in  the  afternoon  the  standard 
of  the  Cross  waved  on  the  walls  of  Jerusa- 
lem. Thus,  after  four  hundred  and  sixty 
years  of  bondage,  the  Holy  City  passed  from 
under  the  Mohammedan  yoke.  The  victory 
thus  won  was  tarnished  by  the  ferocity  of 
the  conquerors.  A  little  later  these  Chris- 
tian warriors  proceeded  to  regulate  the  gov- 
ernment of  the  city.  Godfrey  de  Bouillon 
refused  a  crown  and  rejected  the  title  of 
king,  but  accepted  that  of  ''Defender  and 


Lord  of  the  Holy  Tomb."  Godfrey  imme- 
diately founded  several  new  churches  and 
inspected  the  house  of  the  Hospital  of  St. 
John,  which  was  crowded  with  wounded 
soldiers.  To  increase  the  endowment  of  the 
hospital,  Godfrey  bestowed  on  it  the  Lord- 
ship of  Montboire  in  Brabant,  with  all  its 
dependencies,  and  his  example  was  followed 
by  several  of  the  chief  Crusaders,  so  that  in 
a  short  time  the,  Hospitalers  had  at  their 
command  the  revenues  of  a  number  of  rich 
manor  houses  in  Europe  and  Asia. 

Peter  Gerard,  administrator  of  the  Hos- 
pital of  St.  John,  and  his  companions,  em- 
boldened by  the  favor  Avhich  thej-  enjoyed, 
expressed  a  wish  to  separate  themselves  from 
the  Monastery  of  St.  ^lary  and  pursue  their 
works  of  charity  alone.  As  long  as  the 
brotherhood  were  poor  they  continued  in 
obedience  to  the  monastery  and  paid  tithes 
to  the  Patriarch  ;  but  with  the  tide  of  wealth 
which  then  began  to  flow  in  upon  them,  the 
Hospitalers  coveted  a  total  remission  of  all 
the  burdens  to  which  they  were  subject,  and 
found  no  difficulty  in  obtaining  all  that  they 
desired.  They  accordingly  formally  abjured 
the  world  and  took  a  regular  liabit,  a  black 
robe  with  a  white  cross  of  eight  points  on 
the  left  breast.  The  Patriarch  of  Jerusa- 
lem, after  first  clothing  them,  received  from 
them  three  vows  which  they  made  publicly 
at  the  Holy  Sepulchre.  The  institution 
was  subsequently  recognized  and  confirmed 
in  all  its  endowments  by  Paschal  IL  The 
same  pontiff  also  exempted  the  property  of 
the  Hosjiital  from  tithes.  The  rapid  en- 
richment of  the  Order  and  their  piety  led  to 
the  erection  of  a  superb  church  on  the  spot 
which,  according  to  tradition,  had  served 
as  the  retreat  of  Zacharias,  the  father  of  St. 
John  the  Baptist,  and  from  that  time  the 
Order  was  called  ''  Brethren  Hospitalers  of 
St.  John  the  Baptist  of  Jerusalem."  Gerard 
also  founded  subordiiuite  hospitals  in  the 
principal  maritime  provinces  of  the  West, 
the  first  "  Commanderies "  of  the  Order, 
and  continued  to  fill  his  holy  office  until 
the  reign  of  Baldwin  IL  in  1118,  when  at 


270 


KNIGHTS    OF   ST.  JOHN,  RHODES,  AXD   MALTA 


an  exceedingly  old  age  he  died,  honored  and 
beloved  by  all. 

liaymond  Du  Puy  was  elected  to  succeed 
him.  Gerard  had  been  a  man  of  jDcace,  but 
Du  Puy  had  been  bred  in  camjis.  lie  there- 
fore formed  the  project  of  combining  the 
duties  of  monk  with  those  of  the  soldier, 
to  wage  a  perpetual  crusade  against  the  ene- 
mies of  Christ.  Under  his  administration 
the  Hospitalers  were  divided  into  Nobility, 
Clergy,  and  Serving  Brethren.  The  Nobles 
or  Knights  of  Justice  were  destined  for  the 
profession  of  arms;  the  Priests  or  Chaplains 
were  intrusted  with  ecclesiastical  functions, 
and  the  Serving  Brethren  consisted  of  those 
who  bore  arms  and  of  domestic  servants. 
Subsequently,  under  the  administration  of 
Helion  de  Villanova,  the  Knights  were  di- 
vided into  classes  called  Languages,  after  the 
great  tongues  of  Europe  :  the  Italian,  Ger- 
man, Aragonese,  the  three  French  dialects; 
Provengal,  Auvergne  and  common  French, 
and  the  English.  The  ceremonies  of  recep- 
tion and  profession  were  in  charge  of  the 
spiritual  head  of  the  Latin  Church,  were 
necessarily  public,  and  form  no  part  of  mod- 
ern Orders  of  Malta.  The  legislative  power 
of  the  Order  was  vested  in  the  General  Chap- 
ter, which  consisted  of  the  Grand  Master, 
the  Conventual  Bailiffs,  the  Bishop  of  the 
Church,  and  the  Grand  Priors  according  to 
rank,  selected  from  the  various  Priories. 
In  every  province  there  Avere  one  or  more 
Grand  Priories,  presided  over  by  Grand 
Priors,  and  beneath  these  were  Command- 
eries,  over  each  of  which  there  was  a  Com- 
mander. There  were  scattered  throughout 
Europe,  in  that  period,  which  De  Vertot 
called  the  golden  age  of  the  Order,  596  Com- 
manderies  comprising  19,000  manor  houses. 
During  the  period  in  which  the  Order  was 
occupied  in  defence  of  the  Holy  Land,  the 
Commanderies  served  as  schools  of  prepa- 
ration for  Knights  who  might  be  sent  to 
Palestine  to  reenforce  the  ranks  of  their 
brethren. 

After  the  recapture  of  Jerusalem  by  the 
Saracens  in  1187,  the  Knights  Hospitalers 


retired  to  Margat  in  Phoenicia,  and  thence  to 
St,  John  d'Acre,  Avhere,  aided  by  the  Tem- 
plars and  the  Teutonic  Knights,  they  with- 
stood for  a  time  one  of  the  most  celebrated 
sieges  of  the  Crusades.  In  1291  that  city 
was  captured  by  the  Saracens,  and  the  Grand 
Master  and  remaining  Knights  took  refuge 
on  the  Isle  of  Cyprus,  where  they  remained 
eighteen  years  and  assumed  for  the  time  the 
name  of  Knights  of  Cyprus.  Aided  by  sev- 
eral European  states  in  1310,  they  descended 
upon  Ehodes  and  established  their  convent, 
where  they  remained  for  over  two  hundred 
years  -the  protectors  of  the  Christian  com- 
merce of  the  Mediterranean.  In  1522  the 
Order  was  driven  from  the  island  by  the 
Turks,  when  it  repaired  to  the  Island  of 
Candia,  and  subsequently  sojourned  at  Cus- 
trio,  Messina,  and  Eome.  At  length  Charles 
Y.,  Emperor  of  Germany,  vested  in  the  Or- 
der the  complete  and  perpetual  sovereignty 
of  the  islands  of  Malta  and  Gozo,  and  in 
accordance  with  this  treaty,  in  1530,  the 
Knights  took  formal  possession  of  ]\Ialta. 
L.  Isle  Adam,  then  Grand  Master,  hero  of 
the  siege  of  Rhodes,  convened  a  General 
Chapter,  and  established  the  convent. 
Thenceforth  the  Order  became  known  as 
"  Knights  of  Malta,"  a  title  often  bestowed 
upon  them,  even  in  official  documents,  in 
place  of  the  original,  Knights  Hos^^italers 
of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem.  At  the  time  of 
the  Reformation,  Paul  III.  was  Pope,  and 
the  Order  acknowledged  the  Pope  as  its 
spiritual  head.  The  enemies  of  the  Pope 
were  the  friends  of  Henry  VIII.,  and  the 
friends  of  Paul  were  the  enemies  of  the  Brit- 
ish king.  So  the  Knights  of  St.  John  were 
made  to  suffer.  In  1534  the  Language  of 
England  of  the  Order  of  St.  John  was  abol- 
ished by  act  of  Parliament,  its  revenues 
were  seized,  and  the  Knights  thrown  on  the 
charity  of  their  friends.  Some  suffered  by 
the  axe,  and  others  fled  to  Malta.  The  Lan- 
guage of  England  was  revived  under  Mary, 
who  nominated  a  Grand  Prior,  and  estab- 
lished it  in  the  old  home  at  Clerkenwell. 
It  was  subsequently  abolished  by  Elizabeth. 


KNIGHTS   OF   ST.  JOHN,  RHODES,  AXD   MALTA 


271 


On  September  19,  1792,  the  French  Direc- 
tory decreed  that  the  Order  should  cease  to 
exist  within  the  limits  of  France,  which  was 
followed  by  a  general  plunder  of  the  Com- 
manderies.  Such  members  as  did  not  escape 
the  country  were  thrown  into  prison.  The 
Grand  Master  was  taken  seriously  ill,  but 
before  he  died  he  despatched  an  ambassador 
to  the  Court  of  Ivussia  to  demand  assistance 
from  Catherine  II.  for  the  support  of  the 
Order.  Catherine  died  before  the  ambassa- 
dor reached  St.  Petersburg,  and  Paul  I.  was 
on  the  throne  when  the  ambassador  arrived 
there.  The  mission  was  successful,  and  the 
ambassador  sent  a  courier  to  ^lalta  with 
particulars  of  the  arrangement.  But  the 
courier  was  seized  by  French  soldiers,  and 
the  contents  of  the  despatches  Avere  made 
known  to  the  Directory  of  France.  Louis  de 
liompesch,  who  had  become  Grand  INIaster, 
accepted  the  offers  of  the  Russian  Emperor, 
and  sent  Count  Litter  to  the  Russian  Court 
as  ambassador  extraordinary,  who  presented 
the  Emperor  with  the  Grand  Cross  of  the 
Order,  by  virtue  of  which  Paul  I.,  Novem- 
ber 29,  1797,  assumed  the  title  of  Protector 
of  the  Order.  On  June  6,  1798,  the  French 
fleet  appeared  off  Malta,  and  on  June  11, 
Bonaparte  entered  Yaletta,  when  Hompescli 
surrendered.  He  was  declared  a  traitor, 
because  he  had  received  600,000  crowns 
from  the  French,  and  was  permitted  to 
retire  to  Montpellier.  lie  died  May  12, 
1805.  The  great  body  of  Knights  pro- 
ceeded to  Russia,  and  on  October  27,  1798, 
at  a  General  Chapter,  the  Emperor  Paul 
was  elected  Grand  Master.  This  election 
was  made  valid  by  the  abdication  of  Hom- 
pesch  in  July,  1798.  After  the  loss  of 
Malta  a  few  Italian  Knights  sought  refuge  in 
Sicily.  In  1827  the  Pope  gave  the  Knights 
permission  to  reside  at  Ferrara,  and  in 
1831  invited  them  to  Rome,  where  he  gave 
them  a  palace  that  had  belonged  to  one  of 
the  ambassadors  of  the  Order,  and  commis- 
sioned them  to  take  charge  of  his  military 
hosjiitals.  In  1839  the  Emperor  of  Austria 
restored  a  portion  of  the  estates  of  the  Or- 


der in  Lombardo,  Venetia,  and  gave  per- 
mission to  the  nobility  and  others  to  found 
new  Commanderies  in  his  Italian  dominions. 

The  German  Language  became  extinct 
after  the  peace  of  Pressburg  in  1805.  The 
Bailiwick  of  Brandenburg  became  an  inde- 
pendent institution  during  the  Grand  Mas- 
tership of  Fulk  de  Yillaret,  conqueror  of 
Rhodes,  in  1309.  This  schism  continued 
until  1382,  when  it  was  settled  by  treaty  at 
Ileimbach  in  Alsatia,  one  of  the  articles  of 
which  was  that  the  Brandenburg  branch 
should  be  allowed  to  choose  its  own  BailijBE 
or  ]\[aster,  on  approval  by  the  Grand  Prior 
of  Gernumy.  The  Bailiffs  of  Brandenburg 
continued  thus  subject  to  the  Order  until 
the  Reformation,  when  the  Knights  em- 
braced the  new  mode  of  worship.  Later 
the  Ilouse  of  Prussia  took  the  Bailiwick  un- 
der its  protection.  During  the  Reforma- 
tion six  of  the  thirteen  Commanderies  were 
destroyed  by  the  Lutherans.  The  remain- 
der were  presided  over  by  a  prince  of  the 
royal  family  until  Napoleon  confiscated 
them  and  abolished  the  Order  at  the  peace 
of  Pressburg  in  1805.  In  1812  the  right  of 
nomination  was  again  vested  in  the  King  of 
Prussia,  and  this  branch  of  the  Order  is  still 
presided  over  by  a  prince  of  the  royal  house. 

The  Languages  of  Provence,  Auvergne, 
and  France,  although  suppressed  by  the 
French  Directory,  asserted  their  rights  and 
privileges  on  the  restoration  of  the  Bourbons, 
but  were  declared  extinct  by  Louis  Philippe. 
The  Languages  of  Aragon  and  Castile, 
which  united,  after  the  suppression  of  the 
English  Language  by  Henry  VIII.,  with- 
drew from  the  government  of  the  Order 
after  the  treaty  of  Amiens  in  1802.  They 
Avere  subsequently  abolished  by  Joseph  Bon- 
aparte while  ou  the  Spanish  throne.  They 
were  revived  on  the  return  of  Ferdinand 
IV.,  but  declared  extinct  in  1834.  In  1814 
the  Languages  of  Provence,  Auvergne,  and 
France,  taking  heart  at  the  humiliation  of 
Xapoleon,  formed  for  themselves  a  union 
to  which  those  of  Aragon  and  Castile  gave 
their  adhesion.     A   General    Chapter   was 


272 


KNIGHTS   OF   ST.  JOUX,  RHODES,  AND   MALTA 


held  at  wliich  a  capitular  commission  was 
elected  to  act  as  an  executive  council,  over 
which  Prince  Camille  de  Rohan,  Grand 
Prior   of   Aquitaiue,   presided. 

It  was  in  182G-27  that  an  effort  was 
made  to  revive  the  English  Language,  and 
several  instruments  were  signed  in  Paris  by 
the  capitular  commission,  authorizing  a  re- 
organization of  the  Language  of  England. 
On  January  39,  1831,  a  Chapter  of  the 
Knights  then  forming  the  English  Language 
was  held,  at  which  the  Chevalier  Chastelan, 
an  envoy  extraordinary  from  the  continental 
Languages,  was  present.  At  that  meeting 
Sir  Robert  Peel  was  elected  Grand  Prior  of 
England,  and  the  Language  was  regularly 
resuscitated.  The  present  seat  of  the  Order 
in  England  is  No.  8  St.  Martin's  Place, 
Trafalgar  Square,  where,  on  June  34,  St. 
John's  Day,  the  Chapter  General  of  the 
Order  is  annually  convoked. 

The  Order  in  England  is  composed  of  three 
classes:  Knights,  Chaplains,  and  Serving 
Brethren.  The  Knights  are  of  three  grades : 
Bailies  or  Knights,  Grand  Crosses;  Knights 
Commanders  and  Knights  of  Justice.  Wo- 
men are  likewise  admitted  and  may  be  ad- 
vanced to  the  dignity  of  Grand  Cross.  The 
Order  also  admits  associates  under  the  name 
of  Knights  of  Grace,  Honorary  Knights,  and 
Donats.  The  last  are  those  who  contribute 
to  the  fund  of  the  Language  for  benevolent 
and  charitable  purposes,  and  are  entitled  to 
wear  the  demi-cross  of  the  Order.  In  an- 
cient times  the  Language  of  England  in- 
cluded three  Grand  Priories — St.  John  of 
London,  of  Ireland,  and  of  Scotland — which 
^ere  let  out  to  receivers  and  secular  farmers 
who  paid  rent  to  the  common  treasury. 
Many  proved  unfaithful  in  their  trusts,  and 
the  management  was  placed  in  the  hands  of 
the  Grand  Priors  in  the  several  districts, 
who  soon  began  to  consider  them  as  their 
own  property,  and  in  instances  consumed 
the  revenues.  But  the  revenues  of  the  Or- 
der were  greatly  increased  by  the  annihila- 
tion of  the  Knights  Templars  by  the  Pope 
in  1313,  who  gave  their  possessions  to  the 


Knights  of  St.  John.  The  Temple,  the 
main  seat  of  the  Templar  Order  in  Eng- 
land, after  passing  into  the  hands  of  the 
Hospitalers  of  St.  John,  was  let  by  them  for 
an  annual  rental  of  £10  to  a  body  of  lawyers, 
who  took  possession  of  the  old  hall  and  the 
gloomy  cells  of  the  military  monks,  and 
converted  them  into  the  most  ancient  com- 
mon law  university  of  England.  It  was 
there  that  judges  of  the  Court  of  Common 
Pleas  were  made  Knights,  being  the  earliest 
instance  on  record  of  the  grant  of  the  hon- 
ors of  Knighthood  for  purely  civil  services, 
and  the  professors  of  common  law,  who  had 
the  exclusive  privilege  of  practising  in  that 
court,  assumed  the  title  or  degree  of  Fratres 
Servientese,  so  that  Knights  and  Serving 
Brethren  similar  to  those  of  the  Knights  of 
St.  John  were  curiously  introduced  into  the 
profession  of  the  law.  The  chief  seat  of 
the  Hospitalers  Order  in  England  was  St. 
John's  Gate,  Clerkenwell,  founded  by  Jor- 
dan, Lord  of  Briset,  in  the  reign  of  Henry 
I.  Heraclius,  the  Patriarch  of  Jerusalem, 
consecrated  their  church  and  Wat  Tyler's 
rabble  burnt  the  Preceptory.  In  process  of 
time  it  was  restored,  and  it  was  there  that 
Mary  temporarily  revived  the  Order,  and 
her  charter,  never  having  been  revoked, 
forms,  in  part,  the  basis  of  the  present  Or- 
der. On  the  34th  of  January,  1893,  the  old 
Gate  of  St.  John  was  formally  made  over  to 
the  Language  with  imposing  ceremonies. 

The  Hospitalers  and  Templars  were  intro- 
duced into  Scotland  prior  to  1153.  Malcolm 
lY.  incorporated  the  Hospitalers'  possessions 
into  a  barony, and  a  charter  was  granted  them 
by  Alexander  II.,  June  3,  1331,  confirming 
grants  by  his  predecessors.  The  Preceptory 
of  Torphichen  in  West  Lothian  became  their 
chief  residence  in  Scotland  until  their  final 
suppression  in  the  middle  of  the  sixteenth 
century.  James  lY.  created  the  barony 
and  regality  of  Torphichen  into  a  temjooral 
Lordship  and  ordained  that  by  virtue  of 
the  office  the  Preceptors  of  Torphichen 
should  take  their  places  as  peers  of  Parlia- 
ment, by  the  name  and  title  of  Lords  of  St. 


KNIGHTS   OF   ST.  JOHX,   RHODES,  AND   MALTA 


273 


John.  At  the  suppression  of  the  Templar 
Order  by  Philip  of  France  many  of  the 
Knights  retired  to  Scotland  to  escape  per- 
secution. There,  says  the  chronicler,  they 
obtained  lands  and  revenues,  and,  with  the 
Knights  Hospitalers  of  St.  John,  lived  to- 
gether on  amicable  terms.  About  the  com- 
mencement of  the  reign  of  James  IV.  a 
union  was  effected  between  the  Knights  of 
the  Temple  and  those  of  St.  John,  and  their 
lands  were  consolidated  under  the  super- 
intendence of  the  Preceptor  of  St.  John. 
These  interests  were  represented  in  the 
Scottish  Parliament  by  Preceptors  or  Lords 
of  St.  John  down  to  the  ])eriod  of  the  Eef- 
ormation.  This  union  remained  unbroken 
until  the  administration  of  Sir  James  Sandi- 
lands  of  Calder,  who  was  appointed  Grand 
Prior  of  Scotland  as  fourth  Lord  of  St. 
John.  He  was  the  personal  friend  of  John 
Knox,  and  through  the  persuasion  of  tliat 
reformer  renounced  the  Catholic  religion 
in  1553,  although  he  continued  for  some 
time  to  maintain  his  office  and  dignities. 
In  1560  he  was  sent  by  the  congregation 
Parliament  of  Scotland  to  France  to  lay 
their  proceedings  before  Francis  and  i\Iary. 
He  was  received  by  Cardinal  of  Lorrain, 
who  loaded  him  with  reproaches,  accusing 
him  of  violating  his  obligation  as  a  Knight 
of  a  Holy  Order  and  dismissed  him  Avith- 
out  an  answer.  On  his  return  to  Scotland, 
feeling  himself  no  longer  authorized  to  re- 
tain his  office,  he  resigned  the  entire  prop- 
erty of  the  combined  Orders  into  the  hands 
of  the  Crown,  when,  on  condition  of  an  im- 
mediate payment  of  10,000  crowns  and  an 
annual  duty  of  500  marks,  the  Queen,  on 
January  24,  1564,  erected  the  possession 
of  the  Orders  into  the  temporal  Lordship 
of  Torphichen.  At  his  death,  in  1596,  his 
title  and  the  ^Malta  possessions  descended 
to  the  House  of  Calder,  in  whose  hands  they 
remain  to  the  present  day.  After  the  re- 
vival of  the  English  Language  in  1831,  the 
Right  Hon.  Robert  Sandilands,  Lord  Tor- 
phichen, was  admitted  and  nominated  to 
the  Grand  Priory  of  Scotland  as  Chief  Pre- 
18 


ceptor  of  Torphichen.  After  the  desertion 
of  Sir  James  Sandilands,  the  Ilosjiitalers  and 
Templars  who  still  adhered  to  the  Catholic 
faith  placed  themselves  under  the  leader- 
ship of  David  Seaton  and  retired  to  the 
Continent. 

The  only  serious  claim  by  modern,  so- 
called,  ''Knights  of  Malta,"  to  being  a 
lineal  descendant  of  the  ancient  Knights 
of  St.  John,  Rhodes,  and  Malta  is  that 
Tnade  by  the  Ancient  and  Illustrious  Knights 
of  Malta,  introduced  into  this  country  in 
1870  from  Scotland,  where  it  was  founded 
in  1844  by  Irishmen  who  were  Orangemen, 
and  some  of  them,  probably.  Freemasons. 
After  an  extended  correspondence  with  a 
number  of  its  most  illustrious  representa- 
tives in  the  United  States,  in  an  attempt  to 
get  at  the  proof,  if  there  be  any,  that  this 
modern  Scotch-Irish  Order  of  Malta  is  di- 
rectly descended  from  the  ancient  Order,  but 
without  tangible  results,  inquiry  was  made 
of  G.  C.  Young,  ]\r.L).,  Washington,  X.  J., 
Past  Grand  Commander,  and  editor  of  "The 
Red  Cross  Knight,"  which  announces  itself 
as  "  the  mouthi^iece  of  the  Order  of  Knights 
of  Malta."  Dr.  Young  writes  that  ''the 
Protestant  cause  (in  Scotland,  in  1591)  now 
having  made  a  complete  triumph,  the  Order 
(ancient  Order  of  Knights  of  ^Malta)  is  not 
so  active  and  prominent,  but  that  it  kept 
up  an  existence  we  Imve  ample  proof.  We 
know  that  the  Order  was  active  and  evi- 
dently well  known  in  1643,  for  at  that 
period,  two  years  after  the  massacre  of  Irish 
Protestants,  it  was  introduced  into  Ireland 
for  the  protection  of  the  Protestants  who 
had  escaped.  The  Order  seemed  to  be  un- 
noticed in  public  affairs  until  the  Stewart 
(or  Stuart)  party  became  active  in  1745," 
when  "it  seems  to  have  been  reduced  to  one 
Encampment  in  Scotland  and  from  this  one 
Encampment  the  Imperial  Black  Encamp- 
ment of  the  Universe  (the  Scotch-Irish  body 
referred  to  as  having  appeared  in  Scotland 
about  1844)  asserted  its  title  to  this  distinc- 
tion, believing  at  the  time  that  it  was  the 
only  Encampment  of  the  Protestant  branch 


274 


KNIGHTS   OF   THE   SHERWOOD   FOREST 


of  the  Order  in  existence.  This  took  place 
somewhere  about  the  period  the  Order  was 
driven  from  the  Island  of  Malta,  1798,  and 
in  18:^5  a  Grand  Master  of  the  Koyal  Orange- 
men, he  being  a  member  of  the  Knights 
of  St.  John  and  Malta,  was  elected  Grand 
Master  of  the  Order  of  Knights  of  St.  John, 
and  iu  trod  need  the  requirement  that  to  be 
a  Knight  of  Malta  one  must  first  be  an 
Orangeman." 

It  would  be  useless  to  argue  with  those  to 
whom  the  foregoing  appeals  as  proof,  to 
show  the  absolute  lack  of  any  historic  foun- 
dation for  the  claim  made  that  the  modern 
Ancient  and  Illustrious  Order  of  Malta  has 
any  connection  with  the  ancient  Order  of 
Malta.  It  would  be  easier  to  trace  Free- 
masonry back  to  King  Solomon's  temple  than 
to  connect  the  Irish-Orange  Black  Knights 
of  Malta  with  the  Order  which  Sir  James 
Sandilands  once  presided  over  in  Scotland. 

Knights  of  the  Sherwood  Forest. — 
An  appendant  Order  of  Forestry,  instituted 
at  St.  Louis  in  1879.  (See  Foresters  of 
America.) 

Loyal  Order  of  Moose  of  the  World. 
— Cincinnati  is  credited  with  having  given 
birth  to  the  fraternity  with  this  title,  but 
no  one  communicated  with  at  that  city  has 
been  able  to  vouch  for  its  continued  exist- 
ence. It  is  a  mere  conjecture  that  at- 
tempted rivalry  to  the  Benevolent  and  Pro- 
tective Order  of  Elks  may  have  been  re- 
sponsible for  the  name  of  the  society. 

Monks  of  Arcadia. — This  society  is 
not  known  to  have  had  an  active  existence. 
Its  ritual  was  written  by  Justus  H.  Rath- 
bone,  founder  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias. 
(See  the  latter.) 

Mystic  Order  of  Seven. — Title  of  the 
ritual  of  a  secret  society,  prepared  by  the 
founder  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias.  (See 
the  latter.) 

^on-Masonic  Orders  of  Malta,  in  the 
United  States. — During  the  Reformation 
in  Scotland,  the  ancient  Order  of  Knights 
of  Malta  was  entirely  dispersed  in  that 
kingdom,  and  from  1560  down  to  1831,  the 


history  of  the  British  Isles  gives  no  proof 
or  mention  of  an  Encampment  of  Knights 
of  Malta  other  than  those  connected  with 
the  Masonic  bodies.  But  a  secret  society 
calling  itself  Knights  of  Malta.  Kuights  of 
Rhodes,  etc.,  wholly  unconnected  with  the 
ancient  Order  of  Malta,  existed  in  the 
British  Isles  from  the  period  of  the  Refor- 
mation down  to  a  very  late  date.  It  is  met 
with  as  the  Royal  Black  Association  or, 
more  frequently,  the  Royal  Black  Associa- 
tion of  Knights  of  Malta,  and  has  always 
conferred  an  Order  of  Knights  of  Justice 
(Malta)  and  performed  the  old  Hospitaler 
ceremonies.  It  is  merely  a  tradition  of 
the  modern  "  Black  ^'  Order  that  after  the 
conversion  of  the  land  and  Priory  of  Tor- 
pliichen  into  a  temporal  Lordship,  the  Or- 
der was  used  as  a  secret  instrument  on  be- 
half of  the  Reformed  Church,  and  that  a 
large  number  of  the  prominent  men  of 
Scotland,  among  them  John  Knox,  became 
enlisted  under  its  banners.  After  the  death 
of  Sir  James  Sandilands  in  1596  and  the  tri- 
umph of  the  Protestant  cause,  the  Order  fell 
into  obscurity.  Being  a  secret  organization, 
it  would  not  have  come  under  the  notice  of 
historians  itnless  engaged  in  political  move- 
ments. But  that  it  kept  up  an  existence  is 
claimed  by  some  in  interest,  "■  though  at 
widely  extended  periods."  The  fraternity 
was  known  in  1043,  two  years  after  the 
massacre  of  Irish  Protestants  in  1641,  when 
it  was  said  to  have  been  introduced  into 
Ireland  for  the  protection  of  those  who  had 
providentially  escaped,  which,  to  some,  ac- 
counts for  the  existence  in  Ireland  of  En- 
campments of  the  Black  Order,  after  the 
total  extinction  of  the  English  Language 
by  Henry  VIII.  It  was  encountered  again 
about  1795,  associated  with  Orange  bodies 
in  Ireland  but  it  had  become  corrupted  and 
was  well-nigh  extinct.  It  remained,  how- 
ever, a  i^art  of  the  Orange  institution  until 
the  attempted  suppression  of  that  body  by 
an  act  of  Parliament,  when  the  Orangemen 
found  it  "  necessary  to  place  themselves  un- 
der the  protection  of  the  Masonic  body.^'' 


NON-MASONIC   ORDERS   OF  MALTA,  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES 


275 


(See  Loyal  Orange  Institution.)  Thus,  the 
three  Orders  became  intimately  associated, 
and  when  tiie  Orange  and  the  Black  Orders 
were  revived  independently  of  Masonry,  not 
a  few  of  the  features  of  Freemasonry  clung 
to  both. 

But  there  is  no  trace  of  this  Malta  Order 
in  Scotland  until  about  1844,  when  an  as- 
sociation styled  the  Grand  Black  Lodge  of 
Scotland,  or  the  Imperial  Parent  Grand 
Black  Encan)i)nient  of  the  Universe,  by 
public  i)roclamation  claimed  supreme  gov- 
ernment over  the  Eeligious  and  Military 
Order  of  the  Knights  of  Malta.  From  all 
that  is  learned  of  the  organization  of  the 
Grand  Encampment  of  Scotland,  it  would 
appear  that  a  few  Orangemen  from  County 
Tyrone,  Ireland,  who  had  taken  refuge  in 
Glasgow  for  reasons  which  are  duly  re- 
corded, established  a  "  Grand  Lodge  '' 
which  undertook  to  confer  various  degrees 
and  inflict  queer  English  on  its  patrons. 
By  reference  to  a  warrant,  October  1,  1858, 
to  Sir  Thomas  C.  Knowles,  to  hold  a  Pro- 
vincial Grand  Priory  for  British  North 
America,  it  is  therein  styled  Provincial 
Grand  Commission,  No.  1,  and  the  date  of 
public  proclamation  claiming  supreme  au- 
thority over  the  Order  of  Malta  is  given  as 
March  7,  1853.  The  Grand  Priory  estab- 
lished by  Thomas  C.  Knowles  did  not  live 
long.  The  first  Encampment  organized  in 
America,  November  30, 1870,  was  St.  John's, 
at  Toronto,  Ontario,  No.  74  on  tlie  Grand 
Register  of  Scotland,  now  No.  1  on  the 
Grand  Register  of  America.  A  District 
Commandery  Avas  opened  November  22, 
1872,  by  six  Canadian  Encampments,  and 
the  progress  of  the  Order  requiring  the  ad- 
ministration of  a  body  possessing  greater 
authority,  a  grand  warrant  was  applied  for 
and  granted,  which  resulted  in  the  institu- 
tion of  the  Grand  Encampment  of  Canada, 
September  29,  1873,  with  Edward  F.  Clarke 
as  Grand  Commander.  On  August  12, 
1874,  the  Order  was  introduced  into  the 
United  States,  through  Robert  E.  A.  Land, 
of  Hamilton,  Ontario,  and  by  the  authority 


of  ti)e  Imperial  Parent  when  George  Wash- 
ington Encampment,  No.  101,  was  insti- 
tuted at  New  York  city.  At  the  semi-annual 
convocation  of  the  Grand  Encampment  of 
Canada,  January  27,  1875,  that  Grand  body 
resolved  itself  into  the  Supreme  Encamp- 
ment of  America.  Tliis  was  in  pursuance 
of  letters  foreshadowing  the  conferring  of 
continental  jurisdiction  here,  which  au- 
thority, however,  did  not  arrive  until  July, 
1875."  During  the  period  1875  to  1878 
many  members  in  America  began  to  realize 
that  the  composition  of  the  documents 
emanating  from  the  Imperial  Parent  was 
not  consistent  and  at  the  convocation  in 
Albany,  N.  Y.,  1878,  the  ritual  was  revised 
and  rewritten  on  the  basis  of  the  four  divi- 
sions, Knights  of  Justice,  Hospitalers, 
Priesthood,  and  Red  Cross,  and  the  title 
of  the  Supreme  body  was  changed  to  Chap- 
ter General  of  America.  At  the  Toronto 
convocation,  September  14,  1880,  sectarian- 
ism in  constitution  and  ritual  was  discarded. 
"When  introduced  into  America,  the  ritual 
of  this  Order  of  Malta  was  filled  with  ex- 
crescences and  titular  extravagance.  An 
Orange  qualification  (the  Orange  and  Pur- 
ple degrees)  was  required  of  an  applicant, 
and  it  was  therefore  corrupt  as  to  titles  and 
princi])les.  No  officer  in  the  ancient  Malta 
Order  was  ever  styled  "  Generalissimo," 
"  Captain  General,"  "  Senior  "or  ''  Junior 
Warden.*'  These  titles  belong  to  the  Tem- 
plar Order.  The  use  of  the  Red  Tem- 
plar cross,  cross  pate,  instead  of  the  white 
cross  of  Malta;  the  display  of  Templar 
colors,  white  and  black,  instead  of  the 
Maltese  colors,  red  and  black  ;  the  wear- 
ing of  the  Templar  jewels,  and  the  use  of 
Tem})lar  ceremonies  at  installations,  were 
some  of  the  minor  corruptions  which  the 
Chapter  General  drove  out  when  it  restored 
the  proper  colors  in  garb  and  cross,  de- 
signed jewels  adapted  to  and  in  harmony 
with  ideas  inherent  in  the  Order,  drafted 
an  original  service  of  installation,  and  re- 
verted as  far  as  possible  to  ancient  forms 
and  usages. 


276 


NON-MASONIC   ORDERS   OF  MALTA,  IN   THE   UNITED   STATES 


The  Imperial  Parent  in  Scotland 
promptly  objected  to  this  action  by  the 
governing  body  in  America,  and  the  Chap- 
ter General,  at  its  convocation  in  1881, 
accordingly  declared  its  independence,  and 
based  its  ritual  upon  the  practices  of  an- 
tiquitv.  Through  this  reformation  a  schism 
arose  which  resulted  in  the  formation,  at 
Philadelphia,  of  a  Grand  Commandery  of 
Ancient  and  Illustrious  Black  Knights  of 
Malta.  The  latter  body,  at  its  inception, 
was  composed  of  or  controlled  by  men  of 
Orange  proclivities,  and,  after  some  delay, 
was  supported  by  the  Imperial  Parent, 
which  was  a  violation  of  the  charter  granted 
the  Chapter  General  of  America,  giving  the 
latter  jurisdiction  over  America. 

When  introduced  here,  this  Order  of 
Malta  presented  twelve  degrees,  as  follows: 


1.  Knight  of  Malta. 

2.  Scarlet. 

3.  Black. 

4.  Mark. 

5.  Blue. 


7.  White. 

8.  Green. 

9.  Gold. 

10.  Knights  of  Green. 

11.  Priestly  Pass. 


6.  Blueman  Master  Builder.     12.  Red  Cross. 

From  this,  and  by  a  reference  to  the 
extended  sketch  of  the  ancient  Order  of 
Knights  of  St.  John,  of  Jerusalem,  Rhodes, 
Malta,  etc.,  it  will  be  seen  that  the  Imperial 
Parent,  Grand  Black  Encampment  of  the 
Universe,  situated  at  Glasgow,  introduced 
into  Canada  and  the  United  States  nine 
more  degrees  or  ceremonies  than  the  an- 
cient Order  of  Malta  possessed.  After  care- 
ful investigation  by  the  original  governing 
body  in  America,  1878,  the  latter  believed 
itself  still  in  possession  of  three  ceremonies 
corresponding  to  the  three  ancient  ones 
and  denied  that  the  ancient  Order  could  at 
any  time  ever  have  conferred  degrees  with 
names  like  those  conferred  in  Orange  and 
Masonic  bodies.  The  Priestly  Pass  was  a 
modern  representation  of  the  old  Order  of 
Priesthood  or  Chaplains  and  the  Black 
degree,  the  Order  of  Servants-at-Arms  or 
Hospitalers,  commemoratiog  St.  John  the 
Baptist,  the  ancient  patron  of  the  Order; 
and  the  Order  of  Malta,  of  course,  was  the 


Knight  of  Justice.  The  Red  Cross,  which 
was  retained,  is  declared  to  be  that  supposed 
to  have  been  founded  by  the  Emperor  Con- 
stantine.  (See  Order  of  the  Red  Cross  and 
Knights  of  Rome.)  Accordingly,  at  the 
annual  convocation  of  the  governing  body 
at  Albany,  in  1878,"  the  following  degrees 
were  expunged  :  The  Scarlet,*  Mark,f 
Blue,f  Blueman  Master  Builder,  White, 
Green, f  Gold,  and  Knight  of  the  Green.* 

It  should  be  explained  that  the  degrees 
dropped  by  the  Chapter  General  of  America 
in  1878  had  not  always  been  conferred  by 
the  Imperial  Parent.  At  least  three  of  them 
were  introduced  after  1854,  and  nearly  all 
have  been  shifted  about  with  an  occasional 
change  in  title.  In  an  Imperial  Parent 
''Guide  Book"  of  1854  we  find  the  fol- 
lowing list  of  colors  worn  in  the  several 
degrees : 

1.  Knights  of  Malta,  a  jet-black  |-inch  ribbon. 

2.  Sir  Knight  Companion,  narrow  black  ribbon. 
*3.  Knight  of  the  Bell,  ^-inch  scarlet  ribbon. 

4.  Priestly  Pass,  narrow  black  ribbon,  white  edge. 
*5.  Princely  Order,  narrow  gold  ribbon. 
:1:6.  Star  and  Scimitar,  narrow  dark-blue  ribbon. 
XT.  Sublime  Architect,  narrow  light-blue  ribbon. 
J8.  Knight  of  Israel,  narrow  white  ribbon. 
:J:9.  Sword  and  Covenant,  narrow  dark-green  ribbon. 

In  a  certificate  issued  to  Thomas  Coveney 
Knowles,  November  7,  1856,  and  1858,  the 
list  is  as  follows: 


1.  Knight  of  Malta. 

*6. 

Old  Gold. 

*2.  Scarlet. 

7. 

White. 

3.  Black. 

8. 

Gold. 

:j:4.  Royal  Mark. 

9. 

Green. 

t5.  Royal  Blue. 

*  Derived  from  the  Orange  Institution. 

f  Masonic  mixture. 

X  Masonic  derivation.  The  "Templar  degrees," 
which  have  been  conferred  in  England,  Ireland,  Scot- 
land, and  Wales,  and  in  colonial  dependencies  of  the 
British  Crown,  under  the  title  "  Convent  General  of 
the  United  Religious  and  MilitaryOrders  of  the  Tem- 
ple of  St.  John  of  Jerusalem,  Palestine,  Rhodes  and 
Malta,"  include  The  Ark,  Black  Mark,  Link  and 
Chain,  Knight  Templar,  Knight  of  St.  John  of 
Jerusalem,  Mediterranean  Pass,  Knight  of  Malta, 
Jordan  Pass,  Babylonish  Pass,  Knight  of  the  Red 
Cross,  High  Priest,  and  Prussian  Blue. 


ORDER   KNIGHTS   OF   FRIENDSHIP 


277 


In  a  certificate  issued  to  James  Patten, 
November  28,  1863,  the  arrangement  is 
given  thus  : 

1.  Knight  of  Malta.  C.  Old  Blue. 

*2.  Royal  Scarlet.  7.  Royal  White. 

3.  Royal  Black.  8.  Royal  (irccn. 

f4.  Royal  Mark.  *9.   Royal  CJold. 
fo.  Royal  Blue. 

The  degrees  worked  in  1874  and  retained 
by  the  Philadelphia  Ancient  and  Illustrious 
Order  of  Malta,  are  as  follows  : 


1.  Knight  of  Malta. 
*2.  Royal  Scarlet. 

3.  Royal  Black. 
f4.  Royal  :Mark. 
fo.  Royal  Blue. 


*7.  Royal  Gold. 

8.  Royal  Green. 

9.  Royal  White. 

10.  Knights    of    the 
Green. 


\G.  Royal  Blueman  Mas-     11.  Priestly  Pass. 


ter  Builder. 


12.  Red  Cross. 


In  the  last  group  there  are  three  degrees 
not  certified  to  by  the  Imperial  Parent  in 
the  certificate  to  Thomas  C.  Knowles,  but, 
comparing  with  the  foregoing,  the  Masonic 
student  may  identify  the  interpolated  de- 
grees. 

The  ritualistic  system  of  the  revived  Eng- 
lish Language,  that  presided  over  to-day  by 
the  Prince  of  Wales,  consists  of  twelve  sec- 
tions or  grades,  as  follows  :  1.  Turcopolier 
(now  vacant);  2.  The  Lord  Prior;  3.  The 
Bailiff  of  Eagle  (Aquila);  4.  The  Com- 
mander of  Hanley  Castle  ;  5.  Chevaliers, 
or  Knights  of  Justice  ;  6.  Chaplains  ;  7. 
Dames,  Chevaliers,  or  Ladies  of  Justice  ; 
8.  Chevaliers  of  Grace  ;  9.  Esquires  ;  10. 
Honorary  Associates;  11.  Donats,  and  12. 
Serving  Brethren.  Excluding  Nos.  1,  2,  3, 
and  4,  which  are  official  positions;  No.  7, 
the  Ladies'  Class;  No.  8,  a  class  adjunctive 
to  the  Knights  of  Justice;  No.  10,  a  modern 
invention;  and  No.  11,  a  sub-order  of  the 
ancient  body,  there  are  left  the  three 
ancient  orders  or  grades  of  rank,  Knights 
of  Justice,  Chaplains,  and  Serving  Brethren, 
as  used  by  the  Chapter  General  of  the 
United  States. 

In  conclusion,  it  is  only  necessary  to  add 

♦Derived  from  the  Orange  Institution, 
f  See  note  J  on  page  276. 


that  the  Grand  Commandery  of  the  An- 
cient and  Illustrious  Order,  Knights  of 
Malta,  incorporated  in  its  rite  the  square 
and  compass,  trowel,  and  other  emblems 
even  more  distinctively  Masonic;  names  of 
degrees  suggesting  the  Masonic  Mark  Master 
and  Master  Mason;  and  in  its  College  of 
Ancients,  emblems,  words,  and  mottoes  of 
the  Ancient  and  Accepted  Scottish  ^lasonic 
Eite. 

Order  of  Ho.spitalers. — See  Knights 
of  St,  John  of  Jerusalem,  Rhodes,  Malta,  etc. 

Order  Kniffht.s  of  Friendship.  — 
Founded  by  Mark  G.  Kerr,  M.D.,  at  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.,  in  1859.  A  benevolent,  so- 
cial, and  patri(jtic  secret  society,  based  on 
charit}-,  friendship,  and  knowledge,  which 
aims  to  inculcate  good  will  among  all  man- 
kind and  establish  peace  and  friendship 
throughout  the  world.  It  differs  from 
most  modern  fraternities  in  that  it  is  not 
organized  primarily  for  the  payment  of 
pecuniary  benefits.  The  Order  was  a  pro- 
ject of  Dr.  Kerr's  as  early  as  1857,  details 
of  which  he  had  well-nigh  completed  one 
year  later.  In  January,  1859,  Harmony 
Chamber,  No.  1,  was  organized  at  Phila- 
delphia. Practically  all  the  members  went 
to  the  war  at  the  outbreak  of  the  rebellion, 
so  that  five  or  six  years  later  the  society 
had  to  be  revived.  Its  growth  was  never 
rapid,  the  founder  and  his  followers  striv- 
ing to  make  active  and  sincere  rather  than 
many  members.  Only  those  men  who  be- 
lieve in  a  Supreme  Being,  "  whose  hu- 
manity prompts  them  to  endeavor  to  al- 
leviate the  suffering  to  cheer  the  weary 
and  heavy  laden,  and  to  perform  deeds  of 
justice,  friendship,  and  benevolence,"  are 
invited  to  membership.  The  ritualistic 
work  includes  three  degrees,  the  first,  or 
Knight  Junior ;  the  second,  or  Knight 
Bachelor,  and  the  third,  or  Knight  Errant 
dosrree.  After  a  number  of  vicissitudes,  the 
Order  now  finds  itself  growing  slowly  with 
a  membership  of  about  4,000  in  Pennsyl- 
vania and  New  Jersey.  Its  single  insur- 
ance feature,  one  of  recent  creation,  is  a 


278 


ORDER   OF   SCOTTISH  CLANS 


funeral  benefit  fund.  The  founder  died 
June  19,  1883,  and  was  buried  at  Norris- 
town,  Pa.  Dr.  Kerr  is  reported  to  have 
been  a  Freemason  of  advanced  degree  and 
an  Odd  Fellow  as  well.  The  emblems  of 
the  Knights  of  Friendship  include  the 
triangle  inscribed  in  a  circle,  a  pot,  the  bow 
and  arrows,  and  the  crossed  swords. 

Order  of  Scottish  Claus. — This  is  the 
largest  of  any  of  the  organizations  of 
Scotchmen  and  their  descendants  in  Amer- 
ica. It  was  founded  in  St.  Louis,  Mo., 
November  30,  1878,  by  James  McCash, 
Dougal  Crawford,  John  Beattie,  John 
Bruce,  John  D.  Cruickshank,  George  Bain, 
Eobert  R.  Scott,  William  Morrison,  Peter 
C.  Peterkin,  Neil  Stewart,  and  others. 
Most  of  the  founders  were  members  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity  and  high  in  its  councils. 
The  organization  of  the  Order  of  Scottisli 
Clans  was  not  the  result  of  schism  or  dis- 
satisfaction with  any  existing  organization. 
Previous  to  its  founding  there  had  been  a 
number  of  other  Scotch  organizations  in 
the  United  States  and  Canada,  some  of 
them  holding  games,  and  others  formed  to 
give  entertainments  to  perpetuate  the  mem- 
ories of  Scotland;  but  the  founders,  while 
recognizing  the  merits  of  these  societies, 
felt  that  an  organization  possessing  all  the 
essential  features  of  those  in  existence,  but 
having  in  addition  a  proviso  by  which  its 
members  would  receive  a  certain  amount 
per  week  in  tlie  event  of  sickness  and  their 
beneficiaries  a  certain  sum  on  the  death  of 
a  member,  would  fill  a  long-felt  want  among 
their  countrymen.  From  this  the  Order  of 
Scottish  Clans  was  formed.  Its  object  (1) 
is  to  unite  Scotsmen,  sons  of  Scotsmen  and 
their  descendants,  of  good  moral  character 
and  possessed  of  reputable  means  of  sup- 
port, who  are  over  eighteen  and  not  exceed- 
ing fifty  years  of  age ;  (2)  to  provide  and 
establish  a  1)equeathment  fund,  from  which, 
on  the  satisfactory  evidence  of  the  death 
of  a  member  in  good  standing,  who  has 
complied  with  all  its  lawful  requirements, 
a  sum  not  exceeding  $2,000,  11,000,  1500, 


or  1250  respectively,  according  to  the  class 
of  deceased's  membership,  shall  be  paid  to 
the  beneficiary  or  beneficiaries  ;  (3)  to  estab- 
lish a  fund  for  the  relief  of  sick  mem- 
bers, and  (4)  to  cultivate  fond  recollec- 
tions of  Scotland,  its  customs  and  amuse- 
ments. 

One  of  the  recognized  emblems  of  the 
Order  is  the  Scotch  thistle,  with  the  motto, 
''Nemo  Me  Impune  Lacessit."  The  seal 
of  the  Royal  Clan  contains  as  a  centrepiece 
the  cross  of  St.  Andrew  and  in  its  quarters 
a  thistle,  with  the  motto  already  described, 
a  shield  containing  a  lion  rampant,  a  heart 
representing  the  heart  of  King  Robert  the 
Bruce  and  a  representation  of  the  crown  of 
the  Bruce.  The  Order  has  ninety-six  active 
Clans,  eighty-nine  of  which  are  in  theUnited 
States  and  seven  in  Canada.  The  member- 
ship, January  1,  1897,  was  over  4,000.  It 
consists  of  a  Royal  Clan,  which  is  the  high- 
est governing  body ;  Grand  Clans,  which 
have  jurisdiction  only  in  the  States  or 
provinces  in  which  they  exist,  and  subor- 
dinate or  local  clans.  The  Royal  Clan 
meets  once  in  every  two  years.  Women  are 
not  admitted  to  membership.  It  has  paid 
out  more  than  $600,000  since  its  institu- 
tion to  widows  and  orphans  and  other  bene- 
ficiaries of  deceased  members.  Sick  benefits 
are  controlled  l)y  the  local  clans,  the  average 
amount  paid  being  $5  per  week  for  thirteen 
weeks'  sickness  in  any  one  year.  Members 
when  sick  receive  the  services  of  a  physi- 
cian at  the  cost  of  the  clans.  In  addition 
to  the  amount  paid  in  bequeathment  by  the 
Royal  Clan,  there  have  been  fully  $130,000 
paid  in  sick  benefits  since  the  Order  was 
founded.  The  organization  is  in  a  flourish- 
ing financial  condition.  It  is  looked  upon 
by  Scotchmen  as  one  of  the  most  reliable 
institutions  of  its  kind  in  the  country.  The 
Royal  Order  of  Scotland,  founded  on  inci- 
dents in  the  life  and  times  of  Robert  Bruce, 
to  which  Royal  Arch  Masons  alone  are 
eligible,  is  not  known  to  have  suggested  the 
modern  Order  of  Scottish  Clans.  The 
ritual  of  the  Clans  is  based  in  part  on  the 


PYTHIAN   SISTERHOOD 


279 


attempt  of  the  Danes  to  surprise  and  capture 
the  Castle  Slauesand  their  subsequent  defeat 
at  Largs  and  commemorates  tiie  battle  of  IJau- 
nockbuni.  It  was  written  by  Rev.  D.  M.  Wil- 
son, at  that  time  aresideut  of  Quincy,  Mass. 

Order,  Sons  ofSt.  Georse. — A  fraternal 
secret  society  composed  of  Englishmen,  their 
sons  and  grandsons,  wherever  born,  those 
between  eighteen  and  fifty  years  of  age 
being  eligible  to  beneficiary  membership, 
entitled  to  sick  and  funeral  benefits,  and 
those  more  than  fifty  years  old  to  honorary 
membership.  It  was  instituted  at  Scranton, 
Pa.,  in  18T1,  and,  as  the  writer  is  informed, 
had  its  origin  in  the  banding  together  of 
Englishmen  to  resist  the  outrages  perpetrated 
by  the  '•  Molly  Maguires  *'  in  the  anthracite 
coal  regions  of  Pennsylvania  from  1865  to 
1870.  (See  Molly  Maguires.)  The  organiza- 
tion which  thus  came  into  existence  after 
the  close  of  the  Civil  "War  took  permanent 
shape  in  1871,  as  the  Order,  Sons  of  St. 
George  and,  since  that  date,  has  spread 
throughout  the  United  States,  the  Dominion 
of  Canada  and  the  Hawaiian  Islands,  num- 
bering about  35,000  members,  descendants 
of  natives  of  ''the  mother  land.''  The 
Order  requires  a  belief  in  a  Supreme  Being, 
reverence  for  the  Holy  Bible,  and  urges  on 
members  loyalty  to  the  land  of  their  adop- 
tion. It  has  a  system  of  sick  benefits  vary- 
ing according  to  the  location  of  the  Lodge, 
or  inclinations  of  members,  from  81  to  $5 
per  week.  The  annual  dues  are  §6.  Many 
Lodges  also  provide  a  physician  and  medicine 
for  sick  members.  On  the  death  of  a  member 
a  funeral  benefit  is  paid  to  his  wife  or  heirs, 
in  no  case  less  than  ^30,  and  in  some  Lodges 
as  high  as  fi-lOO.  There  is  also  a  funeral 
benefit  at  the  death  of  a  member's  wife,  the 
amount  of  which  is  generally  one-half  that 
paid  on  the  death  of  a  member.  Each 
Lodge  maintains  a  benevolent  fund  for  the 
assistance  of  brethren  and  of  any  worthy 
Englishmen  in  distress. 

Total  benefits  paid  since  1871  amount  to 
about  «!500,000.  The  ritual,  as  might  be 
inferred,    is  founded    on    the    history   and 


martyrdom  of  St.  George,  and  the  cere- 
monial of  initiation  invests  the  newly  made 
brother  with  a  language  of  words,  signs,  and 
grips  which  enables  him  to  travel  and  make 
himself  known  as  a  Son  of  St.  George  wher- 
ever the  Order  is  found.  The  emblem  of  the 
Society  is  the  coiiventional  representation 
of  St.  George  and  the  dragon. 

There  is  an  organization  of  women  rela- 
tives of  Sons  of  St.  George  under  the  title 
Daughters  of  St.  George,  but  it  has  never 
been  officially  recognized  by  the  Sui)reiiie 
Lodge  of  the  Sons  of  St.  George.  The  aims 
of  the  Daughters  are  to  parallel  the  work 
of  alleviating  distress  performed  by  their 
fathers,  husbands,  and  sons.  It  is  likely 
that  their  organization  will  some  day  be 
formally  attached  to  the  Sons  of  St.  George. 

Ordor  of  the  World. — Organized  at 
Wheeling,  W.  Va.,  March  7,  1893,  and  in- 
corporated under  the  laws  of  that  State  ;  a 
secret  fraternity  designed  to  advance  the 
social  and  moral  condition  of  members,  to 
aid  them  in  securing  emidoyment,  assist  in 
caring  for  the  sick  and  disabled,  to  bury  the 
dead,  and  provide  for  widows  and  orphans 
of  deceased  members.  It  has  no  beneficiary 
features,  but  members  of  the  Order  are  in- 
sured in  the  World  Mutual  Benefit  Associa- 
tion. (See  the  latter.)  The  membership  of 
the  Order  of  the  World  is  about  1G,000. 

Oriental  Order  of  Hiiinility. — Said  to 
be  "  in  vogue  in  nearly  all  large  cities,"'  al- 
though little  trace  is  found  of  it  in  the  news- 
papers. It  is  also  said  to  have  been  called 
the  Oriental  Haymakers  when  ''  conferred 
ui)on  the  King  of  Persia."  The  most 
striking  information  concerning  it  is  that 
the  penalty  for  disobedience  at  the  sessions 
is  to  be  ''executed  at  once,"  as  "the  deco- 
rum of  meetings  must  be  enforced.'' 

Pythiau  Sisterhood. — Encouraged  by 
her  husband,  a  member  of  the  Knights  of 
Pythias.  Mrs.  Alva  A.  Young  wrote  the 
ritual  of  tlie  Pythian  Sisterhood,  and,  as 
Mrs.  Young  states,  was  granted  permission 
by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  Knights  of 
Pvthias  at  Cincinnati,  0.,  in  1888,  to  use 


280 


RATHBONE   SISTERS   OF  THE   WORLD 


the  titles  of  the  officers  in  Pythian  bodies 
in  her  projected  organization.  At  the  same 
session  of  the  Supreme  Lodge  the  Hill 
ritual  (see  Knights  of-  Pythias)  was  pre- 
sented for  the  fourth  time,  and  the  Su- 
preme representatives  of  Indiana  and.  New 
Hampshire  are  said,  to 'have  agreed  "to 
recommend  the  Hill  ritual  and  partially  rec- 
ognize the  (Pythian)  Sisterhood.*'  But  the 
organization  preferred  its  own  ritual,  and 
the  first  Assembly  of  the  Pythian  Sisterhood 
was  organized  at  Concord,  N.  H.,  February 
22,  1888,  by  Mrs.  Young  and  ten  other 
women,  relatives  of  Knights  of  Pythias,  the 
titles  of  the  various  officials  being  identical 
with  those  in  use  by  the  Knights  of  Pythias. 
Mrs.  Young  was  chosen  Chancellor  Com- 
mander. Assemblies  were  next  instituted 
at  Manchester,  Nashua,  Farmington,  and 
Franklin  Falls,  N.  H.,  by  which  a  Grand 
Assembly  was  established  for  New  Hamp- 
shire, June  6,  1888,  with  the  founder  of 
the  Sisterhood  as  Grand  Chancellor.  The 
organization  soon  found  its  way  into  Con- 
necticut, Ehode  Island,  Massachusetts, 
Maine,  New  York,  New  Jersey,  and  Ohio, 
and  within  two  years  Grand  Assemblies 
Avere  instituted  in  Massachusetts,  Maine, 
Ohio,  New  York,  and  New  Jersey,  repre- 
sentatives from  which  instituted  the  Su- 
preme Assembly  in  New  York  city,  April 
28,  1890,  with  Mrs.  Young  as  Supreme 
Clumcellor.  The  Sisterhood  has  since 
spread  to  West  Virginia,  Iowa,  Nebraska, 
Illinois,  and  Missouri,  and  is  declared  to  be 
in  a  flourishing  condition.  Women  relatives 
of  Knights  of  Pythias,  sixteen  or  more  years 
of  age,  are  eligible  to  membership.  The 
objects  of  the  society  are  to  give  moral  and 
material  aid  to  members,  educate  them 
socially  and  intellectually  and  assist  them 
in  sickness  and  distress.  Its  motto  is 
*'  Friendship,  Charity,  Benevolence,  and 
Love."  It  teaches  toleration  in  religion  and 
obedience  to  law.  Its  ritual  is  declared  to  in- 
spire purity  of  thought,  peace,  and  good  will. 
Ratlibone  Sisters  of  the  World. — 
This  sisterhood  announces  that  the  Supreme 


Lodge  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  at  Cin- 
cinnati, in  1888,  "granted  iiermission  to 
the  wives,  mothers,  sisters,  widows,  and 
daughters  of  Knights  of  Pythias  to  form  a 
women's  organization  or  secret  sisterhood, 
and  recommended  the  ritual"  which  had 
been  prepared,  as  elsewhere  exj^lained  by 
Past  Chancellor  J.  A."  Hill  of  Indiana.  It 
was  expressly  understood  that  in  granting 
this  permission  the  Supreme  Lodge  was  not 
to  be  responsible  for  any  of  the  transactions 
of  the  women's  organization,  financially  or 
otherwise.  Under  this  the  first  Temjole  of 
Pythian  Sisters  of  the  World  was  instituted 
at  Warsaw,  Ind.,  October  23,  1888,  by  J.  H. 
Hill,  "Founder  of  the  Order,"  a  little  more 
than  eight  months  after  Mrs.  Alva  A. 
Young  and  associate  women  relatives  of 
Knights  of  Pythias  instituted  the  first  As- 
sembly of  the  Pythian  Sisterhood.  Other 
Temples  were  soon  instituted  in  Indiana, 
Ohio,  Illinois,  and  Missouri.  There  are  now 
Temples  in  nearly  all  the  States  and  terri- 
tories, and  in  Canada,  with  a  total  mem- 
bership of  about  30,000  Sisters  and  15,000 
Knights,  about  one-third  of  the  total  mem- 
bership being  in  Indiana,  Ohio,  Kansas, 
Iowa,  and  Illinois.  Grand  Temples  exist 
in  fifteen  States,  representatives  from  which 
and  Past  Supreme  officers  constitute  the 
Supreme  Temple,  which  has  charge  of  Tem- 
ples in  States,  territories,  and  Provinces 
where  no  Grand  Temple  exists  and  exercise 
sujireme  legislative  authority.  The  Su- 
preme Temple  was  instituted  October  10, 
1889,  when  the  society  was  less  than  one 
year  old,  Mrs.  I.  M.  Weaver  of  Indiana 
being  the  first  Supreme  Chief,  from  which 
it  will  be  inferred  this  Pythian  women's 
order  did  not  employ  the  titles  of  officers 
used  in  lodges  of  Knights  of  Pythias.  Less 
than  three  years  after  it. was  established,  the 
founder,  J.  A.  Hill,  died,  April  17,  1892,  at 
Greencastle,  Ind. 

In  1894  the  Pythian  Sisters  found  them- 
selves in  danger  of  losing  their  honorary 
members  (men)  inasmuch  as  the  Supreme 
Lodge  of  Knights  of  Pythias  had,  without 


ROYAL  ORDER   OF   FORESTERS 


281 


particular  reference  to  the  Pythian  Sisters, 
declined  to  permit  Knights  of  Pythias  to  be- 
come or  remain  members  of  any  organization 
using  the  word  Pythian,  not  under  the  con- 
trol of  the  Supreme  Lodge.  Much  as  they 
regretted  to  change  the  name,  there  was  no 
alternative  and  the  Pythian  Sisters  became 
the  Rathbone  Sisters  of  the  World.  This 
auxiliary  but  unofficial  branch  of  Pythianism 
is  organized  similarly  to  the  Daughters  of 
Rebekah,  which  is  a  branch  of  Odd  Fellow- 
ship, while  the  Pythian  Sisterhood,  estab- 
lished at  Concord,  N.  H.,  February  22, 
1888,  is  nnique  in  that  it  recruits  its  mem- 
bership from  among  women  relatives  of  a 
men's  secret  society,  but  does  not  permit 
members  of  the  latter  to  join.  (See  Knights 
of  Pythias.) 

Royal  Black  Association,  Knights  of 
Malta. — See  Non-Masonic  Orders  of  Malta 
in  the  United  States. 

Royal  Order  of  Foresters. — The  date 
of  the  formation  of  the  (English)  Royal 
Foresters,  the  mother  of  modern  beneficiary 
societies  of  Foresters,  is  placed  at  1790. 
There  is  no  evidence  that  the  society  of 
Royal  Foresters  descended  from  the  nu- 
merous preexisting,  but  extinct,  societies 
of  foresters  which  had  been  instituted 
throughout  England  almost  '-from  time 
immemorial."  The  latter  had  been  either 
convivial  clubs  or  foresters,  in  fact.  The 
Royal  Foresters,  though  still  largely  con- 
vivial in  its  tendencies,  had  evidently  pat- 
terned after  the  United  or  Loyal  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  as  that  society  was  variously 
known  at  the  close  of  the  last  century,  by 
providing  for  fixed  contributions  for  the 
relief  of  sick  and  needy  members.  English 
Freemasons  also  organized  their  charities 
more  than  a  century  ago  on  a  basis  of  fixed 
mutual  assessments,  but  for  a  brief  period 
only.  Late  in  the  eighteenth  century  it 
became  difficult  for  all  British  secret 
affiliated  societies,  except  the  Freemasons, 
to  maintain  an  existence,  because  of  fears 
of  conspiracy  against  the  government.  The 
corresponding  societies  act   declared  every 


society  which  prescribed  as  a  requirement 
of  membership  a  test  or  oath,  etc.,  not 
authorized  by  law,  and  every  society  com- 
posed of  branches  or  divisions,  to  be  "un- 
lawful combinations  or  confederacies." 
The  seditious  meetings  act  declared  cer- 
tain meetings  of  more  than  fifty  persons 
unlawful,  if  held  without  notice.  Several 
penalties  could  be  imposed  under  both  acts. 
The  society  of  Freemasons  was  excepted 
from  the  operation  of  both  acts.  It  is  ex- 
plained that  so  many  prominent  English- 
men had  been  and  were  Freemasons  that 
the  legislators  and  others  well  understood 
the  remoteness  of  anything  like  a  political 
conspiracy  being  hatched  or  fostered  in 
British  Masonic  Lodges.  From  1780  to 
1832  political  disturbances  in  the  United 
Kingdom  resulted  in  friction  between  the 
government  and  the  masses  of  the  people. 
Almost  every  combination  of  the  latter, 
particularly  if  at  all  secret  in  character, 
seemed  to  suggest  treason.  An  article  in 
the  Leeds  "Express,"  1879  or  1880,  says 
that  in  only  two  instances  was  the  loyalty 
of  members  of  any  of  these  societies  ever 
impugned,  and  mentions  two  now  extinct 
orders  of  Odd  Fellows.  The  Grand  United, 
Imperial,  and  the  Ancient  Independent, 
and  the  present  Nottingham  Ancient  Im- 
perial Order  of  Odd  Fellows  '^  kept  no 
documents  in  those  troublous  times,  in 
order  that  nothing  could  be  used  against 
any  of  the  members  in  case  of  arrest." 

Lodges  of  the  Loyal  Order  of  Orange- 
men in  some  instances  late  in  the  closing 
decade  of  the  last  century,  met  in  Ma- 
sonic lodge  rooms  after  Masonic  lodges 
had  closed,  under  cover  of  "  borrowed  Ma- 
sonic charters,"  many  Freemasons,  jiresum- 
ably,  having  been  members  of  both  so- 
cieties. Some  of  the  results  of  this  method 
of  jiromotiug  Orange  gatherings  in  spite  of 
the  authorities  are  referred  to  elsewhere.* 

*  See  Loyal  Order  of  Orangemen,  Knights  of 
St.  John  and  Malta,  the  Ancient  and  Illustrious 
Order  of  Knights  of  Malta,  and  Non-Masonic 
Orders  of  Malta. 


282 


ROYAL    SHEPHERDS 


With  a  state  of  affairs  in  England  from 
1790  to  1825  well  calculated  to  foster  dis- 
trust, suspicion,  and  antagonism  between 
the  classes  and  the  masses,  the  reason  is 
plain  why  modern  Royal  Foresters  main- 
tained a  very  precarious  existence  during 
that  period.  It  was  not  until  1825-30  that 
the  dominance  of  the  convivial  side  in 
beneficiary  secret  societies  began  to  dis- 
appear, although  the  fight  against  it  was 
conspicuous  from  1800  to  1830,  not  only 
among  Freemasons  and  Odd  Fellows,  but 
in  the  Royal  Foresters.  Foresters  Court 
No.  1,  at  Leeds,  is  said  to  have  had  only 
eighty  members  in  1800.  By  1813,  accord- 
ing to  one  chronicler,  only  207  persons  had 
joined  the  Royal  Foresters  since  1790.  It 
was  at  the  former  date  that  a  dispensation 
was  granted  Court  No.  2  at  Knaresborough, 
since  which  time  the  extension  and  growth 
of  the  society  at  large  are  matters  of  record. 
By  1815  four  courts  had  been  opened,  but 
Court  No.  1  had  the  power  and  claimed 
the  authorit}',  and  therefore  proceeded  to 
organize  its  then  past  and  present  Chief 
Rangers  into  a  Supreme  Court,  wJiich  was 
to  meet  quarterly.  T.  B.  Lister  was  elected 
Most  Worthy  Supreme  Chief  Ranger.  It 
is  not  clear  when  the  Forestic  ceremonies 
of  initiation  were  changed  so  as  to  har- 
monize with  the  traditions  of  ancient  for- 
estry, those  clinging  to  Robin  Hood.  The 
statement  has  been  made  that  earlier  For- 
estic ceremonies  of  initiation  were  intended 
to  be  "quite  terrifying,"  being  '^ modelled 
after  those  of  the  Freemasons  and  Odd 
Fellows."  As  a  ritual  was  adopted  in 
January,  1816,  it  is  probable  that  Robin 
Hood,  Little  John,  Friar  Tuck,  and  the  rest 
were  then  emphasized  more  than  they  had 
been.  The  monopoly  of  modern  Forestry 
by  the  Royal  Foresters  continued  from 
1813  or  1815,  when  the  Supreme  Court 
was  formed,  until  1834.  During  this  pe- 
riod rajiid  progress  was  made,  358  courts 
being  opened,  88  in  1833  alone,  one — Court 
Good  Speed,  No.  201 — at  Philadelphia,  in 
1832,  the  first  in  the  United  States.     Prior 


to  1834  discontent  had  shown  itself  at  the 
"desjiotic  power"  and  i^rivileges  granted 
the  principal  officer  of  the  Order  in  the 
general  laws,  and  at  the  retention  of  the 
sole  governing  power  and  authority  "over 
the  whole  Order  forever  "  by  Court  No.  1. 
This  ripened  into  revolution,  and  at  a  con- 
vention at  Rochdale,  England,  August  4, 
5,  and  6,  1834,  the  first  schism  in  the 
Order  resulted  in  the  formation  of  the  An- 
cient Order  of  Foresters.  Within  a  few 
years  nearly  all  the  Courts  of  Royal  For- 
esters had  joined  the  new  Order.  (See 
Ancient  Order  of  Foresters,  and  Foresters  of 
America. ) 

Royal  Slieplierds. — Earlier  title  of  the 
(English)  Ancient  Order  of  Shepherds, 
now  a  branch  of  the  Foresters  of  America. 
(See  the  latter.) 

Sons  and  Daughters  of  Israel. — 
Founded  at  Nashville,  in  1887,  to  pay  from 
$2  to  $5  weekly  sick  benefits  and  130  funeral 
benefits.     Not  known  to  exist  to-day. 

Sous  of  Adaui. — Organized  at  Parsons, 
Kan.,  in  the  summer  of  1879,  byj^rominent 
business  and  professional  men  of  that  city, 
leaders  among  whom  were  members  of  the 
Masonic  fraternity.  A  reference  to  the 
account  of  the  earlier  and  more  playful 
portion  of  the  career  of  the  Ku  Klux  Klan 
and  to  the  sketch  of  the  Sons  of  Malta  will 
fairly  indicate  its  raison  cl'Sfre.  It  had  a 
brief  but  eventful  career. 

Sous  of  Heriuauu  (Der  Orden  der  Her- 
mann's Soehne). — Founded  in  New  York 
city  by  Dr.  Philij)  Merkel,  George  Heiner, 
John  Blatz,  A.  Auer,  R.  Schivendel,  W. 
Kohler,  and  Philip  Hermann,  to  foster 
German  customs  and  the  spread  of  benevo- 
lence among  Germans  in  the  United  States. 
The  ancient  Teuton  warrior  Hermann 
was  chosen  as  a  type  of  German  manhood, 
and  legends  of  the  society  were  made  to 
conform  with  the  traditions  respecting  Her- 
mann and  his  band  of  followers.  An  ac- 
count of  the  society,  published  *  in  1896, 

*  St.  Paul  Morning  Call. 


SONS   OF  HERMANN 


283 


credits  the  original  organization,  of  what 
afterwards  became  the  Sons  of  Hermann, 
to  the  resentment  of  German-Americans 
at  attacks  on  themselves  and  others  of 
foreign  descent  by  those  who,  between 
1835  and  1855,  drew  the  jiolitical  issues  of 
the  day  along  race  and  religious  lines  and 
finally  became  united  in  the  Know  Noth- 
ing Party,  in  185'i.  (See  Know  Nothing 
Party  and  the  Order  United  American 
Mechanics.)  The  account  referred  to  con- 
tinues :  "  These  enemies  of  all  that  was 
Teutonic  had  exceeded  the  bounds  of  all 
honor  and  respect,  inasnuich  as  they  even 
went  so  far  as  to  hinder  the  funeral  cortege 
of  a  German  from  proceeding  on  its  solemn 
and  peaceful  way,  and  to  insult  those  who 
accorded  the  remains  the  last  escort/'  This 
resulted  in  public  meetings  of  Germans, 
at  which  vigorous  protests  were  uttered. 
At  one  of  the  German  Sections  of  these 
gatherings  the  name  for  the  new  society 
suggested  itself  when  one  of  the  speakers 
remarked:  ''We  again  need  a  Hermann 
under  whose  mighty  guidance  we  may  be 
enabled  to  trample  upon  our  enemies. '"  The 
new  fraternity  recognizes  that  ignorance 
and  vice  are  the  worst  enemies  of  humanity, 
and  follows  in  the  footsteps  of  the  Freema- 
sons, Odd  Fellows,  Druids,  Foresters  and 
others  in  their  work  of  relieving  the  needy 
and  sick  among  their  members,  burying  their 
dead,  and  caring  for  widows  and  orphans. 

Grand  ex-President  H.  W.  Kastor,  St. 
Louis,  has  explained  that  the  Order  ex- 
ists only  on  American  soil,  *'  some  of  its 
more  important  features  being  such  as  to 
exclude  it  from  any  country  but  a  repub- 
lic." It  confers  no  degrees — only  member- 
ship in  which  the  high  and  lowly  are  on  the 
same  level,  "  as  followers  of  the  deliverer  of 
the  old  Teuton  tribes."'  It  was  not  until 
1848,  eight  years  after  it  was  founded,  after 
five  sections  had  been  formed  at  New  York, 
that  it  began  to  spread,  when  a  section  was 
established  at  Milwaukee.  In  that  year, 
also,  resolutions  were  adopted  substantially 
as  follows  : 


All  iiRMi  arc  (>r|ual  ;  all  are  imbued  with  one  de- 
sire, namely,  to  reach  that  goal  which  betters  bodily 
and  spiritual  existence.  It  is  the  duty  of  every  man 
to  provide  not  only  for  himself,  but  also  to  promote 
the  welfare  of  his  fellow  being,  because  in  the  con- 
summate happiness  of  all  every  one  must  have  an 
equal  share.  In  order  tliat  this  grand  and  worthy 
work  may  be  duly  furthered,  shall  we  grasp  one 
another  with  a  brotherly  hand  and  create  this  Imnd 
of  friendship  ?  As  a  body  we  shall  sow,  and  as  a 
body  shall  expect  a  fruitful  crop.  We  shall  ad- 
vance German  customs,  German  spirit,  and  German 
art  ;  we  shall  strive  to  cooperate  with  one  anmher, 
lift  up  and  support  our  brethren.  We,  as  a  body, 
shall  surround  one  and  the  one  shall  encircle  us 
all.  This  is  to  be  oin-  fundamental  platform.  We 
shall  look  upon  ourselves  as  one  family,  and  keep 
sacred  the  bonds  of  a  family. 

The  symbolic  colors  of  the  Order  are 
black,  red,  and  gold,  which  are  thus  ex- 
lilained  in  Mr.  Kastor's  sketch  of  the 
society  :  "  Together,  the  colors  are  the 
symbol  of  German  unity.  Black  typifies 
darkness,  the  outgrowth  of  ignorance, 
prejudice,  and  indifference.  Above  this 
the  Order  places  the  red,  which  signifies 
light  and  enlightenment  spread  by  German 
culture  and  German  spirit.  The  gold  is 
emblematic  of  true  freedom,  which  man 
arrives  at  through  knowledge  and  labor.'"  * 
It  was  not  until  October  C,  1852,  at  Chi- 
cago, practically  the  period  at  which  the 
great  Know  Nothing  Party  took  its  rise, 
that  the  eighth  Section  or  lodge  of  the 
Order  was  established.  The  first  session 
of  the  National  Grand  Lodge  of  Sons  of 
Hermann,  which  meets  every  four  years, 
was  held  at  Rochester,  N.  Y.,  in  1857.  In 
1896  there  was  a  total  membership  of  00,000, 
with  Grand  Lodges  in  Califoraia,  Connecti- 
cut, Colorado,  Illinois,  Kansas,  Massachu- 
setts, Michigan,  Minnesota,  Missouri,  New 
York,  New  Jersey,  Ohio,  Pennsylvania, 
Texas,  and  Washington.  There  is  also  a 
large  niembershi])  scattered  through  fifteen 
other   States. 

Women  relatives  of  members  of  the  Order 
have  been  grouped  in  Lodges  of  Daughters 

*St.  Louis  Globe  Democrat,  in  1896. 


284 


SONS   OF   IDLE    REST 


of  Hermann,  as  a  social  and  beneficiary 
auxiliary,  in  the  same  manner  that  so  many 
members  of  other  fraternal  orders  interest 
their  mothers,  wives,  sisters,  and  daughters, 
without  making  them  members  of  identi- 
cally the  same  Lodges. 

Sons  of  Idle  Rest. — Organized  four  or 
five  years  ago  by  promiiient  members  of 
the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of 
Elks.  None  but  Elks  are  eligible.  Its 
objdts  are  largely  recreative  and  for  the 
elaboration  of  "side"  degree  ceremonial, 
but  its  place  seems  more  than  likely  to  be 
taken  by  the  rapidly  growing  dramatic 
Order  of  Knights  of  Khorassen.  (See  the 
latter. ) 

Sons  of  Malta. — Organized  in  the  South 
before  the  Civil  War,  at  a  time  when  the 
country  had  been  overrun  by  scores  of  pa- 
triotic, political  and  other  secret  societies, 
prior  to.  during,  and  after  the  rise  and  fall 
of  the  Know  Nothing  Party,  as  an  ironical 
protest  against  doing  the  business  of  the 
country  and  attending  to  the  every-day  af- 
fairs of  life  by  means  of  secret  societies. 
The  Sons  of  Malta  soon  became  conspicuous 
at  New  Orleans,  whence  it  was  taken  to 
Boston  by  E.  L.  Davenport  and  John 
Brougham.  It  afterwards  spread  to  many 
other  of  the  larger  cities  of  the  country. 
It  was  the  first  secret  society  in  the  United 
States  to  exhaust  ingenuity  and  stop  at  no 
expense  in  initiating  candidates  in  a  man- 
ner to  insure  their  never  forgetting  it.  In 
fact,  that  was  all  there  was  to  it,  an  elab- 
orate scheme  to  excite  the  interest  and 
curiosity  of  reputable  citizens,  to  get  them 
to  join,  whereupon  they  would  find  the 
initiation  ceremony  something  well  calcu- 
lated to  imjDress  the  novitiate.  In  some 
instances,  after  being  put  through  outra- 
geous cross-examinations  as  to  their  private, 
business,  or  other  affairs,  and  a  tantalizing, 
often  terrifying  circumambulation,  candi- 
dates would  be  placed  in  a  large  basket  and 
hauled  up  to  the  ceiling  to  rest  there  while 
the  remaining  members  partook  of  an  elab- 
orate banquet  beneath. 


Tlie  shooting-the-chute  feature  of  initia- 
tion was  seldom  omitted,  and  one  Council  at 
Boston  constructed  a  winding  affair  of  that 
nature  which  started  the  neophytes  on  the 
third  floor  and  landed  them  in  the  basement. 
Life  and  limb  were  frequently  endangered, 
and  hundreds  of  men  were  induced  to  Join 
who  never  went  back  again ;  while  thou- 
sands of  others  returned  to  "  get  even  "  by 
helping  to  j^ut  the  next  fellow  "  through.^' 
It  should  be  added  that  at  some  of  the 
larger  cities  Councils  frequently  had  con- 
siderable money  on  hand  after  initiating  a 
class  of  candidates,  and  in  such  instances 
made  liberal  donations  to  worthy  cliarities. 
When  the  available  material  at  a  given  city 
or  town  was  exhausted,  Councils  of  the  Sons 
of  Malta  naturally  became  dormant  and  ulti- 
mately died  out.  Existing  only  to  initiate, 
they  became  extinct  when  candidates  were 
scarce.  Hundreds  of  elderly  business  men 
to-day  are  able  to  recall  how,  forty-odd 
years  ago,  they  joined  the  Sons  of  Malta, 
and,  if  they  feel  disposed,  can  describe  the 
ingeniously  humorous  yet  often  disgrace- 
ful antics  they  were  compelled  to  indulge 
in.  The  society  did  not  survive  the  Civil 
War. 

"  S.  P.  K." — The  title  of  a  now  unknown 
secret  society  the  ritual  of  which  was  written 
by  the  founder  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias. 
(See  the  latter.) 

The  Orientals. — A  detached  degree  or 
ceremonial  formerly  conferred  on  Knights 
of  Pythias.  (See  Ancient  Order  of  Sanhe- 
drims.) 

United  Ancient  Order  of  Druids. — 
In  1781  thirty-six  years  after  Odd  Fellows 
clubs  or  lodges  made  their  appearance  in 
England,  the  modern  Ancient  Order  of 
Druids  was  founded  at  London.  It  jjaral- 
leled  the  United  or  Loyal  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  as  the  latter  was  variously  called, 
rather  than  the  Freemasons,  in  that  its 
avowed  purpose  was  to  relieve  sickness  and 
distress  among  its  members  by  means  of 
stated  contributions.  It  promptly  took 
on  the  character  of  a  secret  order  founded 


UNITED   ANCIENT   ORDER   OF   DRUIDS 


385 


for  fraternal  and  benevolent  purposes,  al- 
though in  the  earlier  portion  of  its  career 
its  meetings  were  characterized,  as  were 
meetings  of  Freemasons  and  Odd  Fellows 
of  that  period,  by  more  of  the  convivial  in 
the  way  of  entertainment  than  they  have 
been  for  the  past  seventy  or  eighty  years. 
Like  the  Odd  Fellows  and  Foresters,  too, 
the  latter  dating  from  about  1790,  the 
Druids  suffered  from  the  operation  of  Eng- 
lisli  laws  late  in  the  last  and  early  in  the 
present  century,  which  aimed  to  repress 
secret  societies,  other  than  the  Freemasons, 
on  the  supposition  that  such  organizations 
covered  seditious  or  treasonable  designs,  or 
that  they  might  furnish  opportunities  for 
the  same.*  In  view  of  what  is  known  of 
the  retarded  growth  of  English  Odd  Fellou- 
ship  and  of  the  (English)  Ancient  Order 
of  Foresters  late  in  the  last  century  and  early 
in  this  one,  it  is  unlikely  that  the  Ancient 
Order  of  Druids  was  able  to  increase  in 
membership  materially  during  the  period 
referred  to.  The  Ancient  Order  of  Fores- 
ters is  conspicuous  in  that  it  was  the  first 
of  the  great  benevolent  assessment  secret 
orders  to  found  its  ritual  and  ceremonies  on 
history  and  tradition  belonging  exclusively 
to  the  country  of  its  birth,  but  more  particu- 
larly in  that  such  legends  and  history  were 
of  a  character  which  recommended  them 
strongly  to  the  sympathies  of  the  masses  as 
distinguished  from  the  classes — to  wit  :  the 
stories  of  Robin  Hood  and  his  merrie  men. 
In  the  United  States  a  parallel  is  found  in 
the  Improved  Order  of  Red  Men,  the  rites 
and  ceremonies  of  which  are  based  on  the 
history,  manners  and  customs  of  the  Ameri- 
can Indians.  The  Ancient  Order  of  Druids, 
while  it  preceded  the  Foresters  by  nearly 
a  decade,  and  while  utilizing  Druidic  history 
and  tradition  for  its  spectacular  background, 
could  hardly  be  said  to  have  offered  to 
novitiates  a  legend  so  peculiarly  attractive 
as  that  of  the  Foresters  a  few  years  later, 

*  See  Odd  Fellowship,  Foresters  of  America, 
Ancient  Order  of  Foresters,  and  Loyal  Orange 
Institution. 


from  the  fact  that  while  Druid  ism  was  at  one 
time  almost  exclusively  British,  it  had  been 
traced  across  tbe  continent  to  the  far  East. 
It  would  have  been  sur])rising,  however,  if 
the  earlier  fabricators  of  ceremonials  for 
secret  societies  had  not  stumbled  upon  and 
proni])tly  adojjted  the  wealth  of  material 
offered  in  the  storehouse  of  Druidic  lore. 
The  Freemasons  had,  before  the  close  of 
the  last  century,  ranged  the  whole  course 
of  sacred  history  and  the  Odd  Fellows  fol- 
lowed them.  Something  essentially  differ- 
ent, yet  pointing  to  virtue  and  morality,  was 
sure  to  be  wanted,  and  the  modern  Druids 
found  it  in  accounts  of  the  mystical  rites 
and  the  teachings  of  the  Druidic  priest- 
hood. 

In  ancient  Gaul  the  Druids  were  the  re- 
ligious guides  of  the  people,  the  chief  ex- 
pounders and  guardians  of  the  law,  and 
had  the  power  to  inflict  i)enalties,  the  mo.'st 
feared  being  that  of  excommunication.  As 
membership  in  the  Druidic  ])riesthood  was 
not  hereditary,  and  as  it  carried  with  it 
exemption  from  military  duty  and  the 
payment  of  taxes,  it  was  the  object  of  the 
ambition  of  young  men,  notwithstanding 
the  novice  had  to  go  through  a  course  of 
twenty  years'  training.  Druidism  taught 
the  immortality  and  the  transmigration  of 
the  soul ;  but  whether  it  received  the  lat- 
ter doctrine  from  Pytliagoras,  whether  Py- 
thagoras received  it  from  the  Druids,  or 
whether  they  obtained  it  from  a  common 
source,  investigators  are  not  agreed.  In 
England  it  was  the  custom  to  hold  a  gen- 
oral  Druidic  assembly  once  a  year,  at  which 
human  sacrifices  were  a  feature,  in  which, 
according  to  tiie  "Encyclopaedia  Britan- 
nica,"  criminals  were  generally  utilized. 
The  chief  deity  was  the  Mercury  of  the 
Romans,  but,  as  already  indicated,  there 
was  some  connection  between  the  Druidic 
philosophy  and  that  of  Pythagoras.  The 
mistletoe  was  held  in  the  highest  venera- 
tion and  groves  of  oak  were  the  chosen 
retreats.  Whatever  grew  on  the  oak  was  a 
gift  from  Heaven,  and  some  have  inferred 


28G 


UNITED  ANCIENT   ORDER   OF   DRUID8 


that  the  mistletoe  clinging  Jibout  the  oak 
represented  man  in  his  best  endeavors  to 
attain  the  heights  of  virtue  and  morality 
by  his  adherence  to  divine  precepts.  There 
was,  of  course,  much  of  what  has  been 
classified  as  magic  and  sorcery  in  Druidic 
rites.  Snakes'  eggs  constituted  a  most 
potent  charm,  and  Irish  and  Scotch  Druids 
in  particular  were  believed  to  be  sorcerers, 
owing  to  which  followers  of  Christianity 
early  felt  obliged  to  claim  supernatural 
powers  in  order  to  counteract  the  influence 
of  the  Druids.  The  circle  was  the  symbol 
of  the  Supreme  Being,  and  the  serpent  of 
the  Divine  Son.  They  were  expert  in  me- 
chanics, as  is  shown  by  the  remarkable 
architectural  remains  of  their  temples  in 
England  and  Wales,  in  Asia  and  elsewhere. 
The  cromlechs  and  dolmens  still  in  exist- 
ence retain  the  circular  form  with  which 
they  surrounded  the  ancient  groves  which 
formed  the  scene  of  their  strange  rites  and 
ceremonies.  As  may  be  inferred,  the 
Druids  were  intellectually  the  dominant 
class  of  their  time.  They  were  formed  into 
unions  in  accordance  with  the  precepts  of 
Pythagoras,  and  their  priesthood  is  said  to 
have  rivalled  later  hierarchies  in  their 
pomp  of  ritual  and  learning  and  their  in- 
fluence over  their  countrymen.  Some  of 
those  who  have  made  a  study  of  the  subject 
think  the  decline  of  ancient  Druidism  was 
owing  to  the  lack  of  charity  and  love  in 
its  teachings,  the  features  which  were  sup- 
plied by  Christianity;  but  they  claim  for 
it  the  credit  of  having  preserved  in  western 
Europe  the  idea  of  the  unity  of  Grod.  Christ- 
mas, Epiphany,  and  Hallowe'en  are  de- 
clared to  have  been  originally  Druidic 
holidays. 

Altars  used  by  the  Druids  of  to-day  are 
a  representation  of  the  Druidic  cromlech 
or  dolmen,  and  consist  either  of  three 
stones,  one  resting  upon  the  other  two,  or 
one  large  stone  with  an  opening  through  it. 
The  Oonstantine  dolmen,  in  Cornwall, 
England,  weighs  750  tons.  There  is  a 
single  rock  at  Bombay,  in  the  East  Indies, 


which  is  held  in  great  veneration  by  the 
natives,  the  "rock  of  purification."  A 
passage  through  it  is  considered  to  absolve 
from  all  sin  the  person  passing.  In  many 
parts  of  France,  Germany,  and  Great  Brit- 
ain ruins  of  Druidic  temple?  and  sacrificial 
altars  may  still  be  found.  The  Druids 
attained  their  greatest  influence  in  Britain 
during  the  last  century  before  Christ,  and 
it  continued  for  a  half  century  thereafter. 
During  the  reign  of  Nero,  about  60  A.D., 
the  Britons,  headed  by  Queen  Boadicea, 
rebelled  against  the  Eoman  authority. 
General  Suetonius  Paulinus  defeated  the 
Britons  and  visited  summary  punishment 
upon  the  Druids,  whom  he  believed  had 
incited  the  revolt.  The  Druids  retired  to 
the  Island  of  Mona  (Anglesea),  off  the  coast 
of  Wales.  Seventeen  years  after,  Agricola, 
Eoman  Governor  of  Britain,  became  in- 
censed at  the  action  of  the  Druids  in  slay- 
ing a  soldier  sent  to  spy  out  their  secrets, 
conquered  the  island,  cut  down  the  sacred 
groves  and  destroyed  their  temples.  Those 
of  the  Druids  who  escaped  withdrew  to  the 
Island  of  lona.  Their  people  were  con- 
verted to  Christianity  four  centuries  later. 

Upon  the  precepts  and  traditions  of 
ancient  Druidism  is  founded  the  fraternal 
secret  society  known  as  the  United  An- 
cient Order  of  Druids.  Its  forms  of  initia- 
tion and  of  conferring  degrees  are  declared 
to  be  recitals  and  reminders  of  the  integ- 
rity, simplicity,  and  morality  of  the  ancient 
Druids.  The  immediate  successors  of  the 
Ancient  Order  of  Druids,  like  the  earlier 
Odd  Fellows  and  Foresters,  made  vigorous 
claims  as  to  the  antiquity  of  their  organiza- 
tion, even  taking  it  back  in  regular  line  to 
the  time  of  Noah.  As  the  ancient  Druidic 
j)riesthood  ranges  back  through  conti- 
nental Europe  to  Asia  Minor,  it  was  a 
simple  matter  to  trace  the  Druids  from 
Gomer,  Magog,  Madia,  Javan,  Tubal,  Me- 
shech,  and  Tiras,  after  Japhet,  across 
Europe,  to  the  United  Kingdom,  leaving  it 
to  the  imagination  of  the  novitiate  to  find 
the  connecting  link  between  the  victims  of 


UNITED  ANCIENT   ORDER   OF   DRUIDS 


287 


the  Roman  C'oiu{Ucrors  of  Britain  and  the 
Ancient  Order  of  Druids  of  1781.  But  in 
late  years  tliis  theor}'  has  been  abandoned. 
The  Ancient  Order  of  Druids  ultimately 
resolved  itself  into  both  the  Ancient  Order 
and  the  Loyal  Order,  as  did  the  United 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows  into  the  United 
Order  and  afterward  into  the  Loyal  Order, 
during  the  troublous  period  of  from  1780 
to  1820.  From  the  first  Druidic  order 
arose  the  United  Ancient  Order,  and  from 
that,  in  1858,  a  faction  seceded,  and  called 
itself  the  Order  of  Druids.  The  ceremonial 
of  the  United  Ancient  Order  is  far  more 
elaborate  than  tluit  of  the  youngest  branch, 
and  it  is  in  the  older  branch  that  the 
American  United  Ancient  Order  finds  its 
origin,  leaving  the  tliree  remaining  Orders 
of  Druids,  the  Ancient,  the  Loyal,  and.  the 
Order  of  Druids,  in  England.  In  the  United 
States  the  United  Ancient  Order,  as  may 
be  inferred,  is  a  moral,  social,  and  bene- 
ficiary assessment  secret  society.  It  exists  in 
twenty-three  States  of  the  Union,  and  is 
afiBliated  with  the  Order  in  England,  Ire- 
land, and  Scotland,  in  the  British  Colonies, 
in  Australia,  and  Germany.  It  seeks  to 
unite  men,  irrespective  of  nation,  tongue,  or 
creed,  for  mutual  protection  and  improve- 
ment ;  to  assist  socially  and  materially,  by 
counsel,  lessons  and  by  encouragement  in 
business,  to  foster  among  its  members  the 
si)irit  of  fraternity  and  good  fellowship; 
also,  by  a  system  of  dues  and  benefits,  to 
provide  for  the  relief  of  the  sick  and  desti- 
tute, the  burial  of  the  dead,  and  the  pro- 
tection of  the  widows  and  orphans  of  its 
deceased  members.  Applicants  for  mem- 
bership must  be  men  of  the  age  of  eighteen 
years  and  upwards,  of  sound  bodily  health 
and  good  moral  character. 

The  name  Grove  is  used  by  this  Order  in 
the  same  sense  as  lodge  in  others,  and 
signifies  a  subordinate  body,  chartered  by 
a  Grand  Grove,  corresponding  to  a  Grand 
Lodge.  Its  form  of  government  closely  re- 
sembles that  of  various  Orders  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows and  of  Foresters,  being  vested  in  the 


Supreme  Grove  of  the  United  States,  State 
Grand  Groves,  and  subordinate  Groves. 
The  Supreme  Grove  of  the  United  States  is 
the  head  of  the  Order,  in  full  union  with 
the  Order  in  England,  Australia,  and  Ger- 
many, "  with  full  power  to  make  laws  for 
the  government  of  itself  and  State  Grand 
and  subordinate  Groves.'' 

Grand  Groves  have  charge  of  the  Order 
within  their  respective  jurisdictions,  subject 
to  the  laws  of  the  Supreme  Grove,  and  are 
composed  of  representatives  elected  by  the 
subordinate  Groves  of  a  State.  The  title  No- 
ble Grand  Arch,  referring  to  the  presiding 
officer  of  a  Grand  Grove,  suggests  the  in- 
fluence of  Odd  Fellowship  in  the  building 
up  of  Druid  ism,  the  Noble  Grand  being  the 
chief  officer  in  a  Lodge  of  Odd  Fellows,  and 
the  fact  that  permission  may  be  granted  to 
confer  the  three  degrees  and  to  "make 
Druids  at  sight 'Mn  order  to  facilitate  the 
formation  of  Groves  where  there  are  no 
members  of  the  Order,  points  to  Freemasons 
having  lent  a  hand  at  laying  the  foundations 
of  modern  Druid  ism. 

To  jn'omote  the  prosperity  of  the  Order 
and  cultivate  the  perfection  of  its  members, 
Druidic  Chapters  liave  been  organized.  All 
members  of  the  Order  in  good  standing  who 
have  attained  the  third  degree  are  eligible, 
and  in  order  to  provide  women  relatives 
an  opportunity  to  2)articii)ate  in  the  work  of 
benevolence.  Circles  have  been  established 
to  which  Druids  in  good  standing  and  all 
acceptable  women  eigiiteen  years  of  age  are 
eligible.  The  Order  of  Druids  specifically 
provides  for  the  living  while  sick  and  af- 
flicted, by  paying  benefits  of  not  less  than 
three  dollars  per  week.  It  protects  a  mem- 
ber and  his  family  from  want  while  he  is 
unable  to  provide  for  himself  or  them.  It . 
cares  for  the  widow  and  orphans  of  a  de- 
ceased member,  and  it  provides  a  funeral 
benefit.  The  Order  takes  advanced  ground 
in  tliat  it  embodies  the  C(|aalization  feature 
in  handling  its  sick  and  funeral  benefits.  By 
this  it  spreads  its  assessments  or  dues  from 
districts  where  in  excess  of  requirements 


28S 


INITEI)    BHOTHERS   OF   FRIENDSHIP  AND   SISTERS  OF   THE   MYSTERIOUS   TEN 


over  territory  where  the  paucity  of  mem- 
bership leaves  the  payments  under  an  aver- 
age, or  not  up  to  requirements. 

The  United  Ancient  Order  was  planted  in 
the  United  States  at  New  York  city  in  1834, 
but  the  first  American  Grove  did  not  live 
long.  It  was  shortly  after  the  time  when  the 
first  Court  of  Foresters  was  instituted  in 
the  United  States,  at  Philadelphia,  which 
also  died  young.  This  was  the  period  in 
which  there  was  a  noteworthy  revival  in 
interest  in  Freemasonry  and  Odd  Fellowship 
following  the  depression  in  secret  society 
circles  after  the  anti-Masonic  agitation  of 
1827-32.  In  1839  George  Washington 
Lodge,  No.  1,  of  Druids,  was  instituted  at 
New  York  city,  and  from  that  time  the 
United  Ancient  Order  of  Druids  in  the 
United  States  grew,  spreading  first  to  the 
neighboring  State  of  New  Jersey,  and  then 
to  Virginia.  In  1834  a  governing  body 
was  formed  holding  allegiance  to  the  Eng- 
lish Grand  Grove,  called  the  Grand  Board 
of  Directors  of  the  United  Ancient  Order 
of  Druids  of  the  United  States  of  America. 
This  afterwards  became  the  Suj)reme  Grove 
of  the  United  States.  Among  the  Ameri- 
can founders  in  1839,  the  names  of  William 
H.  Youngs,  Charles  Haywood,  J.  Churchill 
and  James  Auger  are  prominent.  Thomas 
Wildey,  the  founder  of  Odd  Fellowship  in 
the  United  States,  joined  the  United  An- 
cient Order  of  Druids  in  April,  1844.  The 
approximate  totals  of  membership  of  the 
United  Ancient  Order  in  1896  were  as  fol- 
lows :  In  the  United  States,  17,000  ;  Great 
Britain,  66,000  ;  Australia,  18,000,  and  in 
Germany,  2,000,  making  the  grand  total 
103,000. 

Some  of  the  State  jurisdictions  pay  en- 
dowment benefits  based  on  mutual  assess- 
ments. The  Order  has  been  managed  con- 
servatively, and,  while  not  recording  the 
rapid  'growth  of  other  similar  societies,  it 
has  increased  in  numbers  and  prosperity. 

United  Brothers  of  Frieiiclsliip  ami 
Sisters  of  the  Mysterious  Ten. — Organ- 
ized August  1,  1861,  by  Marshall  W.  Taylor, 


William  N.  Hazleton,  Wallace  Jones,  W.  H. 
Lawson,  Benjamin  Carter,  Charles  Coates, 
W.  T.  Lewis,  and  Charles  B.  Morgan,  col- 
ored men,  free  and  slave,  nearly  all  under 
age,  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  as  a  benevolent 
association,  to  care  for  the  sick,  bury  the 
dead,  etc.  Nearly  all  were  pupils  in  day 
or  night  schools,  and,  under  the  advice  of 
their  teacher,  W.  H.  Gibson,  they  reorgan- 
ized the  society  in  1868.  In  1871  the  society 
having  been  gradually  extended  through- 
out Kentucky,  a  Grand  Lodge  was  formed, 
and  in  1875,  membership  having  spread  to 
neighboring  States,  a  National  Grand  Lodge 
was  organized.  W.  H.  Gibson,  the  first 
State  Grand  Master,  served  five  years.  He 
was  also  National  Grand  Master,  and  filled 
that  office  for  four  years,  distinguishing 
his  incumbency  by  establishing  Lodges  of 
United  Brothers  of  Friendship,  as  the  so- 
ciety was  then  called,  from  the  lakes  to 
the  gulf. 

Temples  of  Sisters  of  the  Mysterious  Ten, 
the  women^s  auxiliary,  were  established  by 
the  National  Grand  Lodge  at  Louisville,  in 
1878,  having  been  authorized  two  years  be- 
fore. Prior  thereto  there  had  been  un- 
authorized auxiliary  bodies  of  women, 
called  Sistei's  of  Friendship.  The  United 
Brothers  numbered  about  4,000  in  1878,  in 
which  year,  besides  preparing  a  ritual  and 
degree  work  for  use  in  Temples  of  Sisters  of 
the  Mysterious  Ten,  they  organized  a  branch 
of  the  order  known  as  the  Knights  of 
Friendship,  based  on  the  story  of  David  and 
Jonathan.  In  1893  the  United  Brothers 
of  Friendship  numbered  100,000  members 
in  nineteen  States  and  two  territories. 
There  were  30,000  members  in  Kentucky; 
a  very  large  proportion  in  Missouri,  Texas, 
and  Arkansas  ;  many  in  Ohio,  Louisiana, 
Iowa,  Alabama,  Tennessee,  Pennsylvania, 
Mississippi,  West  Virginia  and  Virginia, 
and  a  fair  representation  in  New  York, 
Michigan,  Kansas,  Colorado,  Washington, 
New  Jersey,  District  of  Columbia,  Canada, 
Africa,  and  the  West  Indies. 

The  membership  in  189T  was  practically 


WOODCHOPPERS'  ASSOCIATION 


289 


unchanged.  The  rales  of  tlio  organization 
do  not  prohibit  white  people  from  Join- 
ing it,  and,  as  a  matter  of  fact,  j^cv- 
eral  are  said  to  have  become  members. 
With  the  growth  of  modern  beneficiary 
secret  societies,  this  order  has  incorporated 
among  its  features  the  payment  of  death, 
sick,  and  disability  benefits.  It  seems 
likely  that  the  United  Brothers  did  not  con- 
stitute a  regular  secret  society  when  first 
organized,  and  there  is  external  evidence 
that  members  of  the  Grand  United  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows  (which  in  the  United  States 
is   composed   of  negro   men   and    women) 


iiad  something  to  do  with  giving  life  and 
color  to  this  organization. 

Woodchoppors'  As.sooiation. — A  social 
beneficiary  organization,  founded  in  Phila- 
delphia, Pa.,  April  22,  1890,  by  Harry 
Alvin  and  others  of  Court  Pliilado]i)hia, 
Foresters  of  America.  A  governing  body 
was  founded  on  March  22,  1892.  The 
Association  has  seventy  branches,  known 
as  Caljins,  and  its  total  membership  is  about 
3,500.  The  organization  is  not  formed  to 
pay  sick  or  death  benefits,  but  each  Cabin 
has  the  option  of  doing  so.  Only  Foresters 
of  America  are  eligible  to  membership. 


CHART   SHOWING  RELATIVE  SIZE  OF  TWENTY-FOUR  SECRET  SOCIETIES  IN  THE 
UNITED  STATES,  BASED  ON  REPORTS  RECEIVED  DURING  1807. 


290 


PATRIOTIC   ORDERS 


YII 


THE   PATRIOTIC   AlsD   POLITICAL   ORDERS 


Patriotic  Orders,  The. — This  is  the 
general  term  by  which  reference  is  made 
to  patriotic  and  political  American  secret 
orders  or  societies.  Nativism,  opposition 
to  the  alleged  designs  of  the  Roman  Cath- 
olic hierarchy  on  the  public  sciiool  system 
in  the  United  States,  "  America  for  Amer- 
icans," and  loyalty  to  country  are,  or  have 
been,  characteristics  of  most  of  them. 
A  few,  however,  have  incorporated  bene- 
ficiary features,  such  as  death,  accident, 
sick  and  funeral  benefits.  Among  the 
older  are  the  Order  of  United  American 
Mechanics,  Philadelphia,  1845;  Patriotic 
Order,  Sons  of  America,  Philadelphia, 
184G  ;  American  Protestant  Association, 
Pittsburg,  1849;  Brotherhood  of  the  Union, 
Philadelphia,  1850,  and  the  Junior  Order, 
United  American  Mechanics,  Philadelphia, 
1853.  The  oldest  in  this  class — that  asso- 
ciated with  the  "  native  American  "  po- 
litical struggle  about  the  middle  of  the 
century — the  Order  of  United  Americans, 
was  founded  at  New  York  city  in  1844  and 
maintained  a  nominal  existence  until  within 
a  few  years.  It  carried  marks  of  the  influ- 
ence of  the  Red  Men  political  secret  socie- 
ties of  the  earlier  jiart  of  this  and  the  latter 
portion  of  the  last  century.  It  was  due  to 
members  of  this  Order  that  the  struggling 
babe  of  Know  Nothingism  was  nourished 
until  it  became  a  vigorous  youth.  Whether 
the  real  name  of  the  Know  Nothing  party 
was  the  Supreme  Order  of  Sons  of  ^76,  the 
Order  of  the  Star  Spangled  Banner,  or  the 
Order  of  Uncle  Sam,  has  not,  so  far  as 
known,  been  finally  determined  ;  but  those 
titles  have  been  identified  with  that  organi- 
zation by  various  writers  and  by  others  who 
participated  in  the  political  campaigns  of 
1854  and  1856.     The  Know  Nothing  party 


being  distinctly  political,  as  well  as  patri- 
otic, attracted  members  from  all  the  patri- 
otic orders  of  that  time — those  previously 
named,  as  well  as  others  which  appeared  be- 
tween 1850  and  1854.  Among  the  latter  were 
the  Order  of  the  American  Star,  Guards  of 
Liberty,  "Wide  Awakes,  True  Brethren, 
Native  Sons  of  America,  the  American 
Knights,  and  one  called  Free  and  Accepted 
Americans.  None  of  these  gained  much 
headway,  but  each  appeared  in  response 
to  the  then  widespread  political  sentiment 
favoring  tlie  formation  of  patriotic  orders 
of  a  secret  character  to  preserve  unimpaired 
what  were,  or  are,  regarded  as  American 
institutions,  methods,  and  teachings.  Here, 
then,  were  thirteen  secret  orders  in  1852-53 
contributing  of  their  influence  and  mem- 
bership to  the  one  great  political  secret 
society  of  that  period,  the  Know  Nothing 
party.  Of  the  fourteen,  nine  are  dead, 
eight  having  gone  down  with  the  Know 
Nothing  party  itself.  The  survivors  are 
the  five  first  mentioned.  It  was  not  until 
after  the  period  of  reconstruction,  follow- 
ing the  Civil  War,  that  the  secret  patriotic 
orders  again  began  to  secure  an  increase  of 
membership  and  a  revival  of  interest.  Be- 
tween 1872,  in  which  year  the  Order  of 
Native  Americans  was  founded,  and  in  1895, 
when  the  Order  of  the  Little  Red  School 
House  appeared,  there  were  established,  in 
all,  thirteen  patriotic  orders.  They  are, 
with  dates:  Order  of  the  American  Union, 
1873;  Crescents,  1875;  Templars  of  Liberty, 
1881;  Pati-iotic  League  of  the  Revolution, 
1882;  Order  of  American  Freemen,  1S84; 
National  Order  of  Videttes,  1886;  American 
Protective  Association  (''A. P. A."),  1887; 
the  American  Patriot  League;  Loyal  Women 
of  American  Liberty,  and  the  Order  of  the 


1764 


I 


1834- 
Non-Secret. 


Know-Nothing  Party,  1851-54 


<£ 


[It  swallowed  all   secret  and  other 
Native  American  parties  of  its  time.  ] 


1853  r*  VI 


D  bruui- 


1834-45. 
Native  American  parties. 
Anti-Roman  Catholic  outbreaks.      •• 


IboO 


i-j  '»^9  nfinn  nnnl 


These  Societies  are,  or  were, 
of  O.  U.  A.  M.  or  Jr.  O. 
U.  A.  M.  parentage. 


1872 


1873 


1881 


ri '  1883 


1886 


TSa 


18S4 


5  Vh  <  i  £  >  c 


i 


Many  of  the 
members  of  such 
of  these  societies 
as  survived  1887. 
were,  between 
that  year  and 
1896,  swept  into 
the  American 
Protective  As80» 
elation,  or 
■A.  P.A." 


z     -2 


S    ^-^  &    ^ 


—      O      01     *■ 

.2    £     a    S 


I    g 


«=     ii   s    -c 


2 
^1 


o  J 


A  few  societies 

2  survived       1896, 

5  notably  the  four 

6  which  reappeared 
^  and  were  con- 
■c  spicuou^after  the 
—  dnwnfali  of  the 
U>  Enow-Nothing 

o  Party. 


FAMILY  THEE  OF  LEA1)IN(J  PATRIOTIC  AND  POLITICAL  SKCKET  SOCIETIES  IN  THE 
UNITED  STATES  FROM  1764  TO  DATE. 


292 


AMERICAN   BROTHERHOOD 


Red,  White  and  Blue  in  1888,  and  the  Loyal 
Men  of  American  Liberty  in  1890.  More 
than  one-half  of  the  orders  in  this  list  arc 
extinct,  or  have  only  a  nominal  existence. 
The  Knights  of  Eeciprocity,  1890  ;  Lidian 
Republican  League,  1893;  American  Knights 
of  Protection,  1894;  Patriots  of  America 
(silver  propagandists),  1895,  and  the  Sil- 
ver Knights  of  America  are  to  be  classed  as 
political  rather  than  patriotic  orders,  in 
which  group  should  also  be  placed  the  Sons 
of  Liberty,  17G5;  Sous  of  St.  Tamina, 
1771;  the  political  society  of  Red  Men 
founded  in  1813,  and  the  Know  Nothing 
party  of  1851-54.  There  is  no  relationship 
between  any  of  these  patriotic  and  political 
secret  orders  and  the  military  orders  which 
have  a  ritual  and  other  characteristics  of 
secret  societies  formed  almost  exclusively 
to  perpetuate  associations  and  friendships 
formed  during  the  War  of  the  Rebellion. 
These,  in  turn,  should  not  be  confounded 
with  various  noii-secret  military  or  ancestral 
patriotic  orders  founded  on  blood  relation- 
ship to  those  who  participated  in  American 
wars  prior  to  the  civil  conflict,  or  rela- 
tionship to  civilians  who  emigrated  here 
while  the  Republic  was  young,  and  at  vari- 
ous periods  prior  thereto.  The  continuous 
chain  of  patriotic  and  political  secret  socie- 
ties which  marks  the  history  of  the  Ameri- 
can people  for  one  hundred  and  thirty-three 
years  is  described  at  length  under  the  titles. 
Sons  of  Liberty,  and  Order  of  United 
American  Mechanics. 

American  Brotherhood. —  Organized 
as  a  native  American  secret  society  at  New 
York  city,  1844.  Afterwards  called  Order 
of  Unitqd  Americans.  Now  inactive.  (See 
Order  United  Americans.) 

American  Kniglits. — One  of  the  many 
native  American  secret  societies  which  ap- 
peared between  1850  and  1856  and  finally 
became  absorbed  by  the  Know  Nothing 
movement.  Little  is  known  of  it  to-day 
except  that  it  existed. 

American  Knights  of  Protection. — 
This  organization  was  founded  by  Charles 


L.  Wilson  and  others  of  Baltimore,  Md., 
and  of  Washington,  D.C.,  at  Baltimore,  in 
1894,  as  a  mutual  assessment,  beneficiaiy, 
patriotic,  and,  to  an  extent,  political  secret 
society.  Several  of  the  original  members 
were  or  had  been  affiliated  with  the  Junior 
Order  of  United  American  Mechanics  and 
other  patriotic  orders,  the  Knights  of 
Pythias,  Shield  of  Honor,  Knights  of  the 
Golden  Chain,  and  the  National  Union. 
It  sought  to  supplement  the  work  of  the 
older  patriotic  orders  by  including  the 
economic  policy  of  pi'otection  among  the 
principles  to  which  its  members  gave  ad- 
herence. This  is  shown  in  its  preliminary 
obligations  for  candidates  for  membership, 
which  requires  approval  of  the  ''practical 
enforcement  of  the  doctrine  of  protection 
to  American  interests,  through  tariff  legis- 
lation, restriction  of  foreign  immigration, 
and  reciprocity,  and  of  the  purposes  of  the 
Order  to  su2")port  purely  American  princi- 
ples without  sectionalism  or  sectarianism, 
to  protect  the  public  school  system,  de- 
fend the  sanctity  of  the  right  of  franchise 
by  all  possible  means,  and  to  revive  and 
strengthen  the  spirit  of  American  patriot- 
ism." Beneficiary  membership  is  optional, 
and  both  black  and  white  may  become  either 
social  or  beneficiary  members.  The  chief 
emblem  of  the  order  is  an  eagle  standing 
on  a  pedestal,  representing  protection,  pa- 
triotism, and  prosperity,  upon  which  is 
hung  the  American  flag.  The  ritual  is  said 
hot  to  have  been  based  upon  anything 
known  in  the  other  secret  organizations  of 
which  the  founders  were  members. 

American  Order  of  United  Catholics. 
— Organized  at  New  York  city,  in  January, 
1896,  by  members  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
Church,  to  resist  the  American  Protective 
Association,  or  ''A.  P.  A.^'  movement.  It 
was  expected  by  its  founders  that  the  new 
order  would  demand  assurances  from  local, 
State,  and  national  candidates  for  public 
office  that  they  oppose  or  disapprove  of 
the  American  Protective  Association,  or 
any  other  society  which  seeks  to  discriminate 


AMERICAN   PROTECTIVE   ASSOCIATION 


293 


against  Eoman  Catholics  as  sucli.  The 
Sui>rcme  Council  was  formed  March  7, 
1890,  and  the  Order  organized  upon  the 
usual  secret  society  lines.  The  announce- 
ment in  daily  papers  of  the  birth  of  the 
association  was  accompanied  by  the  apj^ar- 
ently  insjjired  explanation,  that  the  time 
had  come  for  Eoman  Catholics  "  to  act 
together  as  a  matter  of  self-i)rotection  ;" 
and  that  "  the  Church  is  not  opposed  to 
secret  societies,  except  those  which  are  oath- 
bound."  A  confidential  circular  set  forth 
the  objects  of  the  society  as  follows  : 

To  unite  fraternally  all  practical  Catholics  of 
every  profession,  business,  and  occupation  ;  to  give 
all  possible  aid  in  its  power  to  members  of  the  or- 
ganization by  encouraging  each  other  in  business, 
and  by  assisting  each  otlier  to  obtain  empk)yment  ; 
to  uphokl  and  defend  tlie  Catholic  faith,  clergy,  and 
institutions  against  naturalized  foreigners,  who, 
aided  and  abetted  by  said  class  of  native  Ameri- 
cans, have  gained  great  strength  and  power  in  our 
legislatures. 

Little  has  been  learned  concerning  the 
growth  of  this  organization. 

American  Patriot  League. — Organized 
at  Xew  York  city  in  1888  by  Rev.  S.  Lan- 
sing Reeve,  D.D.,  and  others  with  Order  of 
L^nited  American  Mechanics  leanings,  as 
a  mutual  assessment,  charitable,  and  be- 
nevolent, patriotic,  native  American  secret 
society.  No  religious  test  was  required  for 
membership.  While  in  no  sense  a  labor 
union,  it  encouraged  restriction  of  immigra- 
tion in  the  interest  of  the  American  artisan 
and  laborer.  Its  subordinate  bodies  were 
styled  Camps,  and  its  watchwords  were 
''Unity,  Equality,  Benevolence,  Loyalty, 
Vigilance,  and  Fraternity.'"  A  copy  of  one 
of  its  seals  re])resents  Washington  standing 
between  Perry  and  Ellsworth,  and  one  of  its 
functions  has  been  to  celebrate  a  long  list  of 
Revohitionary  and  other  national  anniversa- 
ries. There  is  no  known  print  of  its  prin- 
cipal emblem,  which  consists  of  a  three-pan- 
elled, flag-draped  pulpit  with  half-drawn 
cutlass  and  sabre;  in  the  centre  panel,  a  rural 
church;  on  the  right,  a  schoolhouse;  and  on 


tlie  loft,  a  rose-covered  cottage;  on  the  pul- 
pit, a  ballot-box  surmounted  by  an  open 
Bible.  This  society,  formed  one  year  after 
the  birth  of  the  American  Protective  Asso- 
ciation, was,  like  the  Know  Xothing  organ- 
ization, extremely  secret  in  character,  it 
being  forbidden  to  reveal  the  total  mem- 
bership or  names  of  members.  Copies  of 
its  constitution  and  laws  were  restricted  to 
the  use  of  members.  The  ritual  and  initi- 
atory ceremonial  were  foimded  on  American 
history,  particularly  that  of  tlie  Revolu- 
tionary period. 

It  had  a  women's  auxiliary,  or  branch, 
known  as  the  Daughters  of  Columbia,  but 
it  was  optional  whether  members,  men  and 
women,  met  under  that  title  or  as  the 
American  Patriot  League.  By  1890  the 
League  had  spread  to  Connecticut,  New 
Jersey,  Pennsylvania,  AVisconsin,  and  to 
California,  but  the  rapidly  growing  influ- 
ence of  the  American  Protective  Associa- 
tion was  evidently  too  great  to  withstand. 
Not  long  after,  there  appeared  to  be  three 
American  Patriot  Leagues,  the  i-esult  evi- 
dently of  an  effort  to  maintain  the  organi- 
zation locally  in  the  face  of  the  attraction 
of  available  material  to  the  American  Pro- 
tective Association.  The  Brooklyn  Associa- 
tion is  still  in  existence,  and  the  New  York 
city  branch  is  called  tlie  Pro  Patria  Club. 
The  national  organization  apjiears  to  be 
dormant,  if  not  extinct. 

American  Protective  As.sociatioii. — 
Founded  at  Clinton,  la.,  in  1887;  it  is  sim- 
ilar to  tlie  Know  Nothing  party  of  1851-50, 
except  that  any  American  citizen  is  eligible 
to  join  the  "A.  P.  A.,"  as  it  is  called, 
Avhereas  the  Know  Nothing  organization 
admitted  oidy  native  Americans.  The 
American  Protective  Association  was  com- 
paratively obscure  for  two  or  three  years, 
but  soon  after  grew  ra])idly  and  spread  to 
the  West,  South,  and  East,  absorbing  in  its 
march  thousands  of  members  of  older  patri- 
otic orders.  In  this  respect  it  again  par- 
alleled the  Know  Nntliing  party;  but  Avhile 
its   total    active    membership    in    1800   was 


294 


AMERICAN   PROTECTIVE   ASSOCIATION 


probably  more  than  2,000,000,  it  was  rela- 
tively a  less  potent  political  factor  than  the 
Know  Nothing  organization  in  1856  with 
nearly  900,000  members.  It  has  been  said 
of  the  latter  that  it  "was  the  greatest  or- 
ganization— greatest  in  the  social  standing 
and  ability  of  its  leaders,  as  well  as  in  the 
nnmber  of  its  members  and  its  influence  on 
politics — of  all  the  jiarties  of  its  class  Avhich 
the  country  has  known." 

The  Know  Nothing  party  between  1852 
and  1855  drew  within  itself  practically  the 
active  membershij)  of  the  Order  of  the 
American  Union,  founded  in  1844,  the 
Order  of  United  American  Mechanics, 
1845,  the  United  Sons  of  America,  1846, 
the  American  Protestant  Association,  1849, 
the  Brotherhood  of  the  Union,  and  a  num- 
ber of  smaller  similar  societies  which  did 
not  survive  amalgamation,  such  as  the 
Guards  of  Liberty,  Native  Sons  of  America, 
American  Knights,  True  Brethren,  the  Or- 
der of  Free  and  Accepted  Americans,  the 
Wide  Awakes,*  and  the  Order  of  the  Ameri- 
can Star.  The  United  Sons  of  America  dis- 
appeared with  the  American  party  when  the 
Civil  War  broke  out,  but  was  revived  as  the 
Patriotic  Order  Sons  of  America  in  1874  by 
the  Junior  Sons  of  America,  an  auxiliary  of 
the  United  Sons,  so  that  the  Know  Noth- 
ing party  was  in  reality  the  outcome  of  a 
j)olitical  fusing  of  the  principles  underly- 
ing the  patriotic  orders  named,  founded  be- 
tween 1843  and  1853.  With  the  breaking 
out  of  the  Civil  War,  the  Order  of  United 
Americans,  the  Orders  of  United  American 
Mechanics,  Senior  and  Junior,  the  Brother- 
hood of  the  Union,  the  American  Protestant 
Association  and  the  Junior  Sons  of  America 
again  became  the  sole  conservators  of  what 
they  stood  for  in  public  affairs  from  1844  to 
1860.  Evidently  another  generation  was 
to  illustrate  the  adage  that  history  repeats 
itself,  for  between  1870  and  1897  association 
with  and  the  example  and  outgivings  of  the 

*  This  name  was  revived  by  many  of  the  uni- 
formed organizations  in  the  Republican  political 
processions  in  the  campaigns  of  18G0  and  1864. 


half-century-old  patriotic  orders  again  re- 
sulted in  the  springing  up  of  a  group  of 
similar  societies,*  which,  after  the  founding 
of  the  American  Protective  Association,  in 
1887,  joined  with  the  parent  orders  in  rally- 
ing to  the  support  of  the  "A.  P.  A."  In 
most  instances  they  lost  their  identity  in  tlie 
latter,  although  with  few  exceptions  claim- 
ing nominally  a  continuous  existence.  As 
the  four  or  five  earlier  patriotic  orders  were 
to  the  Know  Nothing  j)arty  of  fifty  years 
ago,  so  practically  are  those  identical  orders 
and  their  offspring  to  the  "A.  P.  A." 
movement  of  the  past  decade. 

In  a  statement  published  in  the  St.  Louis 
"Globe  Democrat,"  December  16,  1894, 
Mr.  W.  J.  H.  Tray  nor,  as  President  of  the 
American  Protective  Association,  stated  in 
substance  as  follows  respecting  its  origin 
and  aims :  The  American  Protective  Associ- 
ation was  founded  "  by  a  handful  of  patri- 
otic, well-informed  Americans,"  who  j)ro- 
mulgated  the  constitution  of  the  society  at 
Clinton,  la.,  on  March  13,  1887.  Briefly 
stated,  the  object  of  the  organization  is  to 
counteract  the  alleged  efforts  of  rej^resenta- 
tives  in  the  United  States  of  the  papal  gov- 
ernment in  Eome  to  dominate  jiolitics  here 
with  "  the  spirit  of  ecclesiasticism  "  looking 
to  "union  of  church  and  state."  As  evi- 
dence of  the  necessity  for  such  an  organiza- 
tion there  are  sjiecified  "many  appropria- 
tions to  church  institutions;"  the  "  segre- 
gation "  of  "  the  subjects  of  the  Pope  "  in 
nearly  all  our  large  cities  (tending,  as  de- 
clared, to  render  "the  election  of  a  non- 
papist"  an  exception),  and  the  fact,  as 
stated,  that  "  from  60  to  90  per  cent,  of  the 
public  officeholders  and  employes "  were 
"followers  of  the  Poj^e."  This,  the  Presi- 
dent of  the  American  Protective  Association 

*  The  best  known  of  these  are  the  Order  of  Native 
Americans,  Oi-der  of  tlie  American  Union,  "The 
Crescents,"  Templars  of  Liberty,  Patriotic  League 
of  the  Revolution,  Order  of  American  Freemen, 
National  Order  of  Videttes,  American  Patriot 
League,  Loyal  Men  of  American  Liberty  and  Order 
of  the  Little  Red  School  House. 


AMERICAN   PROTECTIVE   ASSOCIATION 


29.- 


added,  could  not  be  attributed  to  accident 
or  explained  "  on  the  ground  of  superior  fit- 
ness," for,  he  states,  "the  fact  was  notori- 
ous that  the  most  illiterate  of  government 
employes  .  .  .  were  subjects  of  the  pa- 
pacy," and  that  "where  papists  held  the 
reins  of  government "  the  greatest  corrup- 
tion existed. 

The  objects  of  the  Association,  as  an- 
nounced at  Clinton,  are  said  to  have  been 
modified  only  slightly  since  the  meeting 
in  1887.  They  are  summarized  as  follows: 
Perpetual  separation  of  church  and  state; 
undivided  fealty  to  the  Eepublic;  acknowl- 
edgment of  the  right  of  the  State  to  deter- 
mine the  scope  of  its  own  jurisdiction; 
maintenance  of  a  free,  non-sectarian  system 
of  education;  prohibition  of  any  govern- 
ment grant  or  special  jirivilege  to  any  sec- 
tarian body  whatever;  "  purification  of  the 
ballot;  "  establishment  of  a  franchise  with 
an  educational  qualification;  temporary  sus- 
pension of  immigration,  its  resumption  to 
be  based  on  guarantees  of  extended  residence 
in  the  country,  with  an  added  educational 
qualification;  equal  taxation  of  all  except 
public  property;  prohibition  of  convict  labor, 
and  the  subjection  to  public  inspection  of 
all  private  institutions  where  persons  of 
either  sex  are  secluded,  with  or  against  their 
consent.  The  President  of  the  Association 
declares  that  instead  of  desiring  or  trying 
to  bring  "  religion  into  politics,"  the  object 
of  the  society  is  to  keep  religion  and  politics 
apart;  not  to  recognize  or  condemn  religion, 
which  "  is  a  personal  matter  between  the 
individual  and  his  God,"  but  to  demand 
"that  the  individual  shall  know  where  his 
allegiance  to  the  State  ends  and  his  tribute 
to  God  begins."  Application  of  this  is 
found  in  the  following:  "If  papists  accept 
their  politics  witli  their  morals  from  an 
alien,  they  must  not  be  surprised  if  their 
non-papist  fellow-citizens  distrust  their  pur- 
poses, no  matter  how  pure  their  motives." 

The  founder  of  the  American  Protec- 
tive Association  is  H.  F.  Bowers,  attorney, 
Clinton,   la.,  a  member  of   the  Methodist 


Church.     His  story,  as  originally  printed,  is 
as  follows: 

The  ooiidition  of  affairs  in  tliis  country  in  1887, 
and  up  to  that  time,  was  such  that  tiie  institutions 
of  our  Government  were  controlled  and  the  patron- 
age was  doled  out  by  an  ecclesiastical  element 
under  the  direction  and  heavy  hand  of  a  foreign 
ecclesiastical  potentate.  This  power  became  so 
influential  that  it  stood  as  a  unit  in  many  places 
against  the  institutions  of  the  country.  Through 
the  Legislature  of  Maryland  at  one  time  it  destroyed 
the  public  school  system  of  that  State.  Seeing 
these  things,  I  felt  that  it  was  necessary  that  some- 
thing should  be  done.  Gathering  round  me  six 
men  who  had  the  courage  of  their  convictions,  we 
met  in  my  office  in  Clinton  on  March  15,  1887,  and 
laid  the  foundation  of  the  Order.  That  same  <lay 
we  formulated  the  ritualistic  work  and  adopted  a 
constitution.  The  chief  idea  we  had  in  view  in  the 
constitution  was  this,  that  we  had  no  right  under 
the  constitution  of  this  country  to  oppose  any 
religious  body  on  account  of  its  dogmatic  views, 
faith,  etc.,  but  we  did  believe  we  had  a  right  to 
oppose  it  when  it  became  a  great  political  factor. 
We  believed  then  and  we  believe  now  that  every 
man  in  this  country  has  a  right  to  worship  God 
according  to  the  dictates  of  his  conscience,  but  we 
did  nob  believe  that  the  constitution  intended  to 
convey  the  right  to  any  set  of  men  to  control  and 
manipulate  the  political  affairs  of  this  country  to 
the  aggrandizement  of  any  ecclesiastical  power. 

Mr.  Bowers  said  that  of  the  seven  men 
who  organized  the  first  Council  three  were 
Republicans,  two  Democrats,  one  Poi)ulist, 
and  one  Prohibitionist.  In  a  religious  way 
they  were  divided  as  follows:  One  ^letho- 
dist,  one  Baptist,  one  Presbyterian,  one 
Congregationalist,  one  Lutheran  and  one  of 
no  religion. 

Mr.  Bowers  was  elected  the  first  Supreme 
President,  and  held  that  otlice  until  1 803, 
when  W.  J.  11.  Traynor  succeeded  him. 
The  influence  of  the  latter  at  the  period  of 
the  organization's  greatest  political  activity 
was  such  that  it  is  of  interest  to  know 
something  of  the  man.  He  is  a  Canadian 
by  birth,  having  been  born  at  BrantfonI, 
July  4,  1845.  His  father  was  a  contractor 
and  met  with  reverses  which  curtailed  the 
son's  opportunities  for  education.  But 
young  Traynor  persisted  in  his  studies,  and 


296 


AMERICAN    PROTECTIVE   ASSOCIATION 


after  a  long  struggle  became  proprietor  of 
one  or  more  American  newspaper  pro2:)er- 
ties.  His  residence  has  long  been  at  De- 
troit, Mich.  His  secret  society  affiliations 
have  been  as  fairl}-  consistent  as  numerous. 
He  joined  the  Independent  Order  of  Good 
Templars  when  a  boy  and  the  Loyal  Orange 
Institution  at  the  age  of  seventeen,  where 
he  attained  the  Scarlet  degree  Avithin  a  year. 
His  rank  in  the  Orange  Institution  is  liigh, 
with  membership  in  the  American  Orange 
Knights,  the  Eoyal  Black  Knights  of  the 
Camp  of  Israel,  and  in  the  Illustrious  Or- 
der of  Knights  of  Malta.  Among  the  later 
crop  of  American  patriotic  orders,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  "A.  P.  A.,"  he  is  or  was  con- 
nected with  the  Order  of  the  American 
Union,  the  Crescents,  and  the  American 
Patriot  League,  in  addition  to  which  he  is  a 
member  of  the  American  Protestant  Asso- 
ciation, which  claims  a  continuous'^existence 
of  more  than  fifty-live  years.  Among  the 
fraternal  beneficiary  orders,  Mr.  Tray  nor  is 
reported  to  be  connected  with  the  Macca- 
bees, the  National  Union,  and  the  Royal 
Arcanum. 

That  sentiments  common  'to  Orangemen 
and  some  other  Protestants  have  much  to 
do  with  influencing  those  identified  with 
the  Association  is  shown  by  the  point  of 
view  taken  by  Supreme  Vice-President  H. 
11.  Jackson  at  Atlanta,  November  18,  1895, 
who  was  quoted  in  the  newspapers  as  fol- 
lows: 

Not  that  I  have  any  war  to  make  upon  the  Irish, 
but  if  the  Pope  were  to  interfere  with  the  working 
of  American  plans  the  Irish  would  desert,  just  as  80 
per  cent,  of  them  did  during  the  war.  Look  at  the 
riots  in  the  Eastern  cities.  That  is  why  I  hate  to 
see  Catholics  holding  office  in  the  United  States. 
Suppose  we  were  to  have  a  war  and  the  Pope  were 
to  interfere,  why,  the  Catholics  could  ruin  and 
wreck  us  in  one  hour.  What  the  Pope  says  is 
supreme,  and  they  would  turn  against  us  if  they 
wex"e  ordered  to. 

The  expositions  of  the  purposes  of  the 
Association  in  the  public  prints  have  not 
appeared  to  be  such  as  would  be  likely  to 
attract  hundreds  of  thousands  of  voters  of 


both  political  parties  to  its  standard,  yet 
its  success  in  recruiting  members  has  been 
remarkable.  Whether  it  is  due  in  part  to 
certain  tracts  or  leaflets  which  bear  its 
imprint  must  be  conjectured.  One  of 
these  gives  the  causes  "which  led  to  the 
uprising"  (the  formation  of  the  Associa- 
tion) as  follows:  the  Roman  Catholic  attack 
on  the  public  schools;  the  attempted  "  f or- 
eignizing "  of  whole  communities  in  lan- 
guage and  religion  by  "  Romish  jiriests;  " 
the  remarkable  increase  in  untaxed  church 
property;  the  "Jesuit  control  of  the  gov- 
ernment at  Washington;  "  the  "  declaration 
of  the'  Pope  ""  that  the  United  States  is  his 
one  bright  hope  for  the  future;  the  "fre- 
quent desecration  of  the  American  flag  by 
priests,"  and  the  "brag  and  bluster  of 
Romish  orators  and  newspapers  that  Ameri- 
cans are  cowards,  and  that  all  the  good 
which  ever  came  to  this  country  has  come 
from  Romanists."  Then  follows  what  ap- 
pear to  be  quotations  from  Catholic  news- 
papers and  other  authorities  from  the  Pope 
down,  apparently  showing  that  the  Roman 
Catholic  Church  and  its  representatives 
i:)lace  civil  authority  below  that  of  the 
Church  Avhere  the  two  may  be  in  conflict, 
and  attack  the  public  schools  as  "sinks  of 
moral  pollution."  The  concluding  argu- 
ment against  the  Roman  Catholic  citizen  is 
as  follows: 

In    the  Civil  War  (instigated    by  the    Roman 
Hierarchy)  the  official  records  show  that  the  whole 
number   engaged  was   2,128,300.      Natives  of   the 
United  States,  1.625,267  ;  deserted  5  per  cent.  (45 
per  cent,  of  these  were  Roman  Catholics).    Germans, 
180,817  ;    deserted    10   per   cent.      Irish,    144,221 
deserted  72  per  cent.,    or  103,849.     British,  90,000 
deserted   7   per    cent.     Other    foreigners,    87,855 
deserted  7  per  cent.  * 

In  April,  1896,  the  President  of  the  Asso- 
ciation, then  at  Savannah,  was  quoted  as 
saying : 

If  McKinley  should  be  nominated  he  would  be 
defeated  at  the  polls  in  November  by  the  A.  P.  A. 

*  There  are  no  records  of  the  nationalities  of  the 
men  wlio  enlisted  in  the  Civil  War  and  none  of  the 
nationalities  of  the  men  who  deserted. 


AMERICAN   PROTECTIVE   ASSOCIATION 


29/ 


vote  if  tlic  Democratic  party  put  up  a  good  man 
with  a  clean  record,  one  who  is  known  to  be  true  to 
American  principles  and  not  a  trucklei-  to  the 
Catholics. 

At  Detroit  the  same  gentleman  was  quoted 
as  follows: 

It  is  doing  no  injustice  to  Mr.  Cleveland  to  as- 
sert that  if  the  United  States  had  been  a  papal 
country  and  the  Pope  a  temporal  sovereign,  our 
President  could  not  have  given  moi-e  recognition  to 
the  papacy  as  a  temporal  power  than  he  has  during 
liis  present  term  of  office. 

In  an  interview  at  St.  Louis  in  February, 
189G,  ex-Mayor  Gilroy  of  New  York  said : 

Our  last  defeat  in  the  State  of  nearly  100,000,  I 
attribute  very  largely  to  the  machinations  of  the 
A.  P.  A.  We  carried  the  city  of  New  York  by 
25,000,  and  yet  they  beat  us  by  four  times  that 
number  in  the  State. 

The  Executive  Board  of  the  Association 
at  St.  Louis,  in  October,  1895,  advised  mem- 
bers of  the  Order  as  follows : 

To  vote  for  nominees  on  the  tickets  of  the 
party  they  affiliate  with  and  to  vote  for  the  election 
of  candidates  who  are  in  thorougli  accord  with,  and 
will,  if  elected,  support  the  reduction  of  immigra- 
tion, extension  of  time  for  naturalization  and  educa- 
tional qualification  for  suffrage,  maintenance  of  a 
general  non-sectarian  free  public  school  system,  no 
public  funds  or  public  property  for  sectarian  pur- 
poses, taxation  of  all  property  not  owned  and  con- 
trolled by  the  public,  the  opening  to  public  official 
inspection  of  all  private  schools,  convents,  monas- 
teries, hospitals,  and  all  institutions  of  an  educa- 
tional and  reformatory  character,  and  no  sujiport 
for  any  public  position  to  any  person  who  recognizes 
primal  allegiance  in  civil  affairs  to  any  foreign  or 
ecclesiastical  power. 

The  capture  of  the  formerly  Democratic 
State  of  New  Jersey  by  the  Republicans  in 
1895  is  explained  in  the  New  York  ''  Her- 
ald "  of  November  10th,  that  year,  as  fol- 
lows: 

But  Mr.  Griggs's  is  not  an  ordinary  majority. 
What  made  it  extraordinary  ?  Well,  there  is  a 
general  consensus  of  opinion  that  the  A.  P.  A.  and 
the  Jr.  0.  U.  A.  M.  (;ontributed  the  finishing 
touches  to  his  labors.  Those  who  had  been  watch- 
ing the  movements  of  these  allied  fraternities 
realized  the  moment  Chancellor  McGill  was  nomi- 


nated that  his  vote  in  1875  for  the  Catholic  Protec- 
tory bill  would  be  forced  into  a  prominence  in  the;, 
campaign  that  it  sliould  not  have  had.  The  Jr.  O. 
U.  A.  M.,  the  visible  end  of  the  A.  P.  A.,  have 
been  exceptionally  active  ever  since  the  Republicans 
made  their  first  sweep  of  the  State.  They  have 
invaded  the  halls  of  legislation  witii  patriotic  bills  of 
all  kinds.  The  school  fiag  act  was  of  their  inspira- 
tion; tiiey  stood  as  S{)onsors  for  the  act  of  last 
winter  forbidding  the  wearing  of  church  garbs  in 
schoolrooms,  and,  altogether,  they  have  shown  a 
disposition  to  get  into  politics. 

The  Association  took  an  active  interest  in 
elections  in  nearly  one-half  of  the  States  in 
November,  1894,  for  Congressional,  State, 
and  municipal  officers.  In  some  instances 
it  put  up  tickets  of  its  own,  but  generally  it 
chose  between  jiarticular  candidates  of  the 
great  parties.  Many  of  the  candidates 
whom  it  favored  won,  but  a  good  many 
were  defeated.  It  attempted  to  defeat 
Thomas  H.  Carter,  a  Catholic,  in  the  sena- 
torial canvass  in  Montana,  but  failed,  as  it 
did  in  an  effort  to  prevent  the  appointment 
of  Colonel  J.  J.  Coppinger  as  brigadier-gen- 
eral, the  election  of  Greenhalge  as  Governor 
of  Massachusetts  and  the  placing  of  a  statue 
of  Father  Mar([uette  in  the  capitol  at  Wash- 
ington. Not  only  many  municipal  and 
State  officials,  legislative  and  executive,  have 
been  members  of  the  Association,  but  the 
latter  are  to  be  found  in  Congress  and  in  all 
departments  of  the  government  service. 

Having  absorbed  a  large  share  of  the 
membership  of  nearly  all  contemporaneous 
patriotic  orders,  the  Association  easily  domi- 
nated the  convention  or  council  of  iiatriotic 
organizations  at  "Washington,  in  December, 
1895,  which  included  representatives  not  only 
from  the  Americait  Protective  Association, 
but  from  the  Orangemen,  the  Junior  Order 
of  L'nited  American  Mechanics,  the  Society 
for  the  Protection  of  American  Institutions, 
"and  other  similar  organizations"  which 
represented  "•  niore  than  3,000,000  mem- 
bers." A  platform  was  adopted  demanding 
restricted  immigration,  opposing  appro- 
priations of  funds  for  sectarian  purposes, 
favoring   the   adoption    of    *'the   proposed 


298 


AMERICAN   PROTESTANT   ASSOCIATION 


sixteenth  amendment,"  declaring  that  no 
one  not  a  citizen  should  be  granted  the  right 
to  vote,  and  that  all  except  public  property 
should  be  subject  to  equal  taxation.  In 
conclusion  a  committee  was  appointed  to 
attend  the  national  conventions  of  jioliti- 
cal  parties  in  1896,  to  induce  them  to  incor- 
porate these  principles  in  their  i^latforms, 
and  from  that  movement  was  born  the 
American  Protective  Association  political 
manifestation  of  1896.  The  result  was  a 
disappointment  to  the  patriotic  orders,  for 
the  injection  of  the  sound  money  issue  into 
the  i^residential  campaign  of  1896,  and  its 
bitter  antagonism  by  the  bimetallists  and 
those  who  favored  the  free  and  unlimited 
coinage  of  silver  at  the  ratio  of  16  to  1  with 
gold,  drove  much  that  the  ''A.  P.  A." 
stood  for  out  of  sight  and  mind.  It  re- 
mains to  be  seen  whether  the  check  given 
in  1896  to  the  advancing  wave  of  what  the 
patriotic  orders  represent  is  to  result  in  its 
running  out  into  the  sea  of  temporary  po- 
litical oblivion  or  not.  Whatever  the  fate 
of  the  "A.  P.  A.,"  the  political  weapon  of 
the  older  and  later  patriotic  orders,  those 
secret  nurseries  of  opinion  which  gave  it  life 
and  strength  still  remain,  with  a  larger 
membership  and  greater  activity  than  be- 
fore. (See  Sons  of  Liberty,  Sons  of  St. 
Tamina,  Society  of  Eed  Men,  Order  of 
United  American  Mechanics,  and  the  Know 
Nothing  party.) 

The  Association  has  spread  to  the  Do- 
minion of  Canada,  Mexico,  and  to  the 
United  Kingdom.  Across  the  border  it  has 
worked  in  harmony  wdth  the  Orangemen, 
and  is  said  to  have  controlled  elections  in 
chief  cities  of  the  Dominion  in  1894  and 
1895.  Not  much  is  heard  of  it  in  England 
aside  from  the  emphasis  it  may  give  Orange 
lodge  demonstrations.  In  Mexico,  as  the 
Constitutional  Reform  Club,  its  efiorts  are 
mainly  to  "  combat  the  growing  power  and 
prestige  of  the  Catholic  clergy  and  defend 
the  public  schools."  This  branch  was  or- 
ganized at  the  City  of  Mexico,  September  8, 
1895.     At  the  close  of   the  session  of   the 


Supreme  Council  at  Milwaukee,  May  12, 
1895,  action  was  taken  to  organize  boys  and 
girlsbetween  the  ages  of  fourteen  and  twenty- 
one  throughout  the  United  States  and  Can- 
ada as  a  Junior  American  Protective  Asso- 
ciation. Councils  of  the  Association  for 
negro  members  were  organized  at  the  South 
in  1895  and  1896,  but  at  the  North  mem- 
bers were  received  into  many  Council  Cham- 
bers irrespective  of  the  color  of  the  appli- 
cant. The  women's  auxiliary  to  the  Amer- 
ican Protective  Association,  in  imitation  of 
the  Daughters  of  Liberty  attached  to  the 
Order  of  United  American  Mechanics  and 
other  similar  organizations,  is  known  as  the 
Women's  Historical  Society.  Its  special 
interest  in  American  history  is  naturally 
along  the  lines  indicated  by  a  familiarity 
with  leading  patriotic  orders,  their  aims 
and  careers.  Dissension  in  the  Illinois 
branch  of  the  American  Protective  Associ- 
ation in  February,  1895,  resulted  in  a  seces- 
sion and  the  formation  of  a  similar  society 
under  the  name  of  the  National  Assembly 
Patriotic  League,  which  was  speedily  incor- 
porated, but  is  not  known  to  have  survived. 
American  Protestant  Association. — 
The  oldest  American,  exclusively  anti-Ro- 
man Catholic  secret  society,  a  prototype  of 
and  the  original  "A.  P.  A."  or  American 
Protective  Association.  It  w^as  founded  at 
Pittsburg,  Pa.,  with  five  degrees,  which, 
in  connection  wuth  the  personnel  of  its 
earlier  membership,  point  to  Orange  sym- 
pathies. Accounts  of  its  origin  do  not  agree 
as  to  the  exact  year  in  which  it  was  estab- 
lished, some  placing  it  in  1844,  and  others  as 
late  as  1850.  It  is  probable  that  American 
Protestant  associations  existed  as  long  ago 
as  the  earlier  date  named,  but  it  is  also 
probable  that  the  American  Protestant  As- 
sociation was  founded  in  1849,  because  the 
"  forty-fifth  annual  convention  "  of  the 
Pennsylvania  State  Lodge  w^as  held  at  its 
natal  city  in  1895.  A  former  chief  execu- 
tive of  the  Association  states: 

The   American   Protestant   Association   was  or- 
ganized December  19,  1849.     On  January  9,   1850, 


A>X'IEXT    OHDKK    OK    LOVAL    A.MKKICAXS 


299 


they  met  in  Union  Hall,  forner  of  Fifth  and  Siiiitli- 
field  Streets,  Pittsburg,  and  elected  Grand  Lodge 
officers,  William  Shannon  being  the  first  Grand 
Master.  At  a  meeting  held  December  5,  1850, 
overtures  were  received  from  the  Protestant  Benev- 
olent Association  of  New  York  to  send  delegates 
to  a  meeting  of  that  society  held  in  that  city;  the 
result  was  a  union  of  the  bodies  under  the  name 
of  Protestant  Association,  the  word  American  be- 
ing subsequently  prefixed.  David  Steen,  William 
Shannon,  Samuel  A.  Long  and  George  Taylor  were 
among  the  organizers.  I  do  not  know  that  any  of 
them  are  alive.  It  was  not  the  Orange  Institution 
and  there  is  no  affiliation  between  them.  Tliere  is 
nothing  on  record  as  to  what  was  the  cause  for 
forming  the  "  A,  P.  A.,"  but  I  have  always  under- 
stood that  at  that  time  there  was  no  Protestant 
society  to  which  citizens  of  foreign  birth  could  be 
admitted  that  had  for  its  fundamental  principles 
the  maintenance  of  civil  and  religious  liberty,  and 
the  maintenance  of  the  Bible  in  our  public  schools; 
hence  the  "  A.  P.  A.,"  to  which  all  Protestants  of 
good  moral  character  may  be  admitted. 

The  Association  continues  to  this  day  and 
is  strongly  anti-Roman  Catholic.  Its  total 
membership  is  placed  at  over  200,000,  of 
which  75,000  are  credited  to  Pennsylvania 
alone.  Subordinate  lodges  are  governed  by 
State  Lodges,  and  the  latter  send  represen- 
tatives to  the  Right  Worthy  Grand  Lodge  -of 
the  United  States.  Following  closely,  as  it 
did,  the  appearance  of  the  Order  of  Ignited 
American  Mechanics  at  Philadelphia  in 
1845,  and  the  Patriotic  Order,  L'nited  Sons 
of  America  at  the  same  city  in  1847,  it  also 
became  identified  with  the  Know  Nothing 
party  campaigns  of  1850  to  1856.  It  is 
related  that  it  is  to  the  American  Protes- 
tant Association  that  ea^rly  native  American 
newspapers  were  indebted  for  the  so-called 
oath  of  the  Roman  Catholic  priesthood,  often 
quoted  by  Orange  and  other  Protestant 
writers  in  discussing  the  church  of  Rome. 
"With  the  rise  of  Know  Nothingism,  tlie 
American  Protestant  Association  and  its 
allies  or  sympathizers,  the  Order  of  United 
American  Mechanics,  the  Patriotic  Order, 
Sons  of  America,  and  the  Brotherhood  of 
the  Union,  founded  in  1850,  were  swept 
into  the  Know  Nothing  campaign  of  na- 
tivism  and  anti-Roman  Catholicism,  much 


as  most  of  the  members  of  the  same  societies 
were  engulfed  in  the  wave  of  ''A.  P.  A.''- 
ism,  American  Protective  Association,  forty- 
five  years  later.  Like  the  other  societies 
mentioned,  also,  the  American  Protestant 
Association  survived  the  Civil  AVar,  but 
works  along  the  lines  of  a  purely  American 
Orange  association. 

Unlike  most  of  its  companions,  in  its 
antagonism  to  Roman  Catholic  prominence 
in  American  public  life,  the  American  Prot- 
estant Association  has  suffered  from  schism 
and  secession.  One  branch,  formed  in  1878, 
claiming  the  name  of  the  parent  organiza- 
tion, made  up  largely,  probably  exclu- 
sively of  colored  men,  is  still  in  existence. 
At  the  meeting  of  the  Right  Worthy  Grand 
Lodge  of  the  mother  association  in  1884  it 
was  ordered  that  two  of  the  five  degrees 
should  thereafter  be  omitted.  As  thirteen 
lodges  refused  to  conform  to  the  order,  the 
Grand  Lodge  withdrew  their  charters  and 
expelled  their  members,  whereupon  the  lat- 
ter held  a  convention  and  formed  a  similar 
society  under  the  title  Order  of  American 
Freemen.  The  Junior  American  Protes- 
tant Association,  modelled  probably  after 
the  original  ''Junior  Order,"  that  of  the 
Sons  of  America,  was  founded  in  1864,  and 
like  the  Junior  Order,  United  American 
Mechanics,  afterward  declared  its  indepen- 
dence of  the  parent  society,  even  going  so 
far  as  to  change  its  name.  This  happened 
in  1890  at  Wilkesbarre,  Pa.,  at  a  conven- 
tion of  the  Junior  Association,  but  not 
without  much  opposition.  The  new  )iame 
chosen  was  Loyal  Knights  of  America,  and 
membershii^  in  the  society  is  said  to  be  com- 
posed mainly  of  Protestant  Irish  Americans. 
(See  Order  United  American  ]Meclianics.) 

American  Protestant  A.ssooiation. — 
Schismatic  (negro)  branch  of  the  American 
Protestant  Association,  formed  in  Pennsyl- 
vania in  1849.  Said  to  be  still  in  existence. 
(See  American  Protestant  Association.) 

Ancient  Order  of  Loyal  Ameriean.s. — 
A  patriotic,  social,  and  fraternal  organiza- 
tion of  recent  origin  at  Guthrie,  Oklahoma. 


300 


BENEVOLENT  ORDER  OF  BEREANS 


Benevolent   Order   of    Bereans. — An 

extinct  anti-Eoman  Catholic  secret  society, 
having  beneficiary  features.  It  was  formed 
at  Phihidelphia  "^between  1847  and  1850, 
and  it  was  the  outgrowth  of  the  move- 
ment which  gave  birth  to  the  Order  of 
United  American  Mechanics ;  the  Patriotic 
Order,  United  Sons  of  America;  the  Amer- 
ican Protestant  Association;  and  the  native 
American  society,  best  known  as  the  Know 
Nothing  party.  (See  Order  of  United 
American  Mechanics.) 

Brotherhood  of  the  Union. — Follow- 
ing the  organization  of  the  patriotic  native 
American  secret  societies,  the  Order  of 
United  American  Mechanics,  and  the  Patri- 
otic Order  of  United  Sons  of  America,  at 
Philadelphia  in  1845  and  1847,  respectively, 
came  the  Brotherhood  of  America,  at  the 
same  cit},  in  1850  with  similar  purposes  and 
characteristics.  The  latter,  with  the  Senior 
and  Junior  Orders  of  United  American 
Mechanics,  and  the  Patriotic  Order,  Sons 
of  America,  constitute  the  four  existing 
patriotic  secret  societies  which  survived  the 
fate  of  the  Sons  of  ^76,  or  Order  of  the 
Star  Spangled  Banner,  better  known  as 
the  Know  Nothing  party,  and  later,  the 
non-secret  American  party,  which  went  to 
pieces  on  the  political  rocks  in  the  stormy 
campaign  of  185G-60.  The  Brotherhood 
was  organized,  with  the  motto,  ''  Truth, 
Hope,  and  Love,"  by  George  Lippard,  for 
whose  teachings  and  writings  the  society 
professes  a  reverence.  Mr.  Lippard  was 
born  near  Yellow  Springs,  Blair  County, 
Pa.,  April  10,  1822.'  He  studied  law  in 
the  office  of  Ovid  F.  Johnston,  Attorney- 
General,  and  in  1841  became  contributor  to 
the  "Spirit  of  the  Times."  Allibone's 
Dictionary  gives  a  list  of  eleven  works  from 
his  pen,  and  Drake's  Dictionary  adds  eight 
mofe.  Drake  says  of  him  :  "  His  works 
evince  vigor  and  power,  but  have  little  else 
to  commend  them."  He  died  in  Phila- 
delphia, February  9,  1854.  The  following 
quotations  are  taken  from  published  papers 
of  the  organization  : 


The  Gospel  of  Xazjiretli  and  tlie  Declaration  of 
Independence  are  bonks  for  study  :  from  them  are 
drawn  the  grand  truths  taught  the  initiate.  .  .  . 
Washington,  Jefferson,  Franklin,  three  lives  united 
in  one  eflEort  to  remove  man  from  the  bondage  of 
political  slavery.  They  succeeded,  and  the  Brother- 
hood of  the  Union  seek  to  complete  the  work 
by  giving  man  freedom  from  industrial  servi- 
tude. .  .  .  The  spirit  of  the  order  is  expressed 
in  the  word  "union  " — union  of  the  good  against 
the  evil  ;  union  of  the  just  against  the  unjust  ; 
union  of  light,  love,  and  purity,  against  darkness, 
hate,  and  corruption  ;  union  of  freedom  in  defence 
of  their  country  against  tyrants.  .  .  .  Believ- 
ing that  the  American  Union  is  a  palladium  of  lib- 
erty to  the  people,  the  guarantee  of  their  rights, 
and  the  bond  of  their  perpetuity,  the  Brotherhood 
has  vowed  to  maintain  that  union  against  enemies 
without  and  against  traitors  within,  and  the  sa- 
credness  of  that  vow  has  been  attested  by  the  rich 
blood  of  many  a  brother  and  by  the  crushed  and 
scattered  ruins  of  many  a  Circle. 

With  others  named,  it  brought  antagonism 
to  union  of  church  and  state,  maintenance 
of  the  public  school  system,  "  America 
for  Americans,"  and  restricted  immigration 
down  to  a  period  following  the  Civil  War, 
when  they  were  apparently  destined  to  be 
exploited  again,  in  and  out  of  the  councils 
of  •  these  and  of  other  and  newer  patriotic 
secret  orders.  The  government  of  the 
Brotherhood  is  similar  to  that  of  the  Patri- 
otic Order,  Sons  of  America,  with  subordi- 
nate and  State  Circles,  instead  of  Camps, 
and  a  Supreme  Circle.  It  also  has  benefici- 
ary features.  A  singular  custom  is  that  of 
calling  its  three  chief  officers,  respectively, 
Washington,  Jefferson,  and  Franklin,  and 
thus  in  the  Supreme  Circle  they  are  ad- 
dressed as  Supreme  Washington,  Supreme 
Jefferson,  and  Supreme  Franklin.  Total 
membership  in  the  Brotherhood  is  about 
25,000,  its  greatest  strength  being  in  Penn- 
sylvania. There  is  also  an  auxiliary  or 
branch  of  the  society  known  as  the  Home 
Communion,  to  which  members  of  the 
Brotherhood  and  "woman  relatives  are 
eligible.  Subordinate  bodies  are  called 
Homes,  and  governing,  State  bodies.  Grand 
Homes.  The  latter  send  delegates  of  the 
Supreme  Circle  of  the  Brotherhood.     The 


INDIAN   REPUBLICAN   LEAGUE 


301 


communions  are  strong  in  Pennsylvania 
and  New  Jersey.  The  extent  to  which 
"  Americanism  "  may  go  in  the  work  of  an 
organization  like  the  Brotherhood  of  the 
Union  may  be  inferred  from  its  conferring 
ii  degree  entitled  the  "^  Grand  Exalted 
Washington."  The  society,  while  growing 
steadily,  has  the  smallest  membership  of 
the  four  in  the  historical  group  of  patriotic 
orders  to  which  it  is  assigned.  (See  Order 
United  American  Mechanics;  Patriotic  Or- 
der, Sons  of  America,  and  Junior  Order 
United  American  Mechanics.) 

Constitutional  Relorni  Club. — Name 
of  the  Mexican  branch  of  the  American 
Protective  Association,  or  "  A.  P.  A.*^  (See 
the  latter.) 

Crescents,  The. — An  American  patriotic 
secret  society  which  originated  in  California 
after  the  Civil  War.  It  was  quite  active  in 
San  Francisco  at  the  time,  but  little  has 
been  heard  of  it  in  recent  years. 

Daughters  of  America. — Founded  in 
1888  as  a  men  and  women's  social,  patriotic 
beneficiary  secret  society,  auxiliary  to  the 
Junior  Order,  United  American  Mechanics. 
White  American  women  over  sixteen  years 
of  age  and  members  of  the  Junior  Order, 
United  American  Mechanics  are  eligible  to 
membership,  whicii  aggregates  about  60,- 
000.  (See  Junior  Order,  United  American 
Mechanics.) 

Dauj^hters  of  Columbia. — Auxiliary  to 
the  American  Patriot  League.  Both  men 
and  women  are  members.  Formed  in  1888, 
but  now  inactive.  (See  American  Patriot 
League.) 

Daughters  of  Liberty. — A  patriotic, 
native  American  social  and  benevolent 
secret  society.  It  was  founded  at  Meriden, 
Conn.,  1875.  Total  membership  is  60,000. 
Its  objects  are  to  promote  fidelity,  patriot- 
ism, and  integrity,  the  maintenance  of  the 
public  school  system  and  the  non-interfer- 
ence of  church  with  state.  White  native 
American  women  sixteen  or  more  years  of 
age  and  members  of  the  Senior  and  Junior 
Order,  United    American    Mechanics    are 


eligible  to  membership.  (See  Junior  and 
Senior  Orders,  United  American  Me- 
chanics. ) 

Daughters  of  the  Kepublic.  —  See 
Patriots  of  America. 

Free  and  Accepted  Americans. — See 
Teni})lars  Order  of  the  American  Star.) 

Freemen's  Protective  Silver  Federa- 
tion.— A  secret,  oath-bound  fraternity  or 
order,  established  at  S[)okane,  Wash.,  in 
1894,  ''to  unite  the  friends  of  silver  under 
one  banner  to  battle  for  the  white  metal 
and  to  wage  war  against  the  gold  mono])- 
oly."  It  operated  under  a  constitution, 
by-laws  and  ritual  adopted  at  Pullman, 
Wash.,  in  the  year  named,  and  spread 
through  the  Pacific  Coast  States  and  east 
and  north  to  the  Missouri  River.  It  was 
declared  to  be  an  outgrowth  or  a  crea- 
tion by  former  members  of  the  National 
Order  of  Videttes.  E.xtravagant  claims  as 
to  membership  were  made  as  late  as  1896, 
one  total  given  being  800,000,  but  there  is 
no  doubt  of  its  popularity  and  mfluence 
west  of  the  Rocky  Mountains  during  the 
free-silver  campaign  of  1896.  Its  obligation 
was  said  to  be  "most  emphatic  and  bind- 
ing," and  bankers  and  lawyers  were  not 
eligible  to  membership.  The  work  of  this 
society  in  1896  was  in  line  with  that  of  the 
Silver  Knights  of  America  and  the  Patriots 
of  America,  east  of  the  Mississippi,  where 
they  conducted  a  secret  cam})aign  based  on 
mystic  rites  which  bound  novitiates  to  vote 
for  "free  silver." 

Guards  of  Liberty. — One  among  the 
many  American  orders  which  sprung  up  in 
Pennsylvania  and  New  York  between  1845 
and  1855,  and  were  ultimately  carried  into 
the  Know  Nothing  party.  The  Ouards 
were  intended  to  be  a  strong,  well-drilled 
military  organization,  but  did  not  attain 
much  strength. 

Indian  Republican  League. — Founded 
in  New  Jersey,  in  1893,  as  a  secret  political 
club  or  society.  Only  members  of  the  Re- 
publican party,  or  those  in  sympathy  with 
that   party,  were  eligible   to   membership. 


302 


JUNIOR  AMERICAN   PROTECTIVE   ASSOCIATION 


It  exercised  a  noteworthy  influence  on  the 
elections  of  1894  and  1895,  particularly  in 
Essex  and  Passaic  Counties  in  New  Jersey. 
Freemasons,  Kniglits  of  Pythias,  and  Elks, 
in  addition  to  members  of  the  Improved 
Order  of  Eed  Men,  were  among  the  or- 
ganizers. Its  maximum  membership  was 
about  3,000.  Congressman  James  F.  Stew- 
art, Paterson,  N.  J.,  was  prominent  among 
those  who  made  it  prosperous. 

Junior  American  Protective  Asso- 
ciation.— An  auxiliary  of  the  American 
Protective  Association,  for  boys  and  girls 
between  the  ages  of  fourteen  and  twenty- 
one.  (See  American  Protective  Associa- 
tion.) 

Junior  American  Protestant  Asso- 
ciation.— Originally  organized  to  train 
youths  for  membersliip  in  the  American 
Protestant  Association,  an  anti-Eoman 
Catholic  secret  society.  It  declared  its  in- 
dependence in  1890,  and  reorganized  with 
similar  purposes  under  the  title  Loyal 
Knights  of  America.  (See  American  Prot- 
estant Association.) 

Junior  Order,  United  American 
Mechanics. — Established  at  Philadelphia 
in  1853,  a  junior  branch  of  the  Order  of 
United  American  Mechanics,  membership 
in  which  was  to  prepare  young  Americans 
to  become  members  of  the  parent  order. 
The  Junior  Order  became  an  independent 
secret,  native  American,  patriotic,  benefi- 
ciary organization  in  June,  1885,  since 
which  time  it  has  retained  United  Ameri- 
can Mechanic  characteristics,  both  as  to 
form  of  government  and  use  of  emblems, 
but  it  is  no  longer  a  feeder  to  the  lat- 
ter society.  The  Juniors  of  1885  were  ad- 
vised and  assisted  in  securing  legislation 
from  the  National  Council  looking  to  the 
separation  of  the  two  orders,  by  Reliance 
Council,  No.  40,  0.  U.  A.  M.,  Germantown, 
Philadelphia.  The  word  Junior,  in  the 
title,  has,  therefore,  no  present  reference 
to  the  ages  of  the  members,  and  the  word 
"Mechanics"  none  to  their  occupations. 
The  objects  of  the  Junior  Order  are  sub- 


stantially those  of  the  society  from  which 
it  sprung  : 

To  maintain  and  promote  the  interest  of  Ameri- 
cans, and  shield  them  from  the  depressing  effects  of 
foreign  competition  ;  to  assist  Americans  in  obtain- 
ing employment;  to  encourage  Americans  in  busi- 
ness; to  establish  a  sick  and  funeral  fund;  to 
maintain  the  public  school  system  of  the  United 
States  of  America,  to  prevent  sectarian  interfer- 
ence therewith,  and  uphold  the  reading  of  the  Holy 
Bible  therein. 

Thus  far,  the  parallel  is  almost  exact. 
Any  white,  native  American,  men  only, 
professing  a  belief  in  a  Supreme  Being,  and 
opposed  to  union  of  church  and  state,  is 
eligible  for  membership,  provided  he  is  not 
engaged  in  the  liquor  traffic.  When  be- 
tween sixteen  and  fifty  years  of  age,  candi- 
dates are  eligible  to  beneficiary  membership; 
if  over  fifty  years,  to  honorary  member- 
ship only.  In  leaflets  circulated  to  recruit 
members,  the  following  declaration  appears: 

Immigration  must  be  restricted;  protection  to 
Americans,  American  institutions,  and  promulga- 
tion of  American  principles;  a  flag  on  every  public 
school  in  the  land,  the  Holy  Bible  within,  and  love 
of  country  instilled  into  the  heart  of  every  child ; 
principle  paramount  to  partisan  affiliation;  and 
our  country,  right  or  wrong — to  help  it  right  when 
wrong;  to  help  it  on  when  right. 

Elsewhere  the  Order  publicly  announces: 

We  are  a  political  organization  inasmuch  as  we 
teach  patriotism,  love  of  country,  and  devotion  to  our 
country's  flag.  We  are  non-partisan,  as  we  educate 
all  to  think  for  themselves,  that  the  exercise  of  the 
right  of  franchise  will  be  an  unbiassed  result  of  un- 
divided convictions  and  preferences. 

Sick  and  funeral  benelks  are  paid  as 
subordinate  councils  may  determine.  The 
ritual  and  initiatory  ceremony  are  described 
as  "  American  in  their  teachings."  One  of 
the  groups  of  emblems  displays  on  a  shield 
the  hand  and  arm  of  labor  bearing  aloft 
the  hammer  of  industry  between  the  square 
and  outstretched  compasses  of  the  Order 
of  United  American  Mechanics,  above 
which  is  "the  little  red  schoolhouse,"  and 
over  all  an  open  Bible,  the  whole  draped  with 
American  flags.    The  Junior  Order  has  more 


KNIGHTS   OK    RECIPROCITY 


303 


than  100,000  members,  scattered  through 
nearly  all  the  States,  which  is  double  the 
membersliip  of  the  Order  of  United  Ameri- 
can Mechanics,  and  has  ever  been  coiisi)icu- 
ously  alive  to  all  it  represents.  As  one  of 
the  reservoirs  of  youthful  native  American 
sentiment  during  and  after  the  Civil  War,  it 
gave  again  of  what  it  had  received  twenty 
years  before,  and  helped  to  revive  the  United 
Order,  Sons  of  America  in  1874.  Its  mem- 
bers in  the  Senior  Order  of  Mechanics 
joined  with  the  Brotherhood  of  the  Union  in 
1873,  in  organizing  the  Order  of  the  Ameri- 
can Union,  or  United  Order  of  Deputies, 
and  in  recent  years  its  members  in  the 
American  Protective  Association  or  "A. 
P.  A.^'  have  been  conspicuous  and  active. 
The  principal  difference  between  the  pub- 
licly professed  objects  of  the  Junior  Or- 
der of  United  American  Mechanics  and 
those  of  the  "A.  P.  A."  appears  to  be  the 
latter's  admission  to  its  ranks  of  others  than 
native  Americans.  A  Grand  Master  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  of  tlie  United  States,  Loyal 
Orange  Institution,  then  chief  executive 
of  the  American  Protective  Association, 
wrote  of  the  Junior  Order  as  follows  :  "  I 
take  great  pleasure  in  endorsing  the  Junior 
Order  United  American  Mechanics,  as  one 
of  the  grandest  patriotic  orders  in  the 
United  States.  Their  position  in  defence 
of  the  little  red  schoolliouse  and  in  favor 
of  restriction  of  immigration  and  advanc- 
ing true  Americanism  entitles  them  to  the 
cordial  support  and  cooperation  of  every 
American  citizen." 

The  intimacy  between  the  ''A.  P.  A.*' 
and  the  Junior  Order  United  American  Me- 
chanics is  indicated  by  the  controversy  at 
the  National  Council  of  the  latter  in  1895, 
where  there  was  a  contest  between  what 
was  described  in  press  and  other  reports  of 
the  meeting  as  "the  *A.  P.  A.'  element 
and  the  conservative  wing"  of  the  Order 
over  the  character  of  an  immigration  bill 
to  be  introduced  in  Congress.  The  Junior 
Order  remains  first  in  importance  and  influ- 
ence among  three  patriotic,  fraternal,  bene- 


liciary  secret  societies,  which  have  had  a 
continuous  existence  for  more  than  half  a 
century.  More  tlian  either  of  the  others 
is  it  responsible  for  the  development  of  sen- 
timent favoring  the  maintenance  of  the 
existing  system  of  free  public  schools,  for 
2)lacing  the  flag  on  the  schoolhouses,  for 
restricting  immigration,  and  for  antagoniz- 
ing "union  of  church  and  state."  (See 
Order  United  American  Mechanics  and 
Sons  of  Liberty.) 

Junior  Sons  of  America. — A  branch  of 
the  patriotic,  beneficiary,  native  American 
secret  society.  Patriotic  Order  of  United 
Americans,  founded  at  Philadelphia  in 
1847.  (See  Patriotic  Order,  Sons  of  Amer- 
ica. ) 

Knights  of  Reciprocity. — During  the 
winter  of  1890  this  secret  political  order 
was  organized  in  Garden  City,  Kansas,  by 
the  Hon.  Jesse  Taylor,  Hon.  D.  M.  P>ost, 
of  that  city,  S.  R.  Peters,  and  other  Repub- 
licans. It  early  attracted  attention  through- 
out Kansas,  in  Missouri,  and  in  many  other 
States.  It  souglit  to  secure  the  jierpetuity 
of  the  Union,  just  and  liberal  pensions  to 
honorably  discharged  soldiers  and  sailors  of 
the  Ke])ublic,  protection  of  American  in- 
dustries, fair  and  equitable  reciprocity  be- 
tween all  the  nations  on  the  American  con- 
tinent, an  intelligent  ballot  honestly  cast 
and  counted,  and  favored  tiie  disfranchis- 
ing of  every  citizen  who  offers  or  accepts  a 
bribe  to  influence  a  ballot.  Its  object  is 
further  declared  to  be  to  teach  the  duties  of 
citizenship,  to  discuss  and  study  political 
history  and  economic  (picstions  that  voters 
may  cast  intelligent  ballots.  The  insjiira- 
tion  of  the  Knights  of  Reciprocity  was 
a  desire  to  counteract  the  influence  in  rural 
communities  of  what  was  regarded  as  a 
"  Democratic  Union  Labor-Farmers'  Alli- 
ance" combination  in  politics.  The  Su- 
preme Lodge  of  the  Knights  of  Reciprocity 
stated  in  one  of  its  circulars,  published  in 
1891  : 

Tlic  only  way  for  the  fanners  to  meet  tlio  Alli- 
ance secret  political  society  is  with  a  secret  society 


304 


"KNOW   NOTHING"    PARTY 


the  object  of  which  shall  not  be  to  nominate  men 
for  offifc,  but  to  assist  in  educating  the  people  and 
making  tliem  thoroughly  acquainted  with  the  wants 
of  all  the  people  and  the  fallacies  of  the  alliance 
"  calamity  "  howlers,  who  are  traveling  from  State 
to  State,  county  to  county,  town  to  town,  town- 
ship to  township,  schoolhouse  to  sehoolhouse,  not 
for  the  good  of  the  people,  but  for  the  money  they 
make  and  in  hopes  of  political  promotion.  The 
people  should  organize  at  once  in  opposition  to  this 
gigantic  scheme. 

It  is  doubtful  whether  the  Knights  of 
Eeciprocity  ever  equalled  the  Farmers'  Alli- 
ance in  membership.  The  former  claimed 
126,000  members  in  1895,  and  has  not  ex- 
ceeded that  total.  Its  lodges  spread  from 
Kansas  to  Missouri,  Iowa,  Ohio,  Arkansas, 
Louisiana,  Mississippi,  Tennessee,  North 
and  South  Carolina,  in  all  of  which  States 
the  Alliance  is  also  strong.  Founders  of  the 
Knights  of  Reciprocity  were  members  of 
the  Masonic  Fraternity,  the  Odd  Fellows, 
and  Knights  of  Pythias.  There  is  a  bene- 
ficiary branch  of  the  order,  membership  in 
which  is  not  restricted  as  to  sex.  The 
ritual  is  based  on  the  Grolden  Rule,  as  might 
be  supposed,  and  teaches  equality,  fair  deal- 
ing and  the  desirability  of  reciprocal  trade 
relations  both  at  home  and  abroad. 

"  Know  Nothing-  "  Party. — A  secret, 
oath-bound  organization  which  played  a 
prominent  jiart  in  American  politics  from 
1851  to  1856,  when  it  drojjped  its  secret 
character  and  became  known  as  the  Ameri- 
can party.  It  was  defeated  in  the  presidential 
campaign  of  1856  and  finally  disappeared, 
most  of  its  remaining  members  finding 
temporary  refuge  in  the  Constitutional 
Union  party  of  1860.  Its  real  title  has 
always  been  a  subject  of  controversy,  the 
name  of  the  society  having  long  been  jeal- 
ously guarded  as  one  of  its  secrets.  Judg- 
ing from  data  obtained  from  widely  different 
sources,  it  would  seem  that  its  name,  in 
whole  or  in  part,  or  at  various  times,  must 
have  been  the  Stipreme  Order  of  the  Sons 
of  Seventy-six,  the  Sons  of  Seventy-six  or 
the  Star  Spangled  Banner,  or  the  Order  of 
Uncle  Sam.  '  Each  of  these  titles  has  been 


referred  to  in  recent  years  by  surviving  ex- 
members,  or  by  others  familiar  with  the 
political  campaigns  between  1850  and  1856, 
as  the  real  or  secret  name  of  the  Know 
Nothing  party. 

This  society  was  organized  at  New  York 
city  in  1851 — as  recalled  by  Henry  Baldwin, 
of  the  *' Library  Americana,"  New  Haven, 
Conn. — by  a  man  named  Taylor,  or  Tailor, 
not  actively  associated  with  any  of  the  polit- 
ical parties  of  the  time.  He  began  the  work 
of  recruiting  members  among  his  friends,  but 
met  with  indifferent  success.  In  1852  some 
of  the  members  of  the  New  York  city  or- 
ganization, the  Order  of  United  Americans, 
took  an  interest  in  the  project  and  found 
much  suggestive  of  political  possibilities. 
It  cost  nothing  to  acquire  or  hold  member- 
ship ;  there  were  no  beneficiary  features,  no 
stated  meetings,  and  no  provision  was 
needed  for  room  rent.  No  dues  were 
charged,  because  voluntary  contributions 
were  relied  on  for  support.  The  society  was 
called  together  when  occasion  required  at  a 
private  house  or  in  some  lodge  room  after 
the  lodge  had  adjourned,  and  at  each  meet- 
ing a  collection  was  taken  to  defray  ex- 
penses. Meetings  of  the  new  Order  were 
held  almost  every  evening  and  constant 
additions  wore  made  to  the  membership. 
In  four  months  about  1,000  persons  were 
enrolled.  It  became  necessary  to  have  a 
place  for  general  assemblages,  and  a  large 
hall  on  Broadway  was  hired  where  weekly 
meetings  were  held  and  from  600  to  800 
members  attended.  The  constitution  was 
revised,  and  a  national  system  with  State 
and  subordinate  Councils  was  organized. 
Councils  were  formed  in  all  the-  wards  of 
the  city  and  then  in  the  interior  of  the 
State,  after  which  they  were  organized  in 
the  adjoining  States.  By  September,  1855, 
the  Order  was  placed  in  every  State  and 
Territory  throughout  the  Union.  Native 
Americanism  and  anti-Roman  Catholicism 
were  its  distinguishing  characteristics. 

The  potato  rot  in  Ireland  in  1847,  and 
the  revolutionary  movement  in  continental 


"KNOW   NOTHING"    PARTY 


305 


Europe  in  1848,  sent  thousands  of  Roman 
Catholics  to  this  country.  Competition 
for  work  with  native  Americans  l)ecame 
keener  and  great  prominence  was  given 
alleged  designs  of  the  Roman  Catholic 
church  in  the  United  States,  both  of 
which  brought  recruits  to  the  new  secret 
political  party.  When  asked  as  to  its  name 
and  objects,  members  of  the  society  usually 
replied,  ''I  know  nothing  about  them,'' 
whence  the  name,  the  "Know  Nothings." 
When  the  Whig  party  went  to  pieces  in 
1854,  many  of  its  members,  particularly  at 
the  South,  not  being  willing  to  join  the 
Democracy  or  the  Free  Soil  wing  thereof, 
found  a  refuge  in  the  new  native  American 
secret  organization,  and  so  helped  to  build 
lip  its  political  fortunes.  It  began  as  did 
the  American  Protective  Association,  or 
"A.  P.  A.,"  thirty-five  years  later,  by 
throwing  the  weight  of  its  political  strength 
to  selected  candidates  on  the  tickets  of  the 
two  great  political  parties,  and  as  the  Whigs 
and  Democrats  were  evenly  matched,  in 
many  instances  the  new  organization  was 
found  to  hold  the  balance  of  ^iower.* 

It  was  during  tlie  period  1852-5G  that  the 
Junior  Order,  United  American  Mechan- 
ics was  organized  by  the  original  Order  of 
United  American  Mechanics  to  train  Ameri- 
can youths  in  nativism  and  other  principles 
professed  by  it,  and  it  was  from  the  Order 
of  United  American  Mechanics,  founded  in 
1845,  the  Patriotic  Order,  United  Sons  of 
America,  organized  prior  to  1847,  the  Broth- 
erhood of  the  Union,  established  in  1850,  to- 

♦  In  1854  it  carried  Massachusetts  and  Delaware 
in  the  State  elections,  and  in  1855  it  swept  New 
Hampshire.  Massachusetts,  Kliode  Island,  Con- 
necticut. New  York,  Maryland.  Kentucky,  and 
California,  and  elected  its  candidate  for  Laud  Com- 
missioner in  Texas.  In  iho  last  luunod  State,  as 
well  as  in  Virginia,  Georgia,  Alabama.  ^Mississipj)!, 
and  Louisiana,  it  only  lacked  a  conrparativcly  few 
votes  of  choosing  its  whole  ticket.  At  this  time 
and  in  1856  the  wave  of  nativism  was  at  flood  tide. 
The  ebb  came  immediately  afterward. — Nativism 
in  Politics,  by  Charles  M.  Harvey,  in  the  St.  Louis 
Globe-Democrat,  Februarv24,  1895. 
3) 


gethor  with  the  Order  of  United  Americans, 
New  York,  1844,  that  the  Know  Nothing 
party  drew  many  members  aiul  its  inspira- 
tion. To  the  first  three  named  and  to  the 
Junior  Order  of  United  American  Mechan- 
ics the  nation  is  indel)ted  for  continuous 
organized  effort  in  behalf  of  restricted  im- 
migration, the  flag  on  public  schoolhouses, 
the  i)ropaganda  for  the  maintenance  of  the 
Bible  in  the  schools,  opjjosition  to  union  of 
church  and  state,  and  anti-Roman  Catho- 
lic sentiment  generally — all  these  having 
been  rescued  at  the  death  of  the  Know 
Nothing  party,  and  carried  forward  in  .secret 
society  council  chamber,  and  camp,  to  a 
much  more  recent  period  in  American  pol- 
itics. The  wave  which  the  Know  Nothins: 
party  as  a  secret  society  set  in  motion, 
gathered  so  much  momentum  that  it  was 
some  time  before  it  broke  and  finally  dis- 
appeared in  the  non-secret  American  party 
of  185C,  but  although  its  secret  character 
was  gone,  it  still  retained  its  hostility  to 
Roman  Catholicism  and  the  dominance  of 
alien.s.* 

*  It  held  a  convention  on  February  22, 185G,  Wash- 
ington's birthday,  and  had  as  one  of  its  watchwords 
that  apocryphal  command  of  Washington  at  the 
darkest  crisis  of  the  Revolutionary  struggle,  "Put 
none  but  Americans  on  guard  to-night."'  Twenty- 
seven  of  the  thirty-one  States  (Maine,  Vermont, 
.South  Carolina,  and  Georgia  only  being  absent) 
were  represented.  The  convention  was  presided 
over  by  Ephraim  Marsh  of  New  .lersey,  and  it 
adopted  a  platform  of  sixteen  planks,  the  most  dis- 
tinctive of  which  were:  "Americans  must  rule 
America,  and  to  this  end  native-born  citizens  should 
be  selected  for  all  State,  Federal,  and  nninicipal 
offices  of  government  employment,  in  preference 
to  all  others."  "No  person  should  be  .select ed  for 
political  station,  whether  of  native  or  foreign  birth, 
who  recognizes  any  allegiance  or  obligation  of  any 
description  to  any  foreign  prince,  potentate,  or 
power."  etc.  "A  change  in  the  laws  of  naturaliza- 
tion, nuiking  a  continued  residence  of  twenty-one 
years,  of  all  not  heretofore  provided  for,  requisite 
for  citizenship  hereafter,"  etc.  "  Opposition  to  any 
union  between  church  and  state,"  etc.  "Opposi- 
tion to  the  reckless  and  unwise  policy  of  the  present 
AdnnuLstration  in  the  general  management  of  our 
national  affairs,  and   more  especially  as  shown  in 


306 


LADIES   OF   ABRAHAM   LINCOLN 


It  nominated  ex-President  Millard  Fill- 
more of  New  York  I'of  President,  and 
Andrew  J.  Donaldson  of  Tennessee  for 
Vice-President,  after  delegates  from  New 
England  and  Ohio,  and  part  of  those  from 
Pennsylvania,  Illinois,  and  Iowa  bad  with- 
drawn because  of  the  defeat  of  a  declara- 
tion favoring  the  exclusion  of  slavery  from 
territory  north  of  latitude  SG"  30'.  The 
seceding  delegates  nominated  John  C.  Fre- 
mont of  California  for  President,  and  four 
months  later  the  nomination  was  endorsed 
by  the  Eejmblicans.* 

From  the  time  of  the  defeat  of  Fillmore 
nativism  as  a  factor  declined,  and  was 
finally  swallowed  up  at  the  call  to  arms  in 
defence  of  the  Union,  Eemaining  members 
drifted  into  the  Constitutional  Union  party 
in  1860,  the  last  appearance  of  the  Know 
Nothing  party  as  a  separate  political  party. 
(See  Order  United  American  Mechanics ; 
Order  of  United  Americans  ;  Patriotic  Or- 
der, Sons  of  America  ;  Brotherhood  of  the 
Union;  and  Junior  Order,United  American 
Mechanics. 

Ladies  of  Abraliain  Lincoln. — A  pa- 
triotic, Protestant  secret  society  of  women, 
organized  for  social  and  to  some  extent  for 

removing  '  Americans,'  and  conservatives  in  princi- 
ple, from  office,  and  placing  foreigners  and  ultra- 
ists  in  their  places." — Ibid. 

*  In  the  election  Fillmore  received  874,534  votes, 
as  compared  with  1,341,264  for  Fremont,  Republi- 
can, and  1,838,169  for  Buchanan,  Democrat.  His 
vote  was  124,604  in  New  York,  82,175  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, 67,416  in  Kentucky,  66,178  in  Tennessee, 
60,310  in  Virginia.  48.524  in  Missouri,  47,460  in 
Maryland,  and  smaller  in  other  States.  Every 
State  in  the  Union  gave  him  some  votes.  In  New 
England  it  was  comparatively  small,  the  Republi- 
can wave  in  that  section  virtually  sweeping  Know 
Kothingism  out  of  existence.  Relatively  to  popula- 
tion the  greater  part  of  his  strength  was  in  the 
South,  where  he  got  a  large  portion  of  the  vote  of 
the  defunct  Whig  party.  He  secured  only  eight 
electoral  votes,  however,  those  of  Maryland.  Fill- 
more's popular  vote  was  the  largest  ever  polled  by 
a  "third"  party  candidate,  except  by  James  B. 
"Weaver  in  1892,  whose  total  that  year  was  1,041,028. 
—Ibid. 


political  purposes.  The  influence  of  the 
Loyal  Orange  Association  was  shown  in  it. 
Its  membership  and  branches  were  never 
numerous  and  it  is  now  dormant,  if  not 
practically  extinct. 

Lady  True  Blues. — Name  by  which 
the  women's  auxiliary  of  the  Loyal  Orange 
Association  in  Canada  is  known.  (See  the 
latter.) 

Lady  True  Blues  of  the  World. — A  se- 
cret society  of  women,  having  objects  much 
the  same  as  those  of  the  Loyal  Women  of 
American  Liberty.  It  had  quite  a  vogue 
among  women  sympathizers  with  the  pa- 
triotic Protestant  secret  and  non-secret 
orders  which  were  established  in  the  two 
decades  following  the  Civil  War.  (See  Loyal 
Women  of  American  Liberty ;  Ladies  of 
Abraham  Lincoln,  and  Patriotic  League  of 
the  Eevolution.) 

Loyal  Kuiglits  of  America. — Founded 
at  Wilkesbarre,  Pa.,  in  1890,  by  the  se- 
cession of  the  Junior  American  Protestant 
Association  from  the  American  Protestant 
Association.  It  is,  like  the  parent  organ- 
ization, a  strongly  anti-Roman  Catholic 
secret  society,  but  has  a  comparatively  small 
membership.  (See  American  Protestant 
Association.) 

Loyal  Men  of  American  Liberty. — 
Founded  at  Boston,  in  1890,  with  fifty 
members.  Its  objects  may  be  inferred  from 
its  title.  It  is  presumed  to  have  been  in 
sympathy  with  the  spirit  of  Americanism 
which  has  been  prominent  in  party  politics 
since  its  birth.  Nothing  is  known  of  its 
career,  or  whether  it  still  exists. 

Loyal  Orange  Institution. — A  British, 
political  secret  society,  to  which  only  Prot- 
estants are  eligible,  organized  into  lodges 
at  Armagh,  Ireland,  in  1795,  just  after  the 
battle  of  the  Diamond,  one  hundred  and 
five  years  after  William  III.,  Prince  of 
Orange,  led  European  Protestantism  against 
James  11.  at  the  battle  of  Boyne.  The  ob- 
jects of  the  society  are  not  only  to  champion 
the  religious  issues  which  William,  Prince 
of  Orange,  represented,  but  to  encourage 


LOYAL   ORANGE   ASSOCIATION 


307 


loyalty  to  the  occupant  of  the  British  throne 
so  long  as  he  or  she  sliall  remain  of  the 
Protestant  faith;  to  support  and  defend  the 
British  Government  and  to  maintain  the  in- 
tegrity of  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland.  In  the  United  States, 
the  only  country  other  than  the  British  Em- 
pire in  which  the  organization  has  an  exist- 
ence, its  objects  are  to  promote  civil  and  re- 
ligious liberty  and  loyalty  to  the  United 
States.  In  some  respects  the  Association  in 
the  United  States  parallels  or  is  paralleled 
by  a  number  of  the  more  conspicuous  2)atri- 
otic  orders,  of  which  the  American  Protec- 
tive Association,  the  Junior  Order  of  United 
American  Mechanics,  and  the  Patriotic  Or- 
der, Sons  of  America  are  illustrations.  (vSee 
the  latter.)  The  battle  of  the  Diamond  in 
1795  Avas  an  outcome  of  the  constant  war- 
fare between  the  Roman  Catholic  Ribbon- 
men  and  the  Protestant  Peep-o'-Day  Boys, 
which  had  raged  for  years.  The  Protestant 
and  Roman  Catholic  peasantry  were  fre- 
quently embroiled  long  prior  to  1795,  and 
it  is  doubtful  whether  the  crystallization  of 
the  Irish  Protestant  movement  into  a  politi- 
cal secret  society  tended  to  render  conflicts 
between  the  two  parties  less  frequent. 

Blood  was  shed  at  a  fight  between  the 
Orange  and  Catholic  Associations  in  the 
north  of  Ireland  iji  1828,  and  on  July  12, 
1829,  the  anniversary  of  the  battle  of  Boyne, 
the  military  was  called  out  to  suppress 
a  similar  disturbance.  A  Parliamentary 
investigation  revealed  numerous  Orange 
Lodges  attached  to  Irish  regiments  in  1836, 
whereupon  the  Imperial  Grand  Master, 
Duke  of  Cumberland,  felt  compelled  to  dis- 
solve the  Association  in  Ireland,  but  it  was 
revived  nine  years  later.  When  the  Prince 
of  "Wales  visited  the  Canadian  Dominion  in 
1860,  where  the  Loyal  Orange  Institution 
had  been  established  since  1829,  he  was 
greeted  by  them  enthusiastically  and  sev- 
eral efforts  were  made  to  induce  him  to  pass 
under  arches  decorated  with  Orange  em- 
blems, which,  a  chronicler  says.  His  Royal 
Highness    diplomatically     refrained    from 


doing.  On  July  12, 1871,  parading  Orange- 
men in  Xew  York  city  were  attacked  by 
Irish  Roman  Catholics,  and  the  riot  which 
resulted  was  suppressed  by  the  military  only 
after  the  loss  of  sixty  lives. 

As  the  first  certificates  of  membership  in 
the  original  Armagh  Orange  Lodge  were 
signed  by  James  Sloan,  it  is  believed  that  was 
the  name  of  the  first  Master  of  the  Lodge  as 
well  as  of  one  of  the  founders  of  the  secret 
form  of  the  Association.  An  Orange  CJrand 
^faster  in  the  Dominion  of  Canjuia  writes 
that  a  few  of  the  original  members  of  the 
Association  one  hundred  years  ago  may  have 
belonged  to  the  "  ^lasonic  Order,"  but  he 
declares  it  was  organized  without  assistance 
from  any  other  society.  It  is  also  related, 
but  with  how  much  authority  is  not  known, 
that  the  society  was  founded  by  Thomas 
Wilson,  ^' a.  clandestine  Mason,''  in  Dyou, 
County  of  Tyrone,  on  the  estate  of  Lord 
Calladon.  As  the  organization  of  the  Asso- 
ciation preceded  the  formation  of  lodges, 
it  is  probable  that  both  accounts  are  true, 
and  that  Sloan  was  a  follower  of  Wilson. 

The  period  at  which  Orange  lodges  were 
founded  was  that  in  which  the  Odd  Fellows, 
Foresters,  Druids,  Shepherds,  Gardeners, 
and  other  secret,  benevolent,  and  charitable 
fraternities  were  interdicted  by  the  authori- 
ties, in  the  fear  of  conspiracies  and  possible 
advocacy  of  treason  behind  lodge-room 
doors.  (See  English  Orders  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows; Royal  and  Ancient  Orders  of  Fores- 
ters; Knights  of  St.  John  and  Malta,  and 
the  Ancient  and  Illustrious  Order,  Knights 
of  Malta.)  The  Freemasons  alone  were  ex- 
cepted from  the  British  prohibition  of  n^eet- 
ings  of  secret  societies,  and  it  is  a  matter  of 
record  that  members  of  Orange  lodges  met, 
in  some  instances,  under  the  cover  of  bor- 
rowed Masonic  warrants.  Many  Irish  Free- 
masons were  Orangemen,  and,  in  instances, 
aided  in  carrying  the  newly-founded,  secret 
association  through  the  troublous  political 
period  in  which  it  was  born.  Freemasons 
who  are  Orangemen  easily  recognize  the 
marks  of  Masonic  craftsmen  in  the  Orange 


308 


LOYAL   ORANGE   ASSOCIATION 


Association,  as  shown  by  titles  of  officers, 
metiiods  of  recognition,  the  arrangement 
and  sources  of  some  Orange  degrees,  and 
other  important  particulars. 

The  Orange  lodge  organized  at  Armagh  in 
1705  developed  a  number  of  offshoots  within 
the  next  few  years,  and  in  1798  a  Grand 
Lodge  for  Ireland  was  formed  with  Thomas 
Verner  as  Grand  Master.  From  Ireland  the 
Association  spread  to  England,  Scotland, 
and  Wales,  to  the  Dominion  of  Canada  in 
1829,  and  subsequently  to  other  British  col- 
onies. An  Orange  lodge  was  instituted  in 
the  United  States  in  1867,  and  a  Grand 
Lodge  of  the  Loyal  Orange  Institution  for 
the  United  States  was  organized  in  1870. 
In  Great  Britain  three  or  more  lodges  are 
governed  directly  by  a  District  lodge  and 
District  lodges  by  County  Grand  lodges, 
which  are  subordinate  to  National  or  Pro- 
vincial Grand  Lodges,  these,  in  turn,  being 
subordinate  to  the  Imperial  Grand  Lodge, 
the  Imperial  Grand  Master  of  which  holds 
office  during  life  with  unusual  powers  and 
prerogatives.  Five  degrees  are  conferred, 
the  first  being  known  as  Orangeman  and  the 
fifth  as  the  Scarlet  degree,  officers  being 
chosen  from  among  members  of  the  fifth  de- 
gree. In  1795  there  was  only  one  degree, 
that  of  Orangeman,  to  which  the  Purple 
degree  was  added  in  1796,  and  later  Mark- 
man.  These  were  supplemented  with  the 
Heroine  of  Jericho,  formerly  conferred  in 
the  United  States  as  a  "  side  degree ' '  for 
Eoyal  Arch  Masons  and  their  wives,  but 
since  annulled;  and  the  fifth  or  Scarlet 
degree. 

There  is  a  collateral  organization  which 
meets  in  Chapters  or  Preceptories,  under 
the  title  Royal  Black  Knights  of  the  Camp 
of  Israel,  to  which  only  members  of  the 
Scarlet  degree  are  eligible.  The  parapher- 
nalia and  ritual  of  this  branch  are  elaborate, 
and  had  their  origin  or  inspiration  in  so- 
called  higher  Masonic  degrees.  The  gov- 
ernment of  Chapters  of  Black  Knights  par- 
allels that  of  the  Lodges  and  constitutes  a 
wheel  within  a  wheel,  the  governing  Orange 


influence.  In  the  United  Kingdom  the 
Institution  lias  exercised  vast  political  in- 
fluence during  the  past  fifty  years,  and  in 
the  Dominion  of  Canada  it  has  also  been 
identified  with  politics,  a  recent  illustration 
of  which  was  its  attitude  on  the  Manitoba 
school  question.  In  the  United  States, 
where  it  has  had  an  active  existence  for 
more  than  quarter  of  a  century,  it  has  co- 
operated with  a  number  of  the  leading 
secret  patriotic  orders,  and  on  December 
12,  1895,  its  representatives  met  with  those 
of  the  American  Protective  Association,  the 
Junior  Order  of  United  American  Mechan- 
ics, and  other  similar  bodies,  in  general 
convention  at  Washington,  D.  C,  where  a 
platform  was  adopted  and  notice  given  mem- 
bers of  both  houses  of  Congress  as  well  as 
the  representatives  of  the  great  political 
parties,  that  restricted  immigration  and  leg- 
islation against  alleged  tendencies  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  church  were  regarded  as 
essential  to  the  welfare  of  the  United  States 
by  the  thousands  of  Americans  whom  those 
organizations  represented. 

Orange  lodges  both  here  and  abroad  have 
arranged  in  some  instances  to  pay  sick  and 
death  benefits,  but  this  feature  is  not  con- 
spicuous. Following  in  the  footsteps  of  many 
charitable  and  benevolent  secret  societies, 
auxiliary  organizations  composed  of  women 
relatives  of  members  of  Orange  lodges  have 
been  formed  in  the  United  Kingdom,  the 
British  colonies,  and  in  the  United  States. 
In  the  Dominion  of  Canada  members  of 
these  sisterhoods  are  known  as  Lady  True 
Blues,  and  in  the  United  States  the  auxil- 
iary, which  was  founded  in  1876,  is  entitled 
the  Ladies'  Loyal  Orange  Association. 
There  are  more  than  15,000  members  of 
the  latter,  and  Mrs.  Margaret  Thompson,  a 
Past  Supreme  Mistress  of  the  Society,  is 
credited  with  having  founded  it.  A  Grand 
Master  of  one  of  the  Canadian  provinces 
places  the  total  membership  of  Orange 
lodges  throughout  the  world  in  1896  at  the 
surprisingly  large  total  1,450,000,  of  which 
one-third  is  credited  to  North  America,  and 


LOYAL   WOMEN   OF   AMERICAN   LIBERTY 


309 


about  75,000  to  the  United  States.  This 
society,  formed  in  honor  of  William  III., 
King  of  England  and  Prince  of  Orange, 
annually  celebrates  as  gala  days  the  anni- 
versary of  the  battle  of  Boyne,  which  took 
place  July  12,  1G90,  and  the  landing  of  Wil- 
liam III.  at  Torbay,  November  5th  in  1G88. 
These  celebrations  are  less  conspicuous  in 
the  United  Kingdom  than  formerly,  where, 
owing  to  the  frequent  outbreaks,  due  to  re- 
ligious animosity,  public  parades  of  the 
Institution  have  been  prohibited.  The 
Orange  Institution  is  the  oldest,  with  one 
exception,  possibly,  the  largest,  the  best  or- 
ganized and  most  powerful  modern  inter- 
national secret  political  organization.  In 
one  sense  it  is  the  2)arent  or  inspiration  of  a 
number  of  American  jjolitical  or  patriotic 
secret  societies,  with  which  it  maintains 
friendly  relations  and  to  which  many  of  its 
members  belong. 

Loyal  Women  of  American  Liberty. 
— Organized  in  Boston  in  1888  as  a  semi- 
secret,  patriotic,  Protestant  society  to  per- 
petuate civil  and  religious  liberty,  maintain 
separation  of  churcii  and  state,  and  to 
protest  against  the  appropriation  of  public 
money  for  sectarian  uses  and  "ecclesiastical 
intimidation  toward  citizenshi])  or  states- 
manship." Its  principles  also  included 
declarations  favoring  non-sectarian,  free, 
public  schools,  a  free  press,  a  i)ublic  com- 
mittal of  all  candidates  for  elective  offices 
to  "  American  principles  and  institutions," 
and  restricted  immigration.  An  official 
sketch  of  the  society  thus  outlines  in  part 
Avhat  led  to  its  organization : 

The  city's  (Boston's)  charitable  institutions  under 
a  board  of  directors  were  rapidly  becoming  Roman- 
ized (1887).  The  twenty-four  members  of  the 
school  committee  who  had  cliarge  of  the  educa- 
tional interests  of  the  city,  the  primary,  grammar, 
liigh,  Latin,  and  normal  schools,  were  of  tlie  fol- 
lowing religious  faitlis  :  twelve  Ronnm  Catliolics, 
eleven  Protestants,  and  one  Jew,  who  arranged  all 
business  in  the  interest  of  the  former  sect.  For 
years  the  text-books  had  been  submitted  to  the  ex- 
amination of  Jesuit  priests  and  everything  not 
suiting  them  was  expin-gated  ;  and  sucli  books  as 


Dickens'  Child's  History  of  Englaml  and  Miss 
Tliomii.son's  History  of  England  were  quietly  re- 
moved from  the  schools  because  they  contained 
articles  displeasing  to  the  inquisitors.  Compe- 
tent Protestant  teachers  were  dismissed  and  Roman 
Calliolic  teachers  put  in  their  places.  Ail  these 
tilings  were  easy  to  accomplish,  as  the  standing 
conunittee  of  tlie  School  Board  on  nominations 
was  composed  of  four  Roman  Catholics  and  one 
Protestant,  and  when  nominations  were  made  to 
the  Board,  all  Romaji  Catholic  members  were  on 
hand  to  vote  approval,  while  .several  of  the  Protes- 
tant members  were  invariably  absent. 

It  is  added  that  public  discussions  of  the 
situation  resulted  in  the  formation  of  the 
Loyal  Women  of  American  Liberty,  with  a 
membership  numbering  many  thousands, 
and  branches  throughout  New  England  and 
in  other  States.  Mrs.  Margaret  L.  She[i- 
herd,  Toronto,  Ont.,  founder  of  the  Loyal 
Protestant  Women  of  Canada,  member  of 
the  Lady  Orange  Association  of  British 
North  America,  of  the  Ladies  of  Abraham 
Lincoln  and  of  the  Lady  True  Blues  of  the 
World,  most,  or  all  of  them  secret,  patriotic, 
Protestant  societies,  is  regarded  as  the  foun- 
der of  the  Loyal  Women  of  American  Lib- 
erty. ^Irs.  I.  C.  ^lanchester.  Providence, 
R.  L,  and  Mrs.  General  X.  P.  Banks,  Wal- 
tham,  Mass.,  are  the  latest  named  National 
President  and  National  First  Vice-Presi- 
dent, respectively;  Mrs.  Mary  Livermore  of 
Boston,  Second  Vice-President,  and  Mrs. 
Stella  Archer,  Boston,  Natioiud  Secretary. 
Mrs.  Shejiherd  was  born  in  India,  but  has 
lived  most  of  her  life  in  Canada  and  in  the 
United  States,  where  she  has  become  known 
as  '*  patriotic  and  political  lecturer  and 
author."  Women  of  the  lloman  Catholic 
faith  and  Protestant  or  other  non-Catholic 
women  whose  Inisbands  are  Ronnm  Catho- 
lics are  not  eligible  to  membershij)  in  the 
Loyal  Womt-n  of  American  Liberty,  mem- 
bers of  which  are  pledged  "not  to  assist 
the  Roman  Catholic  clergy  or  their  institu- 
tions." The  Loyal  Women  of  American 
Liberty,  which  may  be  fairly  characterized 
as  an  American  organization  of  Orange  an- 
cestry, admits  men  to  honorary  membership. 


310 


MINUTE   MEN   OF   1890 


Minute  Men  of  1890.— See  Order  of 
the  Ainericau  Union. 

Minute  Men  of  96. — Founded  at  Wash- 
ington, D.  C,  in  1896,  by  M.  J.  Bishop, 
General  Worthy  Foreman  of  the  Knights  of 
Labor  of  America,  and  A.  E.  Redstone,  as  a 
secret,  oath-bound  society  of  industrial  and 
other  employes  "to  resist  the  'intimida- 
tion '  and  '  coercion  '  of  corporations  in  the 
matter  of  voting."  Bishop  was  General 
Commander  of  the  Minute  Men  and  Red- 
stone Adjutant  General.  The  movement 
was  declared  to  be  the  outcome  of  an  effort 
by  the  managers  of  the  Bryan  presidential 
campaign  to  control  the  labor  vote.  It  was 
short  lived. 

National  Assembly  Patriotic  League. 
— Organized  in  February,  1895,  by  seceding 
Illinois  members  of  and  in  opposition  to 
the  American  Protective  Association.  (See 
the  latter.) 

National  Order  of  Videttes. — This  so- 
ciety was  sometimes  called  the  Order  of 
Thirteen.  It  had  "Equality,  Liberty,  and 
Fraternity  "  for  its  motto.  It  was  organized 
b}'^  Texas  farmers  during  the  summer  of 
1886,  and  spread  rapidly.  George  W.  Pike 
was  sent  on  an  organizing  tour  through 
other  States.  By  December  it  had  been  es- 
tablished in  Indiana,  Ohio,  Kansas,  Mis- 
souri, Iowa,  and  Illinois  in  addition  to  Texas. 
Its  declaration  of  principles  was  as  follows: 

To  maintain  tlie  Declaration  of  Independence  as 
the  foundation  of  our  principles,  the  preservation 
of  our  country  from  foreign  influence  in  our  mone- 
tary and  land  systems  ;  no  membership  with  those 
who  hold  allegiance  to  any  foreign  ])ower  while 
claiming  citizenship  ;  opposition  to  contract  pauper 
immigration  ;  our  own  industries,  first,  last,  and 
always  ;  our  public  school  system  shall  be  main- 
tained and  improved  ;  no  sectarian  interference 
from  any  source  ;  no  division  of  the  public  funds 
for  sectarian  schools  ;  no  special  privileges  for  any 
class,  but  just  and  equitable  laws  for  all  ;  the  owner- 
ship of  homes  ;  homes  for  the  homeless,  land  for 
the  landless  ;  a  complete  and  perfect  union  ;  one 
government  and  one  flag  ;  equal  rights  for  all  ; 
equality,  fraternity — the  climax  of  our  hopes. 

The  Order  was  organized  on  a  military 
basis.    State   organizations   being   brigades. 


divided  into  regiments  and  companies.  The 
national  body  held  a  convention  of  the  Su- 
preme Inside  Circle  at  St.  Louis  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1887,  and  again  in  1889.  At  the 
first,  seven  States  were  represented,  and  at 
the  second,  thirteen,  with  progress  reported 
from  five  more.  The  membership  in  April, 
1888,  was  said  to  have  been  500,000,  but 
Avhile  it  was  very  large,  it  was  undoubtedly 
much  smaller  than  that.  The  American 
Protective  Association,  founded  in  1887, 
which  appeared  to  sweep  into  its  ranks  al- 
most all  active  native  American  and  anti- 
Roman  Catholic  sentiment  between  1S88 
and  1897,  is  evidently  responsible  for  the 
sudden  disappearance  of  the  National  Order 
of  Videttes.  It  M^as  last  heard  of  in  Kan- 
sas, but  is  now  believed  to  be  practically  ex- 
tinct. Its  brief  and  almost  meteoric  career 
was  based  on  the  exploitation  of  sentiments 
which  animate  the  Patrons  of  Husbandry, 
the  Grange,  and  various  American  patriotic 
societies,  in  the  face  of  the  heavy  immigra- 
tion between  1880  and  1885,  and  the  promi- 
nence then  given  to  the  question  of  division 
of  public  school  funds. 

Native  Sons  of  America. — A  patriotic 
secret  organization  which  enjoyed  a  brief 
existence  between  1850  and  1856.  It  was  a 
result  of  the  outburst  of  nativism  which 
gave  rise  to  the  Know  Nothing  part}",  within 
which  it  is  supposed  to  have  disappeared. 

Order  of  American  Freemen. — Or- 
ganized in  Pennsylvania  in  1884  b\'  members 
of  thirteen  seceding  lodges  of  the  Ameri- 
can Protestant  Association .  A  secret  society 
of  strongly  anti-Roman  Catholic  tendencies 
similar  to  the  Loyal  Orange  Association. 
(See  American  Protestant  Association.) 

Order  of  Native  Amei'icans. — An 
American  patriotic  secret  society  organized 
at  San  Jose,  Cal.,  some  years  after  the  close 
of  the  Civil  War,  by  W.  J.  D.  Hambly, 
who  prepared  its  ritual.  It  was  his  design 
to  present,  in  picturesque  degree  work, 
America  in  three  decades:  First,  before 
the  Revolutionary  struggle;  second,  at 
some  period  between  the  Revolutionary  and 


ORDER   OF   UNITED   AMERICAN   MECHANICS 


311 


Civil  "Wars,  and,  third,  during  and  since  the 
Civil  "War.  The  lessons,  charges,  addresses, 
and  all  the  seci'et  work,  including  the  signs, 
salutes,  passwords,  etc.,  were  designed  to 
teach  lessons  of  American  history.  Both 
men  and  women  were  admitted  to  member- 
ship, and  the  society  liad  the  reputation 
of  being  made  up  largely  of  those  who  called 
themselves  agnostics.  It  is  not  known 
whether  it  survives. 

Order  of  Uncle  Sam. — See  Know  Noth- 
ing Party. 

Order  of  United  American  Mechan- 
ics.— A  patriotic,  social,  fraternal,  and  be- 
nevolent secret  association  of  white  male 
native  citizens,  founded  at  Philadelphia, 
Pa.,  JiTly  8,  1845.  Only  those  born  in 
the  United  States  of  America  or  under  its 
flag  and  eighteen  or  more  years  of  age,  are 
eligible  to  membership.  It  "  stands  for  the 
public  school  with  the  American  flag  over 
it,  and  against  the  union  of  church  and 
state."  Its  professed  objects  are  to  assist 
members  in  business  and  in  obtaining  em- 
ployment, to  aid  widows  and  orphans  of 
deceased  members,  to  relieve  the  wants  of 
members  who  may  be  incapable  of  follow- 
ing their  usual  vocations,  to  defend  its  ad- 
herents "from  injurious  competition"  of 
immigrants  and  the  government  ''from 
their  corrupting  influence."  Xotwithstand- 
ing  this,  "  nothing  of  a  political  or  sectarian 
character"  is  allowed  at  its  convocations. 
It  denies  a  desire  "'  to  proscribe  the  for- 
eigner," and  "extends  him  a  cordial  wel- 
come," but  demands  that  the  immigrant 
shall  keep  his  "  hands  off  our  rights  and  priv- 
ileges "  until  legally  entitled  to  them.* 

Eeference  to  accounts  of  the  Improved  Oi-- 
der  of  Red  Men,  Sons  of  Liberty,  Sons  of 

*  A  sympathizer  with  the  society  adds  :  "  It  does 
not  forget  that  our  land  should  be  an  asylum  for 
the  oppressed  of  all  nations,  but  claims  that  when 
they  seek  it  as  an  asylum,  tlioy  should  conform 
to  our  customs  and  institutions  and  obey  our  laws, 
and  not  establish  distinct  nationalities,  or  seek  to 
enfjnift  any  of  the  customs  and  laws  of  the  down- 
trodden countries  of  the  old  world,  and  thereby 
become  a  stumbling-block  to  our  national  progress." 


St.  Tamina,  and  the  Society  of  Red  Men 
will  explain  how  the  Order  of  United  Ameri- 
can Mechanics  became  the  residuary  legatee 
of  these  patriotic  American  secret  societies. 
The  Sons  of  Liberty,  1704-83,  was,  first, 
a  protest  against  British  j)olicy  in  the 
American  colonies,  and  afterwards  stood 
for  independence.  The  Sons  of  St.  Tamina, 
1771-1810,  embodied  the  sentiments  which 
made  the  Revolution  possible,  and  later  be- 
came the  conservator  of  popular  patriotism, 
antagonizing  the  threatened  dominance  of 
the  military  over  civilians,  the  plan  to  cre- 
ate a  dictatorship  or  a  presidency  for  life, 
and  the  prominence  of  an  aristocracy,  fore- 
shadowed in  the  activity  of  the  Tory  element 
and  in  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati  with 
its  hereditary  membership  and  alleged  un- 
republican  tendencies.  Tamina,  or  Tam- 
many, societies  also  sided  against  the  for- 
eign influences  in  domestic  politics,  which 
resulted  from  increasing  immigration  toward 
the  close  of  the  last  century  and  produced 
the  alien  and  sedition  laws  of  1798;  and 
they  were  active  in  combating  what  they 
believed  to  be  the  attack  on  true  religion  in 
the  teachings  of  Paine,  Rousseau,  and  "\'ol- 
taire.  In  this  nuiy  be  found  the  germs  of 
"America  for  Americans,"  and  defence  of 
a  Protestant  Christian  faith,  which  in  vari- 
ous forms  have  characterized  American  po- 
litical or  patriotic  secret  societies  in  the  last 
half  century.  The  Society  of  Red  Men, 
1813-32,  carried  forward  "  American- 
ism"  and  "defence  of  the  country"  for 
nineteen  years,  when  the  dominance  of 
conviviality  among  its  members,  anti-se- 
cret society  sentiment  due  to  the  anti-Ma- 
sonic agitation  and  other  influences  caused 
its  death.  The  Improved  Order  of  Red 
'Men,  which  followed,  exists  to  this  day.  It 
was  and  is  a  secret,  charitable,  and  bene- 
ficiary organization  without  political  fea- 
tures. It  inherited  traditions  and  ceremo- 
nials used  by  the  societies  named  through 
members  of  some  of  them  who  were  among 
the  original  Red  ^Fen  in  1834.  But  while 
nearly  all  political  Red  Men  had  disappeared 


312 


ORDER   OF   UNITED   AMERICAN   MECHANICS 


in  1834,  the  sentiment  which  they  created 
was  stiJl  active  among  surviving  members 
in  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  Delaware  and 
New  York.*     One  year  later  this  showed 

*  Nativistic  feeling  began  to  reveal  itself  very 
earlv  in  the  career  of  the  United  States  as  a  nation. 
In  tlic  large  cities  like  Philadelphia  and  New  York, 
in  which  tlic  alien  element  early  became  active  and 
powerful,  demonstrations  against  it  by  native-born 
citizens  were  particularly  frequent.  A  consider- 
able part  of  the  immigrants  to  this  country  in  the 
dozen  years  succeeding  the  close  of  the  American 
war  for  independence  were  refugees  from  the 
British  islands  and  France.  With  a  natural  hos- 
tility to  the  tyranny  from  which  they  fled,  both 
classes  of  immigrants  took  the  side  of  the  revolu- 
tionary regime  of  France  which  overthrew  the 
Bourbons,  and  in  the  war  between  that  regime  and 
England  they  were  against  England.  They  sought 
to  force  the  United  States  into  the  war  on  the  side 
of  France,  but  President  Washington  wisely  de- 
cided on  a  course  of  rigid  neutrality  between  the 
combatants,  and  established  the  principle  which 
has  been  consistently  adhered  to  by  the  country 
ever  since,  of  non-interference  in  the  old  world's 
quarrels.  Washington,  though  not  a  rabid  par- 
tisan, was  a  Federalist  in  his  convictions  and  sym- 
pathies, and  he  was  backed  by  that  parly — the 
party  of  HaraiTton,  Adams,  Pickering,  and  the 
Pinckneys — in  this  policy,  as  in  all  others  of  his 
administration.  The  opposing  organization,  which 
was  first  called  anti-Federalist,  which  Jefferson 
desired  to  be  termed  Eepublican,  which  -ft'as  offi- 
cially designated  Democratic-Republican  from  1793 
to  1828,  which  has  been  known  as  Democratic  ever 
since,  and  which  at  that  period  had  for  its  leaders 
Jefferson,  Madiiton,  and  Edmund  Randolph,  fa- 
vored interference  by  the  United  States  in  behalf  of 
France.  The  Democratic-Republicans  called  the 
Federalists  monarchists,  and  these  retorted  by 
stigmatizing  the  others  as  Jacobins.  Balked  in 
their  purpose  to  involve  this  country  in  a  Avar 
against  England,  the  refugees  violently  assailed 
the  Administration,  and  the  Federalists  retaliated 
by  passing  the  alien  and  sedition  laws  in  1798,  in 
Adam.s"s  term  in  the  Presidency.  The  alien  laws 
lengthened  the  period  of  residence  for  naturaliza- 
tion from  five  to  fourteen  years  and  armed  the 
President  with  power  to  send  any  alien  deemed 
dangerous  to  the  public  peace  out  of  the  country, 
while  the  sedition  act  imposed  heavy  penalties  for 
any  scandalous  attacks,  written  or  printed,  on  Con- 
gress or  the  President.  The  Democratic-Repub- 
licans fiercely  attacked  this  legislation,  and,  aided 
by   the   quarrels   of    Adams   and   Hamilton,    they 


itself  in  the  appearance  at  New  York  city 
of  a  non-secret,  native  American  political 
party,  and  in  1837  there  was  a  similar  mani- 
festation  at   Philadelphia,    both   of    which 

overthrew  the  Federal  party  in  1800,  and  that 
organization  never  won  another  national  battle. 
These  events  determined  the  partisan  leanings  of 
the  aliens.  They  swore  eternal  enmity  to  the 
Federal  party  and  eternal  fealty  to  the  Republican. 
From  that  time  onward,  almost  to  our  day,  the 
great  bulk  of  the  foreigners  have  been  against  the 
Federalists  and  their  successors,  the  National  Re- 
publicans, Whigs  and  Republicans,  and  have  been 
on  the  side  of  the  Democratic-Republicans  and 
their  progeny,  the  Democrats.  The  exceptions  to 
this  rule  have  been  among  the  Germans  of  the 
West  in  the  past  third  of  a  century,  and  the  Scan- 
dinavians in  the  same  section,  who  have  been  a 
later  addition  to  the  country's  population.  Of 
each  of  these  elements  a  majority  in  the  Western 
States  have  always  been  Republicans. 

By  usually  throwing  their  weight  on  the  same 
side  of  the  scale,  the  Democratic  side,  the  aliens 
decided  elections,  commanded  "recognition"  and 
secured  important  offices.  As  they  were,  as  a 
class,  the  most  ignorant,  turbulent,  and  corrupt 
element  of  the  population,  they  brought  misgovern- 
ment,  scandal,  and  general  political  demoraliza- 
tion. Then  the  native-born  citizens,  chiefly  in  the 
large  cities,  in  which  the  aliens  were  most  numer- 
ous and  active,  started  to  combine  against  them, 
and  nativistic  demonstrations  began.  In  1823 
tales  of  dark  designs  by  Roman  Catholic  European 
nations  on  the  political  and  religious  liberty  of  the 
United  States  began  to  be  heard  in  this  country  and 
found  ready  credence  in  some  quarters.  Then  the 
anti-alien  sentiment  took  on  an  anti-Catholic  phase, 
and  this  it  lias  largely  retained  to  the  present  day. 
— Nativism  in  Politics,  by  Charles  M.  Harvey,  in 
the  St.  Louis  "Globe-Democrat,"  February  24, 1895. 

Mr.  Henry  Baldwin,  custodian  of  the  Library 
Americana,  New  Haven,  writes  :  "In  1834  the 
'Letters  of  Brutus'  were  published  in  the  New 
York  '  Observer.'  They  purported  to  give  an 
exposition  of  a  '  conspiracy  to  destroy  the  United 
States,'  acting  through  an  organization  at  Vienna, 
Austria,  called  the  '  St.  Leopold's  Foundation,* 
which  had  the  Emperor  Ferdinand  Y.  as  its  patron  ; 
his  Prime  Minister,  Prince  Metternich,  as  its  presi- 
dent, and  Bishop  Fenwick  of  Cincinnati  as  its 
American  agent.  Doubtless  the  publication  of 
these  letters  led  to  the  organization  of  the  native 
American  party  in  the  following  year,  the  antag- 
onism of  the  Roman  Catholic  Irish  and  interfer- 
ence at  public  meetings  of  Americans,  which  finally 


ORDER   OF   UNITED   AMERICAN  MECHANICS 


313 


were  short  lived.  The  spirit  wliich  animated 
earlier  noii -secret,  native  American  party 
outgivings  is  shown  by  the  following  extract 
from  a  preamble  and  constitution  adopted 
at  Germantown,  Philadelphia,  in  1837: 

While  at  the  siiiiic  time  we  invite  the  stniiiger, 
worn  down  by  oppression  at  liome,  to  come  and 
share  with  ns  the  blessings  of  our  native  land  and 
here  find  an  asylum  for  his  distress  and  parlake  of 
the  plenty  a  kind  Providence  has  so  bountifully 
given  VIS,  we  deny  his  right  (hereby  meaning  as 
foreigners  any  emigrant  who  may  hereafter  airive 
in  our  country)  to  have  a  voice  in  our  legislative 
hall,  or  his  eligibility  to  office  under  any  circum- 
stances, and  we  ask  a  repeal  of  that  naturalization 
law  which,  it  must  be  apiiarent  to  every  reflecting 
mind,  to  every  true  son  of  America,  has  become 
an  evil. 

It  would  be  difficult  at  this  distance  to 
trace  accurately  the  influence,  if  any,  of  the 
introduction  into  the  United  States  in  183G 
of  the  Roman  Catholic  charitable  and  be- 
nevolent secret  society,  the  Ancient  Order 
of  Hibernians,  but  in  view  of  the  promi- 
nence, a  few  years  later,  of  antagonism  to 
alleged  designs  of  Roman  Catholics  on  the 
public  school  system,  the  appearance  here,  in 
183G,  of  lodges  of  the  Order  of  Hibernians  is 
not  devoid  of  significance.  During  the  next 
two  or  three  years  little  was  heard  of  non- 
secret  or  secret  political  organizations,  but 
increasing  immigration,  particularly  at  Phil- 
adelphia and  New  York,  soon  revived  con- 
ditions favorable  to  them.  For  some  years 
riot  and  disorder  at  the  cities  named  had 
been  directed  against  or  caused  by  negroes, 
but  by  1843-44  the  increased  number  of 
naturalized  citizens  and  other  foreign-born 
residents,  their  prominence  in  political  cir- 
cles and  suspected  intention  of  making 
political  rewards  depend  upon  natiouality 
rather  than  merit,  aroused  a  feeling  an- 
tagonistic to  foreigners.  Xative  American 
parties  again  appeared  at  Philadelphia  and 
at  New  York  in  1843  and  gained  sufficient 

culminated  in  the  Kensington  riots  at  Philadclpliia. 
Public  meetings  being  impracticable,  Americans 
assembled  secretly  and  formed  the  first  of  the 
American  political' societies." 


strength  to  elect  James  Harper  mayor  against 
the  combined  Democratic,  which  included 
the  foreign  element,  and  Whig  vote.  Mr. 
Harper  will  also  be  recalled  as  the  founder 
of  the  publishing  house  of  Harper  Brothers. 
In  the  following  year  this  new  political  party 
disappeared,  notwithstanding  the  fact  that 
by  1844-45  not  only  "nativism,"  but  an- 
tagonism to  the  alleged  designs  of  Roman 
Catholics  had  become  distinct  political 
issues.  The  claim  was  made  that  Roman 
Catholics  in  some  States  demanded  privileges 
in  regard  to  the  education  of  children  of 
Catholic  parents  in  the  public  schools  "cal- 
culated to  arouse  animosity  among  Protes- 
tants."' In  New  York  it  was  declared  that 
the  demand  on  behalf  of  the  Roman  Catho- 
lics was  that  the  reading  of  the  Bible,  ac- 
cording to  the  King  James  vei'sion,  should 
be  prohibited  in  the  public  schools.  These 
circumstances  brought  in  sectarianism  and 
gave  an  impetns  to  the  Native  American 
party  idea,  which  a  mere  protest  against 
naturalized  foreigners  being  allowed  to  vote 
would  never  have  furnished.  Althongh  the 
New  York  native  American  party  failed  in 
1844  to  repeat  its  success  of  1843,  a  similar 
organization  at  Philadelphia,  in  1844,  found 
lodgment  in  almost  every  Avard  of  that  city. 
Late  in  1844,  while  the  mercantile  and 
manufacti;ring  interests  of  the  Quaker  City 
were  snffering  from  trade  depression,  a  great 
many  immigrants  arrived,  most  of  them 
Crermans,  and  many  in  a  destitute  condi- 
tion. American  workmen,  in  many  in- 
stances, were  discharged,  and  "green- 
horns," as  the  immigrants  were  termed, 
employed  in  their  places  at  nominal  com- 
pensation. Smarting  under  this,  Luther 
Chapin,  Richard  (i.  Howell,  George  Tucker, 
Ethan  Briggs,  John  Smulling,  and  James 
Lane  had  a  number  of  conferences,  at  which 
it  was  agreed  that  they  would  in  all  instances 
where  em])loyment  was  to  be  obtained  use 
their  influence  to  secure  places  for  Ameri- 
can-born workmen  and  that  in  making  pur- 
chases they  would  patronize  an  American 
in  preference  to  a  foreigner.     No  organiza- 


314 


ORDER   OF   UNITED   AMERICAN   MECHANICS 


tion  was  formed  at  that  time,  bi;t  in  this 
movement  is  found  the  beginning  of  that 
Avhich  afterward  led  to  tlie  formation  of  the 
patriotic,  fraternal,  and  benevolent,  secret 
Order  of  United  American  Meclianics. 
These  men  and  others  associated  with  them 
saw  the  advantages  to  be  derived  from  or- 
ganization and  obtained  permission  to  meet 
over  the  rifle  factory  of  Edward  K.  Tryon, 
No.  134  North  Second  Street,  on  July  4, 
1845.  The  conference  resulted  in  a  sub- 
scription with  which  to  rent  Jefferson  Tem- 
perance Hall  for  a  meeting  to  be  held  July 
8,  to  organize  a  protective  secret  society 
among  American  mechanics.  There  were 
about  sixty  persons  present  at  the  meeting, 
but  after  Luther  Chapin,  the  presiding 
officer,  had  stated  its  object  the  majority 
retired,  "  not  being  favorable  to  secret  so- 
cieties." Those  remaining  were  Luther 
Chapin,  Eichard  Howell  (a  Freemason), 
George  Tucker,  Ethan  Briggs,  John  Smull- 
ing  (a  Freemason),  James  Lane,  William 
Cummings,  J.  S.  Sansom,  J.  H.  Hacker, 
W.  H.  White,  William  Stevens,  John  A. 
Curry  (a  Freemason),  George  Stiles,  J.  M. 
Murray,  Jacob  G.  Baker,  Lemuel  Crosby, 
Samuel  T.  Hays,  John  C.  Hughes,  Charles 
N.  Crockett,  William  Simmons  (a  Free- 
mason), E.  H.  Deemer,  GaiTett  Mitchner, 
Joseph  Whitaker,  John  Meld  rum,  and 
James  Turner.  At  a  meeting  held  July 
15,  resolutions  were  adopted  declaring  the 
objects,  of  the  new  secret  trades  union  to  be 
those  substantially  as  set  forth  at  the  begin- 
ning of  this  article,  and  the  society  was 
named  The  American  Mechanics'  Union. 
On  July  22  the  name  was  changed  to  the 
Order  of  United  American  Mechanics  of  the 
United  States,  and  on  July  29  a  constitu- 
tion was  adopted.  At  a  meeting,  August  4, 
1845,  one  month  after  the  preliminary  con- 
ference looking  to  the  formation  of  the  so- 
ciety, a  ritual  and  an  initiatory  ceremony 
were  adopted  and  arrangements  were  made 
to  issue  an  address  to  mechanics  and  work- 
ingmen.  Meetings  were  held  at  short  in- 
tervals  and    the    society   grew   rapidly    in 


membership  and  popularity.  By  September 
2  application  was  received  to  form  a  new 
Council  to  be  called  Enterprise,  No.  2.  This 
was  granted,  and,  strange  to  sa}^  on  Sep- 
tember 9  the  mother  Council,  over  Avhich 
Luther  Chapin,  the  founder,  presided,  de- 
clared its  name  to  be  Enterprise,  No.  1.  A 
charter  was  granted  to  form  Perseverance 
Council,  No.  3,  on  October  21,  when  it  was 
also  arranged  to  establish  a  system  of  sick 
and  other  benefits  along  lines  followed,  and 
no  doubt  suggested  by  the  Independent  Or- 
der of  Odd  Fellows,  the  Improved  Order  of 
Eed  Men  and  the  United  Order  of  Druids. 
A  State  Council  was  formed  November  13, 

1845,  after  which  the  chartering  of  sub- 
ordinate Councils  was  more  rapid.  Luther 
Chapin  was  the  first  presiding  officer  of  the 
Pennsylvania  State  Council  and  as  well  of 
the   National    Council,    organized   July   3, 

1846,  when  the  society  was  one  year  old. 
Among  the  earlier  proceedings  the  follow- 
ing from  the  records  of  the  State  Council 
of  Pennsylvania,  November  16,  1849,  is 
worthy  of  a  place  here: 

Whereas,  The  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  Sons  of 
Temperance  are  about  to  contribute  a  block  of 
marble  towards  the  erection  of  the  Washington 
Monument  at  Washington,  and 

Whereas,  The  Order  of  United  American  Me- 
chanics, being  of  a  more  national  character  than 
either  of  the  above  named,  it  becomes  their  especial 
duty,  as  it  may  well  be  their  pride,  to  contribute 
their  mite  in  the  erection  of  a  testimonial  of  esteem 
to  the  Father  of  their  Country ; 

Therefore,  be  it  Resolved,  That  a  committee  of 
three  be  appointed  to  solicit  contributions  from 
subordinate  Councils,  and  to  procure  a  suitable 
block  of  marble,  with  the  emblem  of  the  order 
sculptured  thereon. 

The  society  soon  spread  to  New  Jersey 
and  Delaware.  It  has  always  been  strong  in 
Pennsylvania.  Originally  intended  for  and 
made  up  exclusively  of  operative  mechan- 
ics and  workingmen,  general  interest  in  its 
principles  and  purposes  resulted  in  a  radi- 
cal change  soon  after  it  was  formed,  and  it 
has  since  been  an  order  of  native-born 
Americans  from  every  prof  ession  and  calling. 


ORDER   OF   UNITED   AMERICAN   MECHANICS 


315 


with  wo  trades  union  iiffiliations  or  de- 
sire to  interfere  in  disputes  between  caj)i- 
tal  and  labor.  The  society's  Councils  are 
found  in  twenty-one  States  and  it  numbers 
more  than  60,000  members. 

The  square  and  comi)asses  among  its  em- 
blems, wbich  also  include  the  American 
flag  and  the  hand  and  arm  of  labor  wield- 
ing a  hammer,  suggest  Masonic  influence. 
Among  the  twenty-five  gentlemen  who  as- 
sisted at  the  founding  of  the  order,  on  July 
8,  1845,  four,  asnoted,  Smulling,  Cummings, 
Simmons,  and  Curry,  were  Freemasons. 
Hughes  became  a  member  of  the  fraternity 
in  1849,  Hay  in  1850,  Howell  in  1851  and 
Stiles  in  1853,  for  which  information  the 
writer  is  indebted  to  the  courtesy  of  the  Sec- 
retary of  the  Grand  Lodge  of  Ancient  Free 
and  Accepted  Masons  of  Pennsylvania.  Yet 
it  was  quite  natural  to  utilize  representations 
of  the  square  and  compasses  in  the  original 
organization,  which  was  one  of  mechanics 
and  workiugmeu.  The  Ancient  Order  of 
United  Workmen,  a  purely  beneficiary  se- 
cret society  formed  in  18G4,  also  presents  the 
square  and  compasses  among  its  emblems, 
and  cannot  plead  coincidence  with  equal 
propriety,  as  that  fraternity  was  the  creation 
of  one  man  and  he  a  Freemason  and  it 
never  was  composed  exclusively  of  mechan- 
ics or  laboring  men. 

The  patriotic  American  secret  societies, 
the  United  Order,  Sons  of  America,  formed 
in  Philadelphia  in  1847 ;  the  Brotherhood 
of  the  Union,  1850,  and  the  Sons  of  76, 
or  the  Order  of  the  Star  Spangled  Banner 
(which  became  the  secret  native  American 
•party  (^  1852-54,  better  known  as  the  Know 
Nothing  party),  all  find  a  direct  or  an 
indirect  origin  or  inspiration  in  the  Order 
of  United  American  Mechanics  and  all  ex- 
cept the  Know  Nothing  iKirty  are  alive  to- 
day. Members  of  the  last  named  found 
refuge  after  its  defeat  in  some  of  the  otiiers 
and  in  the  Constitutional  Union,  non-secret, 
political  party,  which  was  born  and  died 
just  prior  to  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  "War. 
Nearly  all  the  members  of   the   Order  of 


United  American  Mechanics,  of  the  Broth- 
erhood of  the  Union,  and  of  tiie  United 
Order,  Sons  of  America  affiliated  with  the 
Know  Nothing  party,  but  the  Sons  of  Amer- 
ica w^as  fairly  absorbed  by  it  and  therefore 
lost  its  identity  in  1660-61,  when  the  war 
drew  attention  away  from  questions  which 
had  dominated  the  campaigns  of  1852  and 
1856. 

After  the  war,  members  of  the  Orders 
of  Mechanics,  the  Brotherhood  of  the 
Union,  and  others,  revived  the  Sons  of 
America  and  it  is  to  them,  as  conservators 
of  nativism,  defenders  of  the  public  school 
system,  as  it  is,  and  as  opponents  of  possible 
attempts  at  union  between  church  and  state, 
that  the  domestic  patriotic  secret  societies 
of  the  past  twenty  years,  directly  or  indi- 
rectly, owe  their  existence. 

Among  the  latter,  patterned  more  or  less 
after  the  four  which  have  come  down  to 
us  through  the  last  half  century,  are  the 
Order  of  the  American  Union,  formed 
in  1873  ;  the  Templars  of  Liberty,  1881  ; 
the  Patriotic  League  of  the  Revolution, 
1882 ;  the  American  Protective  Associa- 
tion,  better  known  as   the    "A.    P.   A.," 

1887  ;  the  American  Patriot  League,  1888  ; 
the    Loyal    Women  of   American    Liberty, 

1888  ;  the  Protestant  Knights  of  America, 
1895  ;  and  the  Order  of  the  Little  Red 
School  House,  1895. 

Women's,  or  men's  and  women's  aux- 
iliaries of  some  of  these  associations  have 
been  successful  in  cooperating,  not  only  to 
propagate  ])eculiar  or  special  views  held, 
but  in  rendering  more  attractive  the  so- 
cial side  of  the  organizations.  Prominent 
among  such  are  the  Daughters  of  Liberty, 
auxiliary  to  it,  and  tiie  Junior  Order  of 
United  American  Mechanics  ;  Daughters  of 
America,  also  affiliated  with  the  Junior  Or- 
der ;  the  Women's  Historical  Society,  with 
the  American  Protective  Association,  and 
the  Daughters  of  Columbia,  connected  with 
the  American  Patriot  League.  In  order  to 
bring  the  genealogical  tree  of  the  family  of 
American  })atriotic  secret  societies  down  to 


316 


ORDER   OF   UNITED   AMERICAN   MECHANICS 


date  it  is  necessary  to  add  the  names  of 
some  of  the  more  important  which,  whether 
l)atriotic  merely,  or  patriotic  and  political, 
or  wliether  having  a  partisan,  political  rea- 
son for  existence,  are,  nevertheless,  the  off- 
spring directly  or  indirectly  of  the  four 
whicli  have  come  down  from  the  middle  of 
the  century  and  which  through  earlier, 
similar  societies,  date  back  to  the  decade 
prior  to  the  War  of  the  Kevolution.  Con- 
spicuous among  them  were  the  now  extinct 
Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle,  with  its  revo- 
lutionary designs  prior  to  and  during  the 
Civil  War;  the  Ku-Klux-Klan,  which  fol- 
lowed the  Civil  War  ;  the  Southern  politi- 
cal, agricultural  secret  association  known 
as  the  Wheel,  which  gave  birth  in  1867  to 
the  Grange,  and  it,  in  1880,  to  the  Farmers^ 
Alliance,  after  which  may  be  named  the 
Knights  of  Keciprocity,  1890  ;  the  (mod- 
ern) Sons  of  Liberty,  which  is  extinct  ; 
the  Indian  Kepublican  League,  1893  ; 
American  Knights  of  Protection,  1894  ; 
Protestant  Knigiits  of  America,  1895  ;  the 
National  Assembly,  Patriotic  League,  a 
schismatic  branch  of  the  "A.  P.  A.,"  1895  ; 
the  Patriots  of  America,  1895,  and  the 
Silver  Knights  of  America,  1896,  organ- 
ized to  carry  on  a  free-coinage-of-silver 
propaganda,  and,  finally,  the  Silver  Ladies 
of  America,  formed  in  1896. 

The  Junior  Order  of  United  American 
Mechanics  was  organized  in  1853  as  a 
juvenile  branch  of  the  parent  Mechanics, 
to  admit  youths  and  train  them  to  become 
members  of  the  latter  on  arriving  at  the 
required  age.  But  by  1885  the  Junior  or- 
der became  so  strong  and  its  membership  so 
large,  that  it  terminated  its  dependent  rela- 
tionship and  became  what  it  has  since  re- 
mained, an  independent,  patriotic,  frater- 
nal, secret  society,  with  name,  emblems, 
objects  and  principles  like  those  of  the 
Order  of  United  American  Mechanics.  Its 
membership  is  nearly  200,000,  much  more 
than  twice  that  of  the  parent  organization. 

The  men  and  women's  auxiliary  to  the 
Order    of    United    American    Mechanics, 


known  as  the  Daughters  of  Liberty,  origi- 
nated with  Columbia  Council  at  Meriden, 
Conn.,  in  January,  1875.  It  was  designed 
merely  to  assist  Columbia  Council  in  its 
work,  but  its  usefulness  was  such  that  in  a 
short  time  Councils  of  Daughters  of  Lib- 
erty were  instituted  at  Bridgeport  and  New 
Haven,  .Conn.,  whence  they  spread  to  New 
Jersey,  New  York,  Massachusetts  and  a 
dozen  other  States.  All  members  of  Coun- 
cils of  the  Order  of  United  American  Me- 
chanics in  good  standing,  and  any  native- 
born  American  white  woman  of  sixteen  years 
of  age  or  over,  are  eligible  to  membership. 
There  are  more  than  30,000  members  of 
Councils  of  Daughters  of  Liberty.  The  ob- 
jects of  the  auxiliary  society  are  to  j^romote 
social  intercourse,  seek  mutual  improve- 
ment, to  visit  the  sick  and  distressed, 
"  perpetuate  American  principles  in  con- 
junction with  the  Order  of  United  American 
Mechanics,  and  to  promote  the  happiness  and 
prosperity  of  the  Order  in  general. "" 

The  funeral  benefit  department  of  the 
parent  order  is  in  the  hands  of  individual 
Councils.  It  i^rovides  for  the  payment,  by 
means  of  assessments,  of  $300  at  the  deaths 
of  those  entitled  to  the  same.  There  is 
also  an  insurance  dei3artment,  controlled 
by  the  National  Council  and  an  Advisory 
Board,  providing  for  payments  of  $1,000  to 
legal  representatives  of  deceased  members. 
The  benefit  fund  is  provided  for  by  assess- 
ments on  those  who  choose  to  take  ad- 
vantage of  this  feature  of  the  work  of  the 
Order. 

The  Loyal  Legion  of  United  American 
Mechanics  is  its  uniformed  division.  It 
was  established  by  the  National  Council  in 
1886,  and  in  addition  to  handsome  uni- 
forms, an  elaborate  drill  and  sword  manual, 
it  has  an  organization  of  its  own,  with 
ritual  and  ceremonials  not  entirely  disasso- 
ciated from  like  apjDendages  to  the  Indepen- 
dent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  and  the  Foresters  of  x\merica,  all 
of  which  have  been  in  part  the  outcome  of 
a  spirit  of  emulation  of   Masonic  Knights 


ORDER   OF   THE    AMERICAN   UNION 


317 


Templars.  Next  to  the  Improved  Order 
of  Red  Men,  whicli  traces  its  ancestry  back 
into  the  eighteenth  century,  exclusive  of  the 
Sons  of  Temperance,  founded  at  New  York 
city  in  1842,  and  of  a  number  of  the  better 
known  college,  or  Greek-letter,  fraternities, 
the  Order  of  United  American  Mechanics 
remains  the  oldest  existing  secret  society  of 
domestic  origin. 

Order  of  the  Aiuericaii  Shield. — See 
Order  of  the  American  Union. 

Order  of  the  Aiuerican  Star. — A 
native  American  secret  society  formed  at 
New  York  city  in  1853-54.  Also  known  as 
Templars  Order,  etc.;  Free  and  Accepted 
Americans,  originally  as  True  Brethren, 
and  afterwards  as  AVide  Awakes.  (See 
Templars  Order  of  the  American  Star, 
etc.) 

Order  of  the  American  Union. — 
Formed  in  New  York  city,  in  1873,  by  the 
union  of  the  Order  of  the  American  Shield, 
a  Ninth  Ward  patriotic  secret  society,  and  a 
similar  organization  from  the  east  side  of  the 
city,  of  which  Dr.  J.  G.  Wilson  and  Andrew 
Powell  were  the  respective  heads,  under  the 
title  as  given  above.  Its  objects  were  to 
preserve  constitutional  liberty  and  maintain 
the  government  of  the  United  States  ;  an- 
tagonism to  religio-political  organizations, 
particularly  '*  the  Eoman  hierarchy  ;"'  opjio- 
sition  to  tiie  appointment  of  men  to  public 
office  who  owe  allegiance  to  any  foreign 
potentate  or  power  and  to  the  appropriation 
of  public  funds  for  any  sectarian  purpose, 
and  the  maintenance  of  unsectarian  free 
schools.  The  Union  is  described  as  having 
been  "  very  secret,"  and  its  total  maximum 
membership,  about  1890,  is  said  to  have 
been  nearly  1,500,000.  There  were  no 
beneficiary  or  insurance  features,  and,  as 
may  be  presumed,  only  Protestants  were 
eligible  to  membership.  It  was  not  usual 
to  hold  regular  or  stated  meetings,  and  the 
subject  of  dues  was,  therefore,  insignificant, 
in  view  of  which  it  is  probable  the  estimate  of 
total  available  membership  is  overstated.  In 
1878   or  1879,   what  was  alleged   to   have 


been  an  expose  of  the  Order  was  published, 
which  caused  it  to  disintegrafe  rapidly;  but 
it  was  reorganized  in  1881  and  renewed  its 
former  prosi)crity  under  various  titles,  among 
them  the  United  Order  of  Deputies  and  the 
Minute  Men  of  1890.  Like  the  American 
Patriot  League  and  other  patriotic  orders 
of  late  years,  the  Order  of  tlie  American 
Union  was  finally  practically  absorbed  by 
the  American  Protective  Association.  Its 
present  existence  is  believed  to  be  in  name 
only. 

Order  of  the  Little  Red  School 
House. — Founded  at  Boston,  in  August, 
1895,  by  members  of  the  American  Protec- 
tive Association,  and  others,  one  of  the 
fruits,  apparently,  of  the  riot  at  East  Bos- 
ton, July  4,  1895,  in  which  American 
Protective  Association  paraders  and  non- 
sympathetic  spectators  were  engaged.  The 
first  brancii  was  known  as  Boston  Tea  Party 
School,  No.  1,  and  Schools  in  each  State 
were  to  be  governed  by  a  Seminary,  as  the 
State  organization  was  to  be  called.  The 
names  of  the  new  jmtriotic  Order's  chief 
officers  were,  respectively,  Dominie,  Usher, 
Monitor,  Critic,  Cryer,  etc.,  and  its  ritual 
was  announced  to  be  one  of  the  most  elabo- 
rate of  like  modern  societies.  It  sought  to 
educate  the  young,  to  inspire  the  hearts  of 
loyal  men  and  women  both  in  school  and  at 
the  fireside  with  a  greater  love  for  ''Old 
Glory,*'  a  grander  reverence  for  the  "  Little 
Red  School  House,"  and  to  spread  abroad  the 
sentiments,  America  for  Americans  and  no 
foreign  interference. 

The  Order  welcomed  all,  whether  Ameri- 
can or  alien,  black  or  white,  Jew  or 
Gentile,  Catholic  or  Mohammedan,  if 
they  could  "stand  shoulder  to  shoulder 
with  us  and  take  our  solemn  oath."  Devo- 
tion to  the  American  flag  and  American 
institutions  was  to  characterize  its  demand 
of  applicants.  This  new  patriotic  Order, 
has  had  only  a  moderate  growth,  mostly  in 
the  New  England  States. 

Order  of  United  Americans. — One  of 
the  earlier  of  the  native  American,  patriotic. 


318 


ORDER   OF  THE   LITTLE    RED   SCHOOL   HOUSE 


secret  organizations  which  sprung  into  ex- 
istence in  the  decade  following  the  election 
of  James  Harper  as  mayor  of  New  York  city 
on  a  native  Aroerican  ticket  in  1843.  It 
was  founded  at  New  York  city  in  1844  by 
Russell  C.  Eoot  and  thirteen  associates,  who 
established  Alpha  Chapter,  No.  1,  of  the 
American  Brotherhood,  as  the  society  was 
then  called.  Pioneer  Chapter,  No.  1,  of 
New  Jersey  was  organized  in  1848,  but 
Hancock  Chapter,  No.  1,  of  Massachusetts 
was  at  work  as  early  as  1845.  The  original 
chapter  in  Connecticut  was  Roger  Sherman, 
No.  1,  and  that  in  Pennsylvania,  Keystone, 
No.  1.  The  strength  of  the  movement  may 
be  inferred  from  the  planting  of  Eureka 
Chapter  in  California  as  early  as  1850.  In 
1851  and  1852  the  Order  was  popular  and 
grew  in  membership  rapidly.  It  published 
a  magazine  during  the  years  named  which, 
in  December,  1852,  reported  sixty-two  chap- 
ters of  the  Order  of  United  Americans  in  New 
York  State,  fourteen  in  New  Jersey,  five  in 
Connecticut,  and  one  in  Massachusetts.  Its 
system  of  naming  chapters  would  suggest 
the  presence  of  college  fraternity  men  among 
the  gentlemen  who,  at  the  residence  of  Mr. 
Root  on  Second  Avenue,  New  York,  De- 
cember 21,  1844,  established  Alpha  Chap- 
ter, No.  1.  But  it  is  even  more  likely  that 
leaders  in  the  Order  had  been  members  of 
the  political  society  of  Red  Men  which  died 
a  dozen  years  before ;  or  of  Tammany  Hall, 
New  York  city,  an  outgrowth  from  the 
same  organizations  which  produced  the 
Society  of  Red  Men.  The  Order  of  United 
Americans,  as  it  soon  came  to  be  known,  is 
practically  extinct,  but  until  quite  recently, 
members  of  Washington  Chapter,  New 
York  city,  of  which  Charles  E.  Gilder- 
sleeve  is  or  was  Sachem,  met  regularly  to 
celebrate  Washington's  birthday  and  renew 
old  friendships.  Members  of  the  Order 
were  early  to  discover  the  political  possibili- 
ties of  a  new  political,  secret  society,  that 
which  ultimately  became  known  as  the 
Know  Nothing  party,  and  took  a  prominent 
part  in  building  up  that  marvellous  political 


engine.     (See  Know  Nothing  party  ;  also 
Order  United  American  Mechanics.) 

Order  of  United  Americans. — A  re- 
cently formed  patriotic  and  beneficiary  so- 
ciety for  men  and  women.  The  first  annual 
convention  of  its  Orand  Temple  was  held 
at  Philadelphia  in  1897,  at  which  delegates 
were  present  from  various  points  in  Penn- 
sylvania and  New  Jersey. 

Patriotic  Daughters  of  America. — 
A  patriotic,  social,  secret  society  formed  in 
Philadeli)hia  in  1885,  a  women's  branch  of 
or  adjunct  to  the  Patriotic  Order,  Sons  of 
America.  In  1889  this  degree  or  branch  of 
the  Patriotic  Order,  Sons  of  America  was 
dropped  and  the  Patriotic  Order  of  True 
Americans  was  formed  to  take  its  place,  to 
which  both  men  and  women  are  admitted. 
(See  Patriotic  Order,  Sous  of  America.) 

Patriotic  Leagufe  of  the  Revolution. 
— Organized  in  1882,  by  Virginia  Chandler 
Titcomb,  at  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.  Its  member- 
ship was  originally  composed  exclusively  of 
women,  but  men  are  eligible  and  many  have 
joined.  Its  officers  declare  it  in  some  re- 
spects a  secret  society  to  which  patriotic 
Protestant  Americans  alone  are  eligible. 
Professed  objects  are  the  study  of  political 
questions  in  their  historical  relation  and 
the  collection  and  preservation  of  relics  of 
the  Revolution  and  other  events  in  American 
history  and  of  people  identified  with  the 
progress  and  growth  of  the  country. 

Patriotic  Order,  Junior  Sons  of 
America. — A  native  American  patriotic 
secret  society,  founded  at  Philadelphia, 
December  10,  1847,  originally  established 
as  an  auxiliary  to  the  United  Sons  of  Amer- 
ica. It  survived  the  latter,  and  in  1868  or 
1870  helped  revive  the  jmrent  society  under 
the  title  Patriotic  Order,  Sons  of  America. 

Patriotic  Order,  Sons  of  America. — 

A  patriotic  beneficiary  secret  society, 
founded  at  Philadelphia,  jn-ior  to  1847,  as 
the  United  Sons  of  America,  by  Rennel 
Coates,  E.  Z.  C.  Judson  {"  Ned  Buntline"), 
and  others,  some  of  whom  were  members 
of  the  Order  of  United  American  Mechanics, 


PATRIOTIC   ORDER,  SONS   OF   AMERICA 


319 


a  similar  society  organized  at  Philadelphia 
two  years  previously,  all  of  them  sympa- 
thizers with  the  then  rapidly  growing  native- 
American  political  sentiment.* 

The  parent  society  formed  an  auxiliary 
December  10,  1847,  under  the  title  Junior 
Sons  of  America,  to  which  youths  between 
sixteen  and  twenty-one  years  of  age  were 
admitted.  On  becoming  of  age  the  Juniors 
became  Seniors,  or  members  of  the  United 
Sons  of  America.  The  heat  of  the  politi- 
cal campaign  of  1852,  in  which  the  Sons 
of  '76,  or  Order  of  the  Star  Spangled  Ban- 
ner (the  Know  Nothing  party),  a  secret, 
oath-bound,  native  American  political  or- 
ganization took  part,  evidently  fused  the 
United  Sons  of  America  with  the  Sons  of 
'7(5,  for  the  former  disapjieared  with  the 
death  of  the  Know  Nothing  organization 
and  its  successor,  the  American  party,  at  the 
outbreak  of  the  Civil  War.  In  18G8  some 
Camps  of  Junior  Sons  of  America,  aided 
by  members  of  the  Order  of  United  Amer- 
ican Mechanics,  revived  the  society  as  the 
Patriotic  Order,  Sous  of  America,  and  the 
Junior  Sons  of  America  disappeared.  Since 
that  time  the  growth  of  the  revived  order 
has  been  rapid,  particuhirly  in  Pennsylvania, 
where  it  has  GO,UOO  members.  The  total 
membership  is  nearly  100,000,  and  it  ranks 


*  It  is  probable  the  order  was  founded  on  a  local 
Philiidelphia  society  by  the  same  niiinc,  for  in  an 
account  of  the  laying  of  the  corner  stone  of  the  new 
native-American  hall  in  the  Second  ward  of  that 
city  it  is  stated  that  among  the  articles  placed  in 
the  corner  stone  was  a  copy  of  the  constitution  aiul 
by-laws  of  tlie  Sons  of  America,  No,  1,  of  the  city 
and  county  of  Phihidclphia,  instituted  December 
18.  1844.  In  the  book  (121  pages)  the  purpose  of 
the  society  is  stated  to  be  "  the  uniting  in  fraternal 
bonds  all  person.s  advocating  an  extension  of  the 
probation  of  foreigners  to  twenty-one  years  at  least, 
and  employing  American  men  for  American  ofTices; 
to  defeiul  the  system  of  general  education  by  means 
of  common  schools,  as  well  as  to  protect  freedom 
of  speech,  liberty  of  the  press,  and  the  purity  of 
the  ballot  box."  The  order  celebrated  the  6th  of 
May,  the  anniversary  of  the  attack  on  tiie  American 
meeting  by  Irish  immigrants  at  Kensington  in  1844, 
and  also  the  22d  of  Februarv. 


as  one  of  the  four  existing  patriotic  secret 
societies  born  of  the  native-American  move- 
ment about  the  middle  of  the  century,  which 
are  lineal  descendants  of  American  political 
secret  societies,  and  which  form  a  practically 
continuous  chain  back  to  a  ])eriod  ten  years 
prior  to  the  outbreak  of  the  war  of  the 
Kevolution.  (See  Sons  of  Liberty,  Sons  of 
St.  Tamina,  Society  of  Red  Men,  Order 
United  American  Mechanics,  and  Know 
Nothing  Party.)  Like  the  two  orders  of 
United  American  Mechanics  and  the  Bro- 
therhood of  the  Union,  it  pays  sick  and 
death  benefits  by  means  of  assessments.  An 
insurance  of  81,000  accompanies  an  op- 
tional membership  of  those  in  the  Order 
under  fifty  years  of  age  in  the  mortuary 
benefit  fund,  and  total  sick  and  death 
benefits  paid  since  reorganization  in  186G 
amount  to  more  tlian   I>1, 000,000. 

On  December  23,  1885,  Miss  Agatha  Bea- 
mer  and  an  elder  brother  organized  in  Phila- 
delphia the  Patriotic  Daughters  of  America 
as  an  adjunct  to  the  Patriotic  Order,  Sons 
of  America.  In  May,  1887,  the  State 
Camp  of  Pennsylvania  of  this  subordinate 
society  was  instituted,  and  on  its  second 
anniversary  eleven  Camps  were  in  full  work- 
ing order.  On  January  1,  1889,  through 
the  action  of  the  National  Camp  of  the 
pareiit  society,  the  women's  branch  or  degree 
was  dropped.  The  Daughters  then  formally 
reorganized  as  a  separate  and  independent 
organization  with  the  title  of  Patriotic 
Order  of  True  Americans.  This  is  not 
composed  exclusively  of  women.  It  has  a 
double  set  of  officers,  the  first  of  men  and 
the  second  of  women  ;  or  the  order  may  be 
the  reverse.  This  branch  is  .said  not  to 
exist  out  of  Pennsylvania.  The  objects  of 
the  Patriotic  Order,  Sons  of  America  closely 
parallel  those  of  the  Order  of  United  Amer- 
ican Mechanics  and  the  Junior  Order  of 
the  same,  to  wit  : 

To  inculcate  pure  American  principles,  teach 
loyalty  to  American  institutions,  cultivate  fraternal 
affection,  oppose  foreign  interference  in  Slate  or 
national  affairs,  oppose  all  appropriations  of  public 


320 


PATRIOTIC   ORDER   OF   TRUE   AMERICANS 


moneys  for  sectarian  purposes,  preserve  the  Con- 
stitution of  the  United  States,  and  to  defend  and 
maintain  the  American  system  of  public  schools. 
Any  male  person  is  entitled  to  membership  if  of 
good  moral  character,  sixteen  years  of  age,  a  be- 
liever in  the  existence  of  a  Supreme  Being  as 
Creator  and  Preserver  of  the  Universe,  born  on  the 
soil  or  under  the  jurisdiction  of  the  United  States 
of  America,  in  favor  of  free  education,  opposed  to 
any  union  of  church  and  state,  and  to  the  inter- 
ference of  any  foreign  power,  directly  or  indirectly, 
with  the  government. 

The  organization  of  the  Order  consists  of 
a  Supreme  Body,  the  National  Camp,  with 
State  Camps  and  subordinate  Camps. 
Subordinate  Camps  are  under  the  jurisdic- 
tion of  the  National  Camp  until  the  num- 
ber of  Camps  in  the  State  warrants  their 
being  granted  separate  local  management, 
when  a  State  Camp  is  chartered  and 
assumes  control  of  all  Camps  in  the  State. 
The  National  Camp  consists  of  representa- 
tives from  each  State  Camp  and  from  each 
subordinate  jurisdiction  under  National 
Camp  management.  State  Camps  consist 
of  delegates  from  each  subordinate  Camp 
in  the  jurisdiction.  Subordinate  Camps 
are  cliartered  by  the  National  or  State 
Camps  having  jurisdiction,  and  are  all 
named  in  honor  of  Washington,  being  num- 
bered separately  in  each  State  or  Territory. 
The  initiatory  and  other  secret  ceremonies 
are  said  to  be  instructive  and  beautiful. 
The  regalia  consists  of  a  sash  of  red,  white 
and  blue,  studded  with  stars.  There  is 
also  connected  with  the  Order  a  uniformed 
rank  entitled  the  Commandery  General, 
Sons  of  America.  It  is  controlled  by  a 
code  of  laws  prepared  for  its  own  govern- 
ment. Members  of  Commanderies  wear 
chapeaux  and  regalia  and  are  armed  with 
swords.  Any  member  in  good  standing  is 
eligible  to  join  the  Commandery  Ceneral. 
Prior  to  1870  the  first  degree  was  styled 
.the  Subordinate  Camp,  the  second  was 
known  as  the  Past  degree,  and  the  third  as 
the  Commandery.  In  1870  the  degree 
titles  Eed,  White,  and  Blue,  respectively, 
were  adopted. 


The  Patriotic  Order,  Junior  Sons  of  Amer- 
ica (Patriotic  Order  was  added  to  the  title 
about  the  year  1850)  was  not  a  strong  or- 
ganization in  its  early  years.  The  Junior 
Camps  in  those  days  were  probably  little 
more  than  earnest  debating  societies,  in 
which  political  topics  of  the  day  were  dis- 
cussed and  public  and  private  morality  was 
inculcated,  with  the  other  virtues  essential 
to  a  proper  exercise  of  the  rights  of  citizen- 
shi]?.  A  monument  to  the  work  of  the 
Order  in  Pennsylvania  is  its  resuscitation 
of  Washington's  headquarters  at  Valley 
Forge,  where  the  patriots  of  the  Revolution 
suffered  during  that  memorable  winter  of 
1777-78.  It  is  due  to  the  Order  that  the 
property  is  securely  established  as  a  per- 
manent public  park.  The  membership  of 
the  Order,  which  extends  to  almost  every 
State  inr  the  Union,  includes  men  of  all 
honorable  trades,  occupations,  and  profes- 
sions, including  many  who  occupy  impor- 
tant positions  in  national.  State,  and  mu- 
nicipal councils.  Discussion  of  partisan 
l^olitics  in  Camps  of  the  Order  is  prohibited, 
and  the  idea  advanced  is  ''Americans  for 
America"  rather  than  ''America  for 
Americans." 

Patriotic  Order  of  True  Americans. 
— Organized  in  1889  by  the  Patriotic  Order, 
Sons  of  America,  to  take  the  place  of  the 
Patriotic  Daughters  of  America,  to  which 
women  only  had  been  admitted.  The  new 
adjunct  or  auxiliary  to  the  Patriotic  Order, 
Sous  of  America  admits  both  men  and 
women  to  membership.  (See  Patriotic 
Order,  Sons  of  America.) 

Patriotic  Order,  United  Sons  of 
America. — A  secret  society  of  the  general 
character  indicated  by  its  title,  founded  at 
Philadelphia  prior  to  1847  as  the  United 
Sons  of  America.  It  was  originally  of  local 
interest  only,  but  gradually  grew  in  im- 
portance and  membership,  and  was  finally 
absorbed  by  the  Sons  of  '76  or  Order  of 
the  Star  Spangled  Banner,  popularly  known 
as  the  Know  Nothing  party,  in  1852-54. 
The  Patriotic  Order,  United  Sons  of  America 


PRO   PATRIA   CLUB 


321 


became  extinct  with  the  death  of  the  Amer- 
ican party,  successor  to  tlie  Know  Nothing 
party,  at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War, 
but  was  revived  as  the  Patriotic  Order,  Sons 
of  America  in  18G8  or  1870,  by  Camps  of 
the  Patriotic  Order,  Junior  Sons  of  America, 
assisted  by  members  of  the  Order  of  United 
American  Mechanics.  By  this  the  Junior 
Sons  of  America  lost  its  identity.  But  it 
is  perpetuating  the  Patriotic  Order,  United 
Sons  of  America  under  the  name,  Patriotic 
Order,  Sons  of  America.  This  is  the  more 
romantic,  as  the  Junior  Sons  of  America 
was  founded  as  an  auxiliary  Order  to  the 
United  Sons  of  America  in  1847.  (See 
Patriotic  Order,  Sons  of  America.) 

Patriots  of  America. — Organized  at 
the  close  of  1895  by  W.  H.  Harvey,  of 
Chicago,  better  known  as  "  Coin  "  Harvey, 
to  conduct  a  campaign  looking  to  the  for- 
mation of  a  ''free  silver"  party.  It  also 
assumed  the  existence  of  an  evil  influence 
by  corporations  upon  government  officials, 
legislatures  and  courts,  which  it  sought  to 
combat  by  "eliminating  personal  selfish- 
ness "  from  the  acts  of  public  officials.  But 
its  primary  purpose  was  to  propagate  the 
then  growing  demand  for  the  free  coinage 
of  silver  at  the  ratio  of  sixteen  to  one  with  a 
like  weight  of  gold.  The  form  of  organiza- 
tion included  a  First  National  Patriot,  a 
National  Recorder,  a  National  Treasurer, 
and  a  First  State  Patriot  in  each  State, 
who  constituted  a  Congress  of  Patriots. 
There  was  also  to  be  a  First  Patriot  for 
each  county.  It  was  expected  the  society 
would  determine  by  ballot  every  four  years 
what  political  relief  was  demanded  and 
which  candidates  for  president  and  vice- 
president  it  would  support.  AVilliam  H. 
Harvey,  author  of  "Coin's  Financial 
School,"  was  First  National  Patriot ; 
Charles  H.  McClure,  of  Michigan,  Na- 
tional Recorder,  and  James  F.  Adams,  of 
Chicago,  National  Treasurer.  There  were 
no  membership  fees  or  dues,  expenses  being 
met  by  voluntary  contributions.  The  Fir.-^t 
National  Patriot,  First  State  Patriot,  and 
21 


First  County  Patriot  took  an  "oath  re- 
nouncing political  office  either  by  election 
or  appointment."  They  also  renounced 
"  for  life  the  ownership  of  property  in  ex- 
cess of  $100,000."  These  officers,  one  in 
the  nation,  one  in  each  State,  and  one  in 
each  county,  were  the  censors  of  the  Order, 
and  were  given  power  not  conferred  on 
otlicrs.  The  "renunciation  of  office  and 
wealth "  did  not  ajjply  to  others  in  the 
Order.  There  was  also  a  coordinate  branch 
of  the  Order,  known  as  The  Daughters  of 
the  Republic,  "a  charitable  organization  to 
look  after  the  poor  among  the  Patriots  of 
America."  No  special  political  i)arty  was 
sponsor  for  the  movement.  Among  its  pro- 
moters in  more  than  thirty  States  of  the 
Union  were  representative  Republicans, 
Democrats  and  Populists.  As  pointed  out 
in  a  Chicago  despatch  to  the  New  York 
"Tribune,"  December  7,  1895:  "If  it  is 
found  impossible  to  swing  either  of  the 
great  parties  into  line  for  free  silver 
the  present  plans  (of  the  Patriots  of  Amer- 
ica) call  for  a  national  conference  of  sil- 
ver men  early  in  the  summer  of  189G  and 
the  nomination  of  a  separate  ticket  for  the 
presidential  campaign."  Many  lodges  of 
Patriots  of  America  were  formed,  i)rinci pally 
South  and  West,  where  thousands  who 
"voted  for  silver"  in  189C  received  their 
])olitical  training.  It  will  jjrobably  remain 
an  open  question  whether  or  not  it  was  due 
to  the  activity  of  Harvey's  secret  society, 
the  Patriots  of  America,  that  the  political 
issues  of  the  presidential  yetir  180G  were 
so  changed  as  to  frustrate  the  purposes  and 
temporarily  obscure  the  American  Protec- 
tive Association,  or  "A.  P.  A.,"  which  up 
to  June  or  July  that  year  threatened  to 
name  the  next  President.  With  the  end 
of  tlie  presidential  cam])aign  and  the  defeat 
of  the  advocates  of  free  coinage  of  silver, 
the  Patriots  of  America  became  dormant. 
(See  Silver  Knights  of  America  and  Free- 
men's Protective  Silver  Federation.) 

Vro  Patria  Club. — The  New  York  city 
branch,  or  camp,  of  the  practically  extinct 


322 


PROTESTANT  KNIGHTS   OF  AMERICA 


patriotic,  native  American,  beneficiary  so- 
ciety, the  American  Patriot  League.  (See 
the  latter.) 

Protestant    Knights    of    America. — 

Organized  at  St.  Louis,  Mo.,  early  iu  1895. 
A  fraternal  beneficiary  society,  designed  to 
be  among  Protestants  what  the  Catholic 
Knights  of  Columbus  and  other  similar 
Roman  Catholic  semi-secret  orders  are 
among  Catholics.  It  was  incorporated  with 
a  Su])renie,  and  Grand  or  State  Councils, 
constitution,  by-laws,  and  a  ritual.  It 
came  into  existence  on  the  wave  of  patri- 
otic and  political  secret  society  ascend- 
ency which  was  conspicuous  in  1895  and 
1896. 

Red,  White,  and  Blue. — A  new  and 
more  modern  variety  of  native  American 
patriotic  societies,  organized  at  Eochester, 
N.  Y.,  by  Sylvester  M.  Douglas.  It  is 
described  as  being  very  secret,  only  one  per- 
son being  permitted  to  have  his  name  known 
in  connection  with  the  institution.  Not 
only  the  membership,  but  the  places  of 
meetings  are  secret.  It  is  said  to  confer 
three  degrees  on  candidates  for  its  myste- 
ries :  the  Red  degree,  in  which  protection 
of  the  Protestant  religion  against  Catholi- 
cism and  infidelity  is  taught;  the  White  de- 
gree, which  inculcates  purity  in  all  things, 
among  others  the  ballot,  and  the  Bine,  or 
highest  degree,  which  is  strictly  American. 
It  charges  that  none  shall  be  admitted 
whose  grandparents  and  parents  are  not 
Americans ;  that  "  no  foreign  blood  can 
tincture  the  veins  of  those  in  the  Blue 
Circle."  Needless  to  add  that  the  Blue 
Circle,  or  degree,  furnishes  the  officers  of 
the  Red  and  the  White,  and  that  none  but 
a  Protestant  is  eligible  to  admission  into 
the  society.  Members  of  the  Red  and  of  the 
White  Circles  are  unknown  to  each  other  out 
of  their  Circles  unless  they  are  members  of 
the  Blue.  The  degree  of  popularity  or 
strength  achieved  by  this  fraternity  is  un- 
known. It  forms  an  interesting  variation 
to  the  plain,  every-day  native  American 
societies  of  the  past  quarter  of  a  century. 


Royal  Black  Knights  of  the  Camp  of 
Israel. — A  British  political  secret  society 
to  which  only  members  of  the  highest  or 
Scarlet  degree  of  the  Loyal  Orange  Associ- 
ation are  eligible.     (See  the  latter.) 

Silver  Knights  of  America. — A  secret 
society  established  ''to  secure  in  a  legal 
way  the  free  coinage  of  silver  in  the  United 
States  and  to  make  silver  a  legal  tender  for 
all  debts  and  to  collect  and  spend  money 
for  that  purpose."   It  was  founded  early  in 

1895,  and  its  governing  body,  the  Supreme 
Temple,  Silver  Knights  of  America,  was 
incorporated  as  a  stock  company  with 
1100,000  capital.  .  Senator  W.  M.  Stewart 
of  Carson  City,  Nov.,  was  president;  James 
L.  Pait,  vice-president;  Oliver  C.  Sabine, 
secretary  ;  James  A.  B.  Richard,  treasurer, 
and  S.  S.  Yoder,  director  general.  The 
general  offices  were  at  Washington,  D.  C, 
while  those  of  the  Harvey  silver  secret  so- 
ciety were  at  Chicago.  (See  Patriots  of 
America.)  Many  well-known  men  were 
leaders  among  the  Silver  Knights,  particu- 
larly members  and  former  members  of  the 
House  of  Representatives.  A  literary  bu- 
reau was  established  at  Washington  which 
did  hard  work  in  the  interest  of  those  who 
favored  free  coinage  of  silver.  The  organ- 
ization of  the  Silver  Knights  of  America 
was  pushed  simultaneously  in  Kentucky, 
Illinois,  Missouri,  and  Arkansas,  after  which 
the  leaders  invaded  other  States,  generally 
those  regarded  as  safe  for  the  Democracy, 
or  only  those  districts  in  which  the  Demo- 
cratic party  dominated.  The  new  organiza- 
tion had  a  ritual,  grips,  passwords,  and 
a  burial  service,  in  fact,  "all  the  para- 
l)hernalia  of  a  secret  society."  There  was 
also  a  woman's  branch  known  as  the  Silver 
Ladies  of  America,  and  it  was  intended  to 
strongly  develop  the  social  feature  in  that 
organization.  With  the  defeat  of  the  fi'ce 
silver  movement  in  politics  in  November,, 

1896,  the  Silver  Knights  of  America  droj^ped 
out  of  sight.  Its  membershij)  early  in  that 
year  was  very  large  in  central  Western  and 
Missouri  river  valley  States.      (See  Patriots 


SONS   OF   LIBERTY 


323 


of  America,  and  Freemen^s  Protective  Silver 
Federation.) 

Silver  Ladies  <»f  Aiueriea. — (See  Sil- 
ver Knights  of  America.) 

Society  of  Red  3Ien. — Founded  by 
members  of  St.  Tammany  societies,  mem- 
bers of  a  military  company  stationed  at 
Fort  Mifflin,  on  the  Delaware  River,  below 
Philadelphia,  in  1813.  It  embodied  '•  relief 
in  sickness  and  distress,"  as  well  as  adher- 
ence "  to  each  other  in  defence  of  our  conn- 
try's  cause,"  was  secret  in  character,  and 
utilized  the  Indian  ceremonials  at  meetings 
and  initiation  of  members,  handed  down 
from  the  Sons  of  Liberty,  1704-83,  and  the 
Sons  of  St.  Tamina,  1772-1810.  (See  Im- 
proved Order  of  Red  Men,  and  the  Sons  of 
Liberty.)     It  disappeared  about  1830-32. 

Sons  of  Liberty. — Tliis  secret  organiza- 
tion appeared  in  Maryland  in  1764-65,  as 
a  protest  against  "  taxation  without  repre- 
sentation," the  ''stamp  act,"  the  ''quar- 
tering act,"  and  other  British  legislation 
affecting  the  American  colonies,  which  was 
regarded  as  unjust  and  oppressive.  The 
name,  "  Sons  of  Liberty,"  was  first  applied 
to  this  originally  only  semi-revolutionary 
organization,  by  Colonel  Isaac  Barre,  who, 
with  a  few  others  in  the  Britisli  Parliament, 
opposed  the  passage  of  the  **  stamp  act." 
It  was  immediately  adopted  by  those  to 
whom  it  applied.*     As  early  as  1760-07  the 

*Mr.  Henry  Baldwin,  custodian  of  American 
History,  Library  Americana,  writes:  "At  the 
period  of  Zcnger's  trial,  1735,  the  radical  oppo- 
nents of  the  royal  governors  were  called  Sons  of 
Liberty ;  but  the  name  was  not  often  heard  until 
after  the  memorable  speech  in  the  House  of  Com- 
mons, 1765,  of  Colonel  Barre  against  taxation  of 
the  Americans.  In  reply  to  Charles  Townshend's 
assertion  that  the  colonies  had  been  cared  for  and 
nourislied  by  the  indulgence  of  the  British  Govern- 
ment, Barre  scornfully  denied  it,  saying  that  care 
was  exercised  in  sending  unfit  persons  as  governors 
to  rule  over  them — '  men  whose  behavior  on  many 
occasions  has  caused  the  blood  of  those  Sons  of 
Liberty  to  recoil  witliin  tliem.'  The  associated 
patriots  in  America  assumed  this  name.  They 
were  chiefly  young  men  who  loved  excitement,  but 
were  truly  patriotic.     Their  first  business  seemed 


Sons  of  Liberty  became  prominent  in  oppos- 
ing and  even  defying  what  was  regarded  as 
unwarranted  parliamentary  action  with  ref- 
erence to  the  American  colonies.  This  was 
conspicuous  at  Baltimore  and  elsewhere  in 
Maryland,  and  loyal  colonists  undertook  to 
make  a  counter  demonstration  by  the  for- 
mation of  St.  George's,  St.  Andrew's,  and 
St.  David's  societies.  There  was  also  a  St. 
Nicholas'  Society  at  New  York,  in  which 
the  Dutch  and  Huguenots  found  common 
ground.  The  underlying  sentiment  of  the 
latter  societies  being  loyalty  to  the  Crown, 
the  Sons  of  Liberty  undertook  to  ridicule 
them  by  claiming  the  "  patronage  of  an 
undoubted  American,  an  Indian  chief,  or 
king,  named  Tamina  orTamanend,"  whose 
life  and  exploits  they  professed  to  trace 
from  his  own  descendants.  A  fuller  ac- 
count may  be  found  in  the  sketch  of  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men.  The  career 
of  the  Sons  of  Liberty  in  ^NLissachusetts, 
1705-74,  will  ever  remain  familiar  Ijy  reason 
of  the  boarding  of  English  vessels  in  Boston 
harbor  by  forty  or  fifty  "  Mohawk  Indians," 
wiio  emptied  the  cargo  of  tea  into  the  water 
as  a  protest  against  the  tax  on  tea.  It  is  of 
more  than  passing  import  to  add  that  records 
of  a  Masonic  Lodge  at  Boston  show  that  the 
Lodge  had  been  closed  as  most  of  the  mem- 
bers were  to  take  part  in  a  "tea  party." 
Paul  Revere,  afterwards  Grand  Master  of 
Freemasons  of  Massachusetts,  carried  the 
new^s  of  the  "  tea  party  "  to  New  York  and 
Philadelphia.  Pi-oniptly  after  the  Sons  of 
Liberty  had  invented  the  story  of  the  i)atron- 
age  of  an  American  "  king,"  the  Indian  chief 
Tamina,  public  demonstrations  were  marked 
by  disguises  as  Indians,  and  it  is  related 
that  the  12th  of  May  was  designated  as  St. 
Tamina's  day,  and   frequently  ushered  in 

to  be  the  intimidation  of  stamp  distributors  and  to 
oppose  the  act  in  every  way;  but,  spreading  widely 
over  the  colonies  from  Massachusetts  to  Georgia, 
they  became  the  most  radical  leaders  in  the  quarrel 
with  Great  Britain  and  promoters  of  tlie  War  of 
Independence,  in  which  many  of  them  became  dis- 
tinguished leaders  in  the  Council  and  in  the 


324 


SONS   OF   LIBERTY 


with  a  military  salute  and  Indian  war  dances. 
Secrecy  and  disguises  were  natural  accom- 
paniments of  an  organization  formed  to 
resist  or  overturn  the  law. 

In  1771  a  socict}'  of  Sons  of  Liberty  at 
Annapolis,  Md.,  took  the  name  of  Sons  of 
St.  Tamina,  tlie  change  being  practically 
one  of  name  only,  which  course  was  fol- 
lowed by  other  societies  of  Sons  of  Liberty, 
and  at  the  close  of  the  War  of  the  Kevolu- 
tion  the  Sons  of  Liberty,  as  such,  had  prac- 
tically ceased  to  exist.  Many  of  the  patriots 
of  ante-revolutionary  days  and  during  the 
war  of  1770-83  were  Sons  of  Liberty  in 
name  as  well  as  in  fact,  but,  as  in  all  such 
secret  societies,  it  was  only  on  particular 
occasions  the  identity  of  any  of  them  was 
made  known.  As  pointed  out  elsewhere  in 
the  outline  of  the  origin  of  the  modern 
charitable  and  benevolent  secret  society, 
the  Improved  Order  of  Eed  Men,  it  was 
the  Sons  of  Liberty  which  gave  rise  to  the 
Sons  of  St.  Tamina  (afterwards  "  Tam- 
many"'), and  members  of  the  latter  which 
organized  the  Society  of  Eed  Men,  near 
Philadelphia,  in  1813,  in  which  political 
bias  was  a  mainspring.  The  Society  of 
Eed  Men  died  out  between  1827  and  1832, 
when  some  of  its  more  active  members, 
aided  by  representatives  of  a  few  remain- 
ing branches  of  the  St.  Tammany  Society, 
formed,  in  1834,  the  Improved  Order  of  Eed 
Men,  a  purely  charitable  and  beneficiary 
secret  organization,  which  continues  a  pros- 
perous career  to  this  day.  But  the  political 
salt  of  the  earlier  Sons  of  Liberty,  even  after 
passing  through  the  succeeding  political 
organizations.  Sons  of  St.  Tamina  and  the 
Society  of  Eed  Men,  1813-1832,  had  not  even 
then  lost  its  savor.  In  1835  New  York  city 
witnessed  a  ''  native  American,"  non-secret, 
political  uprising,  and  in  1837  there  was 
another  at  PhiladeliDhia,  both  of  them 
short  lived.  In  1843,  the  movement  ap- 
peared again  at  New  York  and  resulted  in 
the  election  of  a  native  American  candidate 
for  mayor,  James  Hari')er,  founder  of  the 
well-known     firm    of    publishers,    Harper 


Brothers.  Labor  troubles  at  Philadelphia 
and  New  York  were  j^rominent  in  the  next 
few  years,  due  to  a  heavy  increase  of  im- 
migration, and  in  1845  there  was  formed 
at  Philadelphia  what  may  be  called  a  native 
American  trades  union  to  resist  the  en- 
croachment of  foreign  pauper  labor,  under 
the  name,  the  United  American  Mechanics. 
Native  American  sentiment  cropped  out 
repeatedly  in  the  decade  following  the  close 
of  the  War  of  the  Eevolution,  and  burst  into 
a  flame  in  the  alien  and  sedition  laws  of 
1798,  the  sentiment  back  of  which  had  been 
nurtured  by  St.  Tamina  societies.  This 
feeling  was  again  apparent  during  and 
after  the  War  of  1812,  but  died  down  dur- 
ing the  political  ''era  of  good  feeling." 
But  societies  of  Eed  Men  had  succeeded  the 
Sons  of  St.  Tammany  and  still  kept  the 
sentiment  alive  until  1830-32.  It  was  only  a 
few  years  later  when  nativism  again  became 
a  factor  in  politics.  The  native  American 
trades  union  of  1845  soon  dropped  its  non- 
secret  character  and,  as  the  Order  of  United 
American  Mechanics,  became  a  general  se- 
cret society  of  native  Americans  which, 
while  not  partisan,  was  yet  political  in  that 
its  objects  were,  and  are,  to  maintain  the 
riglits  of  native  Americans  and  preserve 
our  form  of  government  against  inroads  by 
those  who  seek  asylum  here.  This  organi- 
zation, still  exists,  a  lineal  descendant  of  the 
Sons  of  Liberty  of  1764-83,  and  has  given 
birth  directly  and  indirectly,  in  fact  or  by 
inspiration,  to  many  political  secret  socie- 
ties. Among  these  are  the  Junior  Order, 
United  American  Mechanics,  1853  ;  the 
Patriotic  Order,  United  Sons  of  America, 
1847 ;  Brotherhood  of  the  Union,  1850  ; 
Sons  of  "76,  or  tlie  Star  Spangled  Ban- 
ner, afterwards  the  secret  native  American 
party  popularly  known  as  the  Know  Noth- 
ing party,  1852  ;  Order  of  the  American 
Union,  or  the  United  Order  of  Deputies, 
1873  ;  Templars  of  Liberty,  1881  ;  Patri- 
otic League  of  the  Eevolution,  1882  ;  Ameri- 
can Protective  Association,  better  known 
as  the  ''A.   P.  A.",  1887;   the  American 


SONS    OF   ST.  TAMIXA 


:?25 


Patriot  League,  1888  ;  and  the  Order  of  tlie 
Little  Eed  School  House.  The  Sons  of 
Liberty  at  the  time  of  the  Boston  "  tea 
party  "  had  developed  into  an  organization 
not  merely  to  resist,  but,  if  necessary,  to 
rebel;  the  Sons  of  St.  Tamina  after  the 
Revolution  were  the  conservators  of  popular 
patriotism  and  Americanism,  while  the 
Society  of  Red  Men,  1813-32,  while  rather 
less  democratic  than  its  Tamina  or  Tam- 
many ancestors,  was  formed  by  those  of  one 
political  bias  to  adhere  to  its  "  country's 
cause.''  With  immigration  in  the  second 
third  of  the  present  century  was  injected  an 
anti-Roman  Catholic  political  sentiment 
which  has  been  present  ever  since,  and, 
with  "  America  for  Americans  "  and  allied 
political  issues,  has  been  kept  Avarm  within 
and  often  without  the  lodges  of  most  of 
the  modern  political  secret  societies,  names 
of  which  have  been  given. 

Sons  of  Liberty  (2d.) — A  native  Amer- 
ican patriotic  scci'et  order,  named  after  the 
organization  by  that  name  which  flourished 
before  and  during  the  War  of  the  Revolu- 
tion. It  appeared  at  a  number  of  eastern 
cities  between  1870  and  1880,  but  owing, 
in  part,  to  the  success  of  rival  fraternities 
with  similar  purposes,  it  did  not  live  long. 

Sous  of  St.  Tamina.  — The  society  of 
St.  Tamina  was  forjned  at  Annapolis  in 
17T1  by  a  change  of  name  only  from  that 
of  Sons  of  Liberty.  Several  societies  of 
Sons  of  Liberty,  which  first  appeared  in 
Maryland  in  17G4-G5,  and  spread  through 
the  country  west  and  north  of  the  Delaware 
and  Chesapeake  bays  and  east  into  New 
England,  as  an  organized  resistance  to  un- 
just British  laws  which  affected  the  colo- 
nics, changed  to  Sons  or  Societies  of  St. 
Tamina  early  in  the  seventies  in  the  last  cen- 
tury. The  change  was  slight,  as  the  Sons 
of  Liberty  had  adopted  a  mythical  Indian 
chief  Tamina  as  their  patron  saint,  or 
king,  in  ridicule  of  the  then  loyal  St.  Da- 
vid, St.  George,  and  St.  Andrew  societies, 
which  professed  allegiance  to  the  British 
Crown.      Further     details     are    ffiven    in 


sketches  of  the  Sons  of  Liberty  and  of  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men.*  After  the 
War  of  the  Revolution  the  Sons  of  St.  Tam- 
ina stood  for  popular  patriotism  and  op- 
posed the  Royalists  who  remained  in  the 
country,  the  proposition  to  have  the  Presi- 
dent hold  office  for  life,  and  the  ari.stocratic 
tendencies  of  the  time  as  shown  by  the  So- 
ciety of  the  Cincinnati,  with  its  hereditary 
membership  and,  as  alleged,  anti-republican 
features.  They  disguised  themselves  as  In- 
dians to  conceal  their  identities,  as  the  Sons 
of  Liberty  had  done,  and  like  the  Sons  of 
Liberty,  also,  made  use  of  Indian  ceremoni- 
als at  their  meetings  and  initiations. 

The  American  Sons  of  King  Tammany 
was  founded  at  Philadelphia  in  1T72,  but 
was  said  to  have  had  a  previous  existence 
of  "  some  years. ""  It  was  patriotic,  and 
afterwards  political  in  character,  and  num- 
bered some  of  the  most  prominent  citizens 
of  Philadelphia  among  its  members.  It 
died  about  1822,  when  many  of  its  mem- 
bers joined  the  Society  of  Red  Men.  The 
Tamnumy  Society,  or  Columbian  Order, 
was  formed  at  Xew  York  city  in  1789. 
The  name  was  the  outcome  of  a  compromise, 
it  being  the  desire  of  some  of  its  original 
members  to  call  it  after  Columbus  rather 
than  after  the  Indian  chief  Tamina.  More 
extended  reference  is  made  to  this  branch  of 
the  revolutionary  SL  Tamina  organizations 
under  tlie  head    Im])roved    Order   of   Red 


*  At  the  time  when  most  of  the  colonists  of  posi- 
tion were  of  foreign  birth,  society  was  greatly  split 
up,  tlic  Scotch  giving  a  dinner  and  dance  on  St. 
Andrew's  day,  the  Iluguenots  and  Dutcli  joining 
to  do  honor  to  St.  Nicholas,  and  the  English  cele- 
Iiratiiig  St.  George's  day.  Young  men  of  American 
birth,  members  of  St.  Tammany  societies,  chose 
May  12th  as  St.  Tammany's  day,  and  ushered  it  in 
witli  tlie  ringing  of  bells  and  firing  of  guns,  dancing 
in  Indian  costume  or  with  bucktails  hanging  from 
their  caps.  It  was  from  this  they  were  for  years 
after  called  "Bucktails."  Tradition  has  it  that 
Colonel  Washington  took  part  in  Tammany  cele- 
brations held  at  or  near  Alexandria,  Va.,  owing, 
probably,  to  the  likelihood  of  his  having  witnessed 
thom. 


320 


SONS   OF   '76,  OR   ORDER    OF   THE   STAR   SPANGLED   BANNER 


Men.  Another  Tammtmy  society,  or  Co- 
lumbian Order,  was  founded  at  Baltimore 
in  1805,  as  a  purely  i)olitical  secret  society, 
and  it  is  said  that  it  had  "a  characteristic 
word '"'  with  which  to  gain  admission  to  its 
meetings.  It  did  not  live  long,  but  that  at 
Annapolis,  formed  in  1772,  was  active  until 
1810.  The  New  York  organization  is  the 
only  one  which  preserves  an  unbroken 
existence  to  this  dav,  and  even  it  has 
dropped  its  partisan  political  cloak  on 
the  shoulders  of  the  subordinate  non-secret 
political  organization,  Tammany  Hall. 

All  of  the  original  or  earlier  Tammany 
societies  were  political  at  first,  but  some 
ultimately  become  rather  social,  and  occa- 
sionally benevolent  in  their  purposes.  But 
from  1790  to  1810  the  political  features 
were  again  prominent,  and  many  poli- 
ticians of  that  day  were  enrolled  among 
their  members.  The  political  secret  So- 
ciety of  Red  Men,  formed  near  Philadel- 
phia in  1813  by  members  or  ex-members  of 
Tammany  societies,  carried  forward  Indian 
ceremonials  and  customs  as  adjuncts  to  a 
political  secret  fraternity  to  later  days,  as 
explained  at  length  in  the  accounts  of  the 
Sons  of  Liberty  and  of  the  Improved  Order 
of  Red  Men. 

Sons  of  '76,  or  Order  of  the  Star 
Spangled  Banner. — Original  title  of  the 
political  secret  society  which  ajopeared  in 
1851  as  the  successor  to  the  non-secret  na- 
tive American  political  j)arties  of- 1835-45, 
in  which  w^ere  many  members  of  the  pa- 
triotic secret  organizations.  Order  of  United 
American  Mechanics  1845,  Patriotic  Order 
of  United  Sons  of  America  1847,  and  the 
Brotherhood  of  the  Union,  established  in 
1850.  The  Sons  of  '76  found  the  time 
apparently  ripe  for  a  native  American 
propaganda  favoring  restricted  immigra- 
tion, and  antagonism  to  union  between 
church  and  state,  for  the  society  won  a 
surprising  political  victory  in  1852.  It  had 
then  become  popularly  known  as  the  Know 
Nothing  party,  owing  to  members  replying 
that    they    knew    nothing    about    it   when 


asked  questions  concerning  the  new  and 
secret  political  engine.  By  185G  it  had  been 
reconstructed  into  a  non-secret,  national, 
political  organization  under  the  title  Native 
American  party  and  nominated  Fillmore 
and  Donelson  as  its  candidates  for  Presi- 
dent and  Vice-President.  Although  casting 
nearl}^  900,000  votes,  it  carried  only  one 
State,  Maryland.  It  had  occasional  but 
waning  political  successes  in  the  few  years 
prior  to  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War,  when 
most  of  its  remaining  membership,  includ- 
ing nearly  all  of  the  Patriotic  Order,  Sons 
of  America,  which  it  had  practically  ab- 
sorbed, united  in  1860  wdth  the  Constitu- 
tional Union  party,  which  was  politically 
still-born.  (See  Know  Nothing  Party, 
Order  United  American  Mechanics,  and 
Sons  of  Liberty.) 

Sons  of  the  Soil. — One  of  the  many  na- 
tive American  secret  societies  of  the  period 
1850  to  1856.  It  was  organized  at  one  of 
the  Hudson  Eiver  towns,  and,  like  so  many 
others,  was  finally  carried  bodily  into  the 
Kuow^  Nothing  party  between  1854  and 
1856. 

Supreme  Order,  Sons  of  '76. — See 
Know  Nothing  Party. 

Tammany  Society,  or  Columbian  Or- 
der.— Established  at  Ncav  York  city.  May 
12,  1789,  by  'William  Mooney,  an  Irish 
American,  and  by  representatives  of  Penn- 
sylvania, Maryland  and  Delaware  Sons  of 
St.  Tamina  and  St.  Tammany  societies,  the 
latter  being  the  direct  descendants,  as  or- 
ganizations, of  the  Sons  of  Liberty,  which 
antedated  the  War  of  the  Revolution.  It 
has  since  given  its  political  functions  over 
to  a  subsidiary  non-secret  club  known  as 
Tammany  Hall.  Its  object  was  to  "ce- 
ment in  indissoluble  bonds  of  friendship 
American  brethren  of  know^n  attachment  to 
the  political  rights  of  human  nature  and 
the  liberties  of  the  country."  The  first 
public  celebration  of  the  Society  was  held 
on  the  banks  of  the  North  River  on  May  21, 
1789.  It  flourished  only  moderately  during 
Washington's  administration,  but  with  that 


WOMEN'S   LOYAL   ORANGE   ASSOCIATION 


327 


of  Jefferson  it  became  a  strong,  active,  po- 
litical organization  as  it  is  found  to-day. 
It  was  incorporated  in  1805,  and  in  1811 
built  the  original  Tammany  Hall  on  the 
corner  of  Frankfort  Street  and  Park  Row. 
A  second  Tammany  Society,  or  Columbian 
Order,  from  similar  sources,  appeared  at 
Baltimore  in  1805.  It  was  of  distinctly  po- 
litical character,  but  did  not  live  long.  (See 
Improved  Order  of  Eed  Men,  and  Sons  of 
St.  Tamina.) 

Templars  of  Liberty. — Organized  at 
Newark,  N.  J.,  in  1881,  by  George  W. 
Palmer  and  Charles  Kennedy  of  Brooklyn, 
N.  Y.,  and  J.  A.  Flammer  of  Newark,  as  a 
patriotic,  anti-Eoman  Catholic,  assessment 
beneficiary  organization.  It  was  incorpo- 
rated in  1883  and  has  grown  slowly  but 
steadily  in  New  York  State,  New  Jersey, 
and  Pennsylvania,  where  most  of  its  Temples 
are  located,  numbering  about  5,000  mem- 
bers. It  is  built  upon  similar  principles  to 
those  underlying  the  American  Protestant 
Association,  the  Order  of  the  American 
Union  and  the  American  Patriot  League,  de- 
manding an  educational  test  for  admission  to 
citizenship,  unsectarian  free  schools,  a  free 
press  and  liberty  of  conscience,  and  it  de- 
nounces ''dictation  from  pope,  priest,  or 
bishop."  It  is  worthy  of  note  that  the 
founders  are  declared  not  to  have  been 
members  of  any  other  patriotic  orders  in 
1881  and  1883,  Mr.  Flammer  alone  being 
described  as  a  member  of  any  other  secret 
society,  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows. The  emblem  of  the  society  is  the  God- 
dess of  Liberty  seated  within  the  Temple  of 
Liberty,  the  dome  of  which  is  supported  by 
six  columns.  At  her  right  stands  an  Indian 
and  a  deer,  oj)posite  a  farmer  with  sheaf  of 
wheat  and  a  horse.  The  temple  is  sur- 
mounted by  an  American  eagle.  The  bene- 
ficiary features  are  simple  yet  in  advance  of 
those  of  some  larger  and  better  known  or- 
ganizations.    Mothers,  wives,   sisters,  and 


daughters  of  members  are  eligible  to  bene- 
ficiary membership.  The  highest  death 
benefit  ])aid  is  SI, 000,  and  benefits  are  met 
by  assessments  graded  according  to  age  at 
entering.  The  ritual  of  the  society  is 
founded  on  scenes  and  incidents  of  the 
Reformation. 

Templars  Order  of  the  Americ'aii 
Star,  Free  and  Accepted  Americans. — 
Organized  at  New  York  city  about  1853-54 
as  a  native  American,  patriotic,  secret  so- 
ciety, by  William  Patton.  Its  first  meeting 
was  held  in  a  stable,  and  the  second  in  Con- 
vention Hall,  in  Wooster  Street.  Patton 
was  its  first  jiresident.  In  May,  1855,  tliere 
were  fifty-nine  Temples  in  New  York  and 
in  Kings  County.  Its  original  name  was 
American  Brethren,  and  it  was  afterward 
known  as  the  AMde  Awakes,  a  name 
later  applied  to  Republican  political  pro- 
cessions in  national  campaigns  in  1860  and 
in  1864.  The  latter  portion  of  its  rather 
elaborate  title,  as  given  above,  is  sugges- 
tive as  to  other  secret  society  affiliations  of 
some  of  its  leaders.  The  Order  is  not 
known  to  have  survived 'the  Know  Nothing 
movement. 

The  Zodiac. — An  inner  circle  to  whicli 
only  leaders  of  the  American  Protective  As- 
sociation belong,  and  which  is  credited  with 
being  the  directing  influence  of  tlie  Order. 
(See  American  Protective  Association.) 

True  Brethren. — See  Templai*s  Order 
of  the  American  Star. 

United  Order  of  Deputies. — See  Order 
of  the  American  L'nion. 

Wide  Awakes. — See  Templars  Order  of 
the  American  Star. 

Women's  Historical  Association. — 
An  auxiliary  of  the  American  Protective 
Association.     (See  the  latter.) 

Women's  Loyal  Oranyfe  Association. 
— Title  of  the  women's  branch  of  the  Loyal 
Orange  Association  in  the  United  States. 
(See  the  latter.) 


328 


COLLEGE   FRATERNITIES 


YIII 


GEEEK-LETTEE  OE   COLLEGE   FEATEEISTITIES 


College  Fraternities. — Secret,  literary, 
and  social  organizations  of  students  at 
American  colleges  and  universities;  some- 
times called  Greek-letter  societies,  because 
the  names  of  nearly  all  of  them  are  made 
up  of  two  or  three  Greek  letters,  which  are 
presumed  to  refer  to  mystical  words  or  to 
mottoes  known  only  to  members.  It  is  as 
if  the  Odd  Fellows  called  themselves  the 
*'F.  L.  T."  Fraternity,  referring  to  their 
well-known  watchwords,  "Friendship,  Love, 
and  Truth."  College  fraternities  may  be 
classified  as  general,  local,  professional, 
and  women's.  There  are  twenty-six  fra- 
ternities in  the  first  group,  which  have 
cha])ters  or  branches  in  from  four  to  sixty- 
four  of  the  higher  institutions  of  learning 
in  the  United  States.  Membership  is  con- 
fined in  almost  all  instances  to  students 
studying  the  classics  or  those  in  the  liter- 
ary and  scientific  departments;  membership 
originally  was,  and  in  a  few  instances  to- 
day is,  restricted  to  upper-class  men.  This 
has  resulted  in  the  formation  of  similar  soci- 
eties among  students  in  professional  schools, 
of  which  four  have  achieved  prominence 
and  a  considerable  membership.  With  the 
increase  of  institutions  for  the  higher  edu- 
cation of  women ,  there  have  appeared  nearly 
a  dozen  Greek  and  Roman  letter  secret  so- 
cieties for  women  undergraduates,  half  a 
dozen  of  which  made  themselves  known 
beyond  the  walls  of  the  colleges  where  they 
have  an  active  existence.  There  are  many 
college  secret  societies  classed  as  local,  that 
is,  existing  only  at  colleges  where  founded, 
some  with  Greek-letter  and  some  with 
other  titles,  among  the  better  known  of 
which  are  the  three  senior  class  societies  at 
Yale.  If  to  the  foregoing  there  be  added 
those  which  have  lived,  shone,  and  left   a 


record,  American  college  life  will  be  found 
to  have  given  birth  to  almost  one  hundred 
secret  societies  of  this  particular  and  unique 
type. 

The  form  of  government  prior  to  1870  was 
weak,  consisting  of  general  supervision  by  a 
Grand,  usually  the  parent  Chapter,  or  by 
one  chapter  after  another  in  turn,  which 
made  laws  and  regulations  as  it  pleased, 
communicated  the  fact  to  the  other  chap- 
ters and  left  it  to  their  option  to  obey  them. 
But  within  the  last  quarter  of  a  century 
conventions  made  up  of  delegates  from 
chapters,  with  administrative  bodies  or 
councils,  composed  of  alumni  members,  have 
had  a  general  supervision  over  and  man- 
agement of  affairs,  and  in  leading  instances 
have  taken  the  place  of  an  imperial  form  of 
government.  Annual  conventions  are  held 
with  undergraduate  chapters,  in  turn,  when 
undergraduate  delegates  act  in  the  capacity 
of  legislators,  leaving  the  duties  of  an  ex- 
ecutive to  the  council  of  alumni.  These 
reunions  generally  end  with  a  banquet  and 
formal  public  exercises  at  which  distin- 
guished members  deliver  addresses  of  wel- 
come, poems,  and  orations  in  the  presence 
of  delegates  and  other  undergraduate  mem- 
bers, their  relatives  and  friends.  These 
exercises  are  rendered  the  more  attractive 
because  of  the  long  list  of  alumni  prominent 
in  the  various  walks  of  life,  who  may  be 
called  on  to  discourse  eloquently  touching 
th^  fraternity  and  what  it  means  to  those 
who  enjoy  its  privileges,  or  on  literary  and 
economic  topics. 

Membership  in  college  fraternities  in- 
cludes active,  alumni,  and  honorary;  but 
the  latter,  with  a  few  exceptions,  is  no  longer 
permitted  to  increase,  initiations  being  con- 
fined to  undergraduates.     At  some  of  the 


COLLEGE   FRATERNITIES 


329 


larger  cities,  graduate  members  have  estab- 
lished alumni  chapters  or  clubs.  The  older 
fraternities,  for  they  do  not  rank  necessarily 
according  to  membership,  have  published 
accounts  of  their  origin  ;ind  growth;  a  num- 
ber have  issued  elaborate  and  ornate  cata- 
logues, with  lists  of  names  of  members 
arranged  alphabetically  by  States  and  by  col- 
leges, with  memoranda  as  to  rank  in  the  so- 
ciety or  at  college  and  biographical  sketches 
of  members  distinguished  in  public  life;  not 
a  few  issue  magazines  and  other  periodicals, 
some  of  which  are  circulated  privately. 
Nearly  all  have  published  music  and  song 
books  of  their  own,  in  some  instances  have 
adopted  distinctive  colors,  and  in  others, 
flowers,  as  having  a  special  significance.  But 
most  important,  perhaps,  are  college  frater- 
nity badges,  almost  always  made  of  gold, 
sometimes  enamelled,  and  generally  set  with 
precious  stones.  These  are  worn  conspicu- 
ously by  undergraduate  members  and  by 
numy  long  after  leaving  college.  In  a  num- 
ber of  instances  the  badge  consists  of  a  mono- 
gram formed  of  the  Greek  letters  composing 
the  name  of  the  fraternity;  in  others,  of  a 
representation  of  one  or  more  emblems  and 
in  many  instances  of  shields  or  rhombs,  or- 
namented with  enamelled,  jewelled,  or  en- 
graved letters  and  emblems. 

The  Greek-letter  fraternity  is  unique 
among  secret  societies,  in  that  it  is  the  only 
organization  of  the  kind  founded  on  an 
aristocracy  of  social  advantage  and  educa- 
tional opportunity.  Students  have  to  be 
invited  to  join  them,  and  the  uiulergraduate 
who  should  prove  so  unfamiliar  with  college 
customs  as  to  ask  to  join  one  would  probably 
never  be  permitted  to  do  so.  So  "secret" 
are  the  Greek-letter  fraternities,  or  most 
of  them,  that,  although  wearing  jewelled 
badges,  members  generally  refuse  to  men- 
tion the  organization  in  the  presence  of  pro- 
fanes. Instances  have  been  known  where  a 
member  of  one  college  fraternity  resigned 
and  joined  another,  or  was  expelled  aiul 
elected  by  a  rival  society,  but  they  are  like 
hens'  teeth.     When  this  does  happen,  the 


member  is  said  to  be  "  lifted."  A  student 
whose  acquaintance  has  been  cultivated,  has 
been  ''rushed;"  when  he  has  been  asked 
to  join,  he  has  been  ''bid;"  and  when  he 
has  agreed  to  do  so,  he  is  "  pledged;  "  when 
he  has  been  initiated  and  appears  wearing 
the  society's  badge,  he  is  "  swung  out."  In 
''rushing"  a  man  it  is  customary  to  invite 
him  to  the  fraternity  house,  where  he  meets 
the  meiuljers,  Avho  watch  his  conduct  and 
his  conversation.  If  he  makes  a  good  im- 
pression, he  is  invited  again,  taken  to  foot- 
ball games,  to  the  theatre,  and  invited  to 
social  affairs,  and  if  all  are  satisfied  the  new 
man  is  a  desirable  acquisition  he  is  invited 
to  join.  After  initiation  the  watch  over  a 
ncAV  member  is  kept  uji.  He  is  guarded 
against  falling  behind  in  class  work  and  is 
taught  during  all  his  first  year  that  neither 
he  nor  his  opinions  are  of  importance.  By 
the  time  he  is  a  sophomore  he  has  learned 
to  make  allowance  for  every  one's  point  of 
view. 

Among  about  six  hundred  and  fifty  chap- 
ters of  American  college  fraternities  nearly 
seventy  possess  houses  or  temples  valued  at 
over  il, 000,000,  costing  from  ^1,200  to 
1100,000.  Some  of  them  are  elaborate  and 
fanciful  in  design,  others  severely  classic 
and  still  others  sombre  piles  of  brick  and 
stone.  In  many  instances  members  lodge 
in  fraternity  houses,  in  others  out  of  them. 
The  tabular  exhibit  on  page  330  respecting 
some  of  the  better  known  general  Greek- 
letter  fraternities  is  condensed  from  data 
for  1890  and  1891,  furnished  by  AVilliam 
Haimond  Baird  in  Johnson's  Encyclopaedia. 

The  system  of  Greek-letter  fraternities, 
nearly  if  not  all  of  which  are  chartered 
corporations,  is  fitly  characterized  by  John 
Addison  Porter,  private  secretary  to  Presi- 
dent McKinley,  in  a  "Century  Magazine" 
article,  September,  1888,  as  ''the  most 
prominent  characteristic  of  American  un- 
dergraduate social  life."  A  reference  to 
brief  sketches  of  them  will  reveal  the  names 
of  a  few  of  the  125,000  members  who  dur- 
ing the  greater  part  of  the  present  century 


330 


COLLEGE    FRATERNITIES 


Where 
Founded. 

Year 
Founded. 

Member- 
ship, 
1898. 

No.  OP  Chap- 
ters. 

No. 
Chapter 
Houses. 

Colors. 

Form  of  Badge. 

Alive. 

Dor- 
mant. 

Kappa  Al^jha 

Union 

]8-.i5 

1827 
182? 
18:^2 
1833 
18:J4 

1839 

1841 

1844 

1846 
1847 
1847 
1848 
1848 
1849 
1853 
1854 
1855 

1856 

1860 

1865 

1865 

1867 
1S68 

1869 

1,395 
2.190 
2.914 
7,9.33 
8,.585 
6,275 

10,577 

3,718 

12,948 

4,837 
2,989 
3,411 
6,.330 
9.609 
2,153 
7,435 
4,048 
6,051 

5,668 

5,670 

4,261 

3,855 

.3,466 
1,061 

2,864 

4 

11 
19 
17 
26 

60 

16 

34 

SO 
9 

20 

40 

ce- 
ll 

35 
21 
38 

31 

39 

35 

26 

23 

4 

20 

2 
2 

8 
3 
6 

19 

9 

13 

10 
10 
14 
23 
17 

l.T 

16 
23 
24 

33 

26 

21 

12 

20 
7 

3 
6 
2 

7 
5 

3 
5 
9 

4 

8 
3 
0 

1 
1 
1 
1 
0 

0 

6 

1 

0 

0 
0 

0 

Scarlet         

Watchkey. 

Blue,  White 

Blue,  White 

Monogram. 

Delta  Phi 

Union 

Hamilton 

Union 

Williams 

Maltese  Cross. 

Alpha  Delta  Phi... 

Psi  Upsilon 

Delta  Upsilon 

White,  Gieen 

Garnet,  Gold 

Blue  Gold 

Star  and  Crescent. 

Rhomb. 

Monogram. 

Pink,  Blue 

(  Eight-sided,  oblong 
■(      Shield. 
Monogram. 

Chi  Psi           .   .... 

Purple,  Gold 

Delta  Kappa  Ep-  (^ 

Yale 

Blue,  Gold,  Crimson. 
White      

Rhomb. 

silon \ 

Univ.  N.  Y 

Columbia 

Union 

Monogram. 

Delta  Psi        

Light  Blue     

Black,  White,  Blue.. 
Royal  Blue 

St.  Anthony's  Cross. 

Theta  Delta  Chi. . . 

Shield. 

Wash.  &  JeflE... 
Miami 

Rhomb. 

Phi  Delta  Theta. . . 

White,  Blue 

Black,  Gold  

Shield. 

Phi  Kappa  Sigma  . 

Phi  Kappa  Psi 

*Chi  Phi 

Univ.  Pa 

Wash.  &  Jeff... 
Princeton 

Maltese  Cross,  Skull. 
Shield 

Scarlet,  Blue 

Monogram. 

Black,  Gold 

Cross. 

Sigma  Alpha  Ep-  /_ 

silon 1 

Delta  Tail  Delta... 

Alpha  Tau  Omega. 

Kappa     A 1  p  h  a  1 

(south') ( 

Kappa  Sigma 

Pi  Kappa  Alpha. . . 

Sigma  Nu 

Univ.  Ala 

Bethany 

Va.  Mil.  Inst.... 

Wash. -Lee  Univ. 

Purple,  Gold 

Purple.  Gold.  White. 
1  Gold,     White,* 
1     Green,  Blue. . .  t 

Cardinal,  Gold 

Blue,  Gold,  Red 

Garnet,  Gold 

Black,  White,  Gold  . 

Rhomb. 

Four-sided  Shield. 
Maltese  Cross. 

Shield. 

Univ.  Va 

Va.  Mil.  Inst.... 

Shield  and  Rhomb. 
\  15-pointed,     5-pan- 
/      elled  Cross. 

*  Claims  to  be  a  revival  of  a  Chi  Phi  fraternity  founded  at  Princeton  in  1834,  which  is  not  known  to  have  been  active. 


have  done  much  to  add  lustre  to  the  pro- 
fessional, political,  and  business  life  of  the 
Republic.  The  novitiate  of  the  college  fra- 
ternity soon  learns  to  think  of  these  men 
not  only  as  brethren,  but  as  models.  Presi- 
dent Seelye  of  Amherst  College,  in  an  ad- 
dress on  June  28,  1887,  said: 

It  is  tlot  accidental  that  the  foremost  men  in  col- 
lege, as  a  rule,  belong  to  some  of  these  societies. 
That  each  society  should  seek  for  membership  the 
best  scholars,  the  best  writers  and  speakers,  the 
best  men  of  a  class,  shows  well  where  its  strength  is 
thought  to  lie.  A  student  entering  one  of  these 
societies  finds  a  healthy  stimulus  in  the  repute 
which  his  fraternity  shall  share  from  his  successful 
work.  The  rivalry  of  individuals  loses  much  of  its 
narrowness,  and  almost  all  of  its  envy,  when  the 
prize  which  the  individual  seeks  is  valued  chiefly 
for  its  benefit  to  the  fellowship  to  which  he  belongs. 
Doubtless  members  of  these  societies  often  remain 
narrow-minded  and  laggard  in  the  race,  after  all  the 
influence  of  their  society  has  been  expended  upon 
them,  but  the  influence  is  a  broadening  and  a 
quickening  one  notwithstanding.  Under  its  power 
the  self-conceit  of  a  young  man  is  more  likely  to 
give  way  to  self-control  than  otherwise. 


Mr.  Porter  adds  this  : 

These  "little  societies"  have  supplied  forty 
governers  to  most  of  the  largest  States  of  the 
Union,  and  had,  in  the  last  administration,  the 
President  of  the  United  States  and  the  majority  of 
his  Cabinet.  On  the  Supreme  Bench  of  the  United 
States  the  fraternities  are  now  (1888)  represented  by 
five  of  the  associate  justices.  A  summary,  published 
in  1885,  showed  Alpha  Delta  Phi,  Psi  Upsilon,  and 
Delta  Kappa  Epsilon,  to  have  furnished  of  United 
States  senators,  39,  25,  and  36,  respectively  ;  while 
in  the  last  Congress  thirteen  representatives  and  two 
senators  were  members  of  the  last-named  fraternity 
alone  ;  and  in  the  membership  of  these  thi'ee  fra- 
ternities are  included  twenty-four  bishops  of  the 
Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 

In  view  of  the  foregoing,  it  is  with  amuse- 
ment rather  than  concern  that  one  recalls 
the  active  opposition  to  college  secret  soci- 
eties between  1845  and  1885  by  the  faculties 
of  a  few  distinguished  colleges  and  officers 
of  a  number  of  other  institutions  of  learn- 
ing. This  was  due  in  part  to  the  antij^athy 
for  all  secret  societies  engendered  in  the 
minds  of  some  who  were  close  to  but  partly 


COLLEGE    FRATERNITIES 


331 


ignorant  of  the  facts  underlying  the  anti- 
Masonic  agitation  of  from  1827  to  1840; 
partly  to  the  warfare  waged  against  secret 
associations  of  all  kinds  by  one  or  two  re- 
ligious denominations,  and,  to  some  extent, 
to  ignorance  of  all  that  pertains  to  these 
societies,  or  because  .antagonists  had  been 
refused  by  or  expelled  from  membership  in 
such  organizations,  or  for  special  reasons 
applying  to  particular  instances.  All  of 
this  opposition,  except  that  at  Priiiceton,  has 
practically  disappeared,  the  other  colleges 
prohibiting  Greek-letter  fraternities  not  hav- 
ing either  the  standing  as  institutions  of 
learning  or  the  personnel  among  their  stu- 
dents which  would  suggest  the  propriety 
of  establishing  chapters  of  these  societies. 
The  earliest  warfare  of  this  character  was 
at  Harvard  College  in  1831,  Avhen  John 
Quincy  Adams  and  others,  notably  Joseph 
Story  and  Edward  Everett,  induced  the  par- 
ent Greek-letter  society.  Phi  Beta  Kapj)a, 
to  make  joublic  its  so-called  secrets  and  be- 
come an  open,  honorary  organization.  It 
is  worth  recalling  that  in  1831  Mr.  Adams 
was  elected  an  anti-Masonic  and  Whig  can- 
didate for  Congress  and  that  he  had  been 
defeated  for  reelection  to  the  Presidency 
three  years  before  by  Andrew  Jackson,  a 
Freemason,  at  a  time  when  public  feeling 
ran  high  against  the  Masonic  Fraternity, 
owing  to  its  supjiosed  responsibility  for  the 
mysterious  disappearance  of  one  Morgan 
who,  it  was  said,  proposed  to  reveal  its 
secrets.  Mr.  Adams  was  led  to  "  hate  Free- 
masonry," not  from  any  personal  knowledge 
he  had  of  it,  but  ^because  of  the  attitude  of 
politicians  toward  the  institution  who  ex- 
ercised a  great  influence  over  him.  One 
result  was  a  series  of  letters  abusive  of  Free- 
masonry which  he  published  in  the  news- 
papers between  1831  and  1833,  and  another, 
evidently,  was  his  rescuing  the  chapter  of 
Phi  Beta  Kappa  at  Harvard,  his  alma  mater, 
from  the  depths  of  iniquity  to  which  he  evi- 
dently thought  its  secrecy  was  leading  it. 
Associate  Justice  Story  was  professor  of  law 
at  Harvard  at  the  time,  and  Edward  Ever- 


ett, then  member  of  Congress,  was  the  can- 
didate (such  is  the  irony  of  fate)  for  the 
Vice-Presidency  of  the  Constitutional  Union 
party  in  1860.  The  latter  organization,  it 
will  be  recalled,  was  the  residuary  legatee 
of  the  so-called  Know  Nothing  party,  a 
2)roscriptive,  political  secret  society,  which 
antagonized  aliens  and  Roman  Catholics 
from  behind  closed  doors  and  at  the  ballot- 
box  during  the  early  fifties.  (See  Know 
Nothing  Part3\)  There  were  few  chapters 
of  college  secret  societies  in  1831,  not  more 
than  a  dozen  scattered  throughout  New 
England,  New  York,  and  New  Jersey,  and 
communication  between  them  either  by  mail 
or  in  person  was  infrequent.  There  was  no 
other  effect  of  the  effort  by  Adams,  Story, 
and  Everett  until  in  1834,  when  a  ''  non- 
secret  "  Greek-letter  society,  Delta  TJpsilon,* 
was  formed  at  Williams  College.  It  exists 
to  this  day,  with  chapters  in  twenty-six  col- 
leges, and  has  many  of  the  outward  peculi- 
arities of  the  secret  Greek-letter  fraternities. 
It  reveals  very  little  more  of  what  it  does 
than  the  latter,  aiid  calls  itself  private  in- 
stead of  secret.  Eleven  years  later,  1845, 
the  faculty  of  the  University  of  Michigan 
demanded  the  disbandment  of  chapters  of 
Alj^ha  Delta  Phi,  Chi  Psi,  and  Beta  Thcta 
Pi  under  penalty  of  expulsion  of  members 
and  required  new  students  to  sign  a  j^ledge 
not  to  join  such  societies.  The  fight  be- 
tween the  faculty  and  the  few  members  of 
the  then  far  western  branches  of  those  fra- 
ternities lasted  five  or  six  years.  The  mem- 
bers of  Beta  Theta  Pi  tried  to  evade  the 
rule  and  killed  the  chapter  in  the  attempt. 
Alpha  Delta  Phi  and  Chi  Psi  fought  the 
faculty  tooth  and  nail,  in  the  press  through- 
out the  State,  by  means  of  an  informed  and 

*  There  is  an  anti-secret  society  called  Delta 
Upsilon,  which  exists  at  a  number  of  colleges  and 
grew  out  of  a  confederation  of  societies  having 
their  origin  in  opposition  to  the  secret  societies.  It 
makes  more  or  less  point  of  the  alleged  immorality 
of  the  secrecy  of  the  fraternities  and  its  chapters 
work  with  or  against  the  fraternities  as  may  seem 
to  tlicm  expedient. — Baird's  American  College  Fra- 
ternities, New  York. 


332 


COLLEGE   FRATERNITIES 


health}'  public  sentiment,  and  with  the  aid 
of  Freemasons  and  Odd  Fellows,  until  the 
rule  Avas  rescinded.  Two  professors  were 
expelled  from  the  faculty  by  the  Board  of 
Regents  and  one  was  allowed  to  resign.  A 
new  president  of  the  university  was  ap- 
pointed shortly  after  and  there  was  no 
further  trouble.  This  anti-fraternity  war, 
almost  one  of  extermination,  was  another 
outcome  of  anti-secret  society  sentiment  cre- 
ated by  the  anti-Masonic  'agitation  a  few 
years  before.  Opposition  to  the  Greek-let- 
ter fraternities  continued  to  show  itself  at 
some  colleges  through  faculty  regulations 
prohibiting  their  organization,  notably  at 
the  Universities  of  Alabama,  North  Caro- 
lina, and  Illinois;  at  Oberlin  and  others  by 
requiring  students  to  sign  a  pledge  at  ma- 
triculation not  to  join  such  societies,  which 
Avas  the  course  pursued  at  Princeton  in  1857, 
at  Purdue,  Dennison,  and  elsewhere.  The 
refusal  of  the  University  of  California  in 
1879  to  permit  a  chapter  of  one  of  these 
societies  to  exist  roused  the  press  of  that 
State,  and  tlie  order  was  speedily  rescinded. 
At  Purdue  University,  Indianapolis,  the  fac- 
ulty opposed  Greek-letter  fraternities,  on 
the  ground  that  they  exercised  an  undue 
iafluence  to  enlarge  the  classical  course  of 
studies  at  the  expense  of  the  scientific.  A 
test  case  was  made  of  the  faculty's  refusing 
to  admit  to  college  a  member  of  the  Sigma 
Chi  Fraternity  who  was  otherwise  eligible. 
The  case  was  taken  to  the  Supreme  Court 
and  the  college  authorities  Avere  beaten,* 
"  the  fraternities  "  being  placed  by  this  de- 
cision "  in  a  position  entirely  similar  to  that 
of  other  secret  societies,"  putting  the  bur- 
den of  proof  upon  the  faculty  passing  anti- 
fraternity  laAvs,  ' '  to  show  that  attendance 
upon  the  meetings  of  a  fraternity  interfere 
with  the  relation  of  the  members  of  the  col- 
lege." The  president  of  Purdue  resigned 
soon  after  and  was  succeeded,  strange  to 
relate,  by  a  member  of  the  Sigma  Chi  fra- 
ternity.    Within  the  past  fifteen  years  anti- 

*  Baird's  American  College  Fraternities. 


fraternity  laws  have  been  repealed  or  ignored 
by  Harvard  as  well  as  Vanderbilt,  and  by 
the  Universities  of  North  Carolina,  Georgia, 
Iowa,  Missouri,  and  Alabama.  The  secrecy 
of  these  societies  is  confined  to  so  little  be- 
sides privacy  of  meetings  that  it  hardly  calls 
for  comment.  While  largely  social,  their 
aims  are  high  and  ideals  lofty.  Advantages 
secured  and  friendships  gained  through . 
them  are  often  among  the  most  valuable 
acquisitions  of  the  college  student. 

Origin  and  Extension.  —  American 
Greek-letter  college  secret  societies  began 
with  the  formation  of  Phi  Beta  Kappa  at 
the  College  of  William  and  Mary,  Williams- 
burg, Va.,  December  5,  1776.  Secret  or 
semi-secret,  as  Avell  as  open,  literary  college 
societies,  usually  with  Latin  names,  already 
existed,  where  debates  and  annual  elections 
of  officers  were  often  the  first  training  of 
the  young  student  in  public  speaking  and 
in  jiolitics.  William  and  Mary  was  a  suc- 
cessful and  prosperous  college  one  hundred 
and  twenty-one  years  ago,  and  there  it  was 
that  five  young  men  formed  a  new  and,  as 
they  believed,  more  effective  students'  or- 
ganization. There  was  already  a  society 
there  with  a  Latin  name,  and  as  one  of  the 
five  students  was  a  good  Greek  scholar,  it 
has  been  thought  that  may  have  suggested 
the  propriety  of  a  Greek-letter  name.  In 
any  event,  they  chose  a  Greek  motto  of 
three  Avords,  the  initials  of  which  are  Phi 
Beta  Kappa;  decided  to  keep  the  society's 
proceedings  secret;  declared  themselves  a 
fraternity;  established  a  few  local  branches, 
of  Avhich  nothing  has  been  heard  since,  and 
chapters  at  Yale  and  Harvard,  Avhich  pre- 
served the  society  and  founded  what  has 
groAvn  into  a  veritable  Avorld  of  Greek-letter 
fraternities.  (See  Phi  Beta  Kappa;  also 
accompanying  genealogical  charts  showing 
the  order  and  place  of  establishment  of  ear- 
lier chapters  of  Phi  Beta  Kappa,  and  some 
of  the  other  older  Greek-letter  fraternities, 
whether  imitators  of  or  merely  inspired  by 
a  spirit  of  rivalry  to  those  which  preceded 
them.)      The  parent  chapter  of  Plii  Beta 


COLLEGE   FRATERNITIES 


333 


Kappa  became  dormant  at  the  approach 
of  Lord  Cornwallis  in  1781.  The  Yale 
Chapter  Avas  established  in  1780,  and  that 
at  Harvard  a  year  later.  These  were  origi- 
nally the  Zeta  and  Epsilon  Chaipters,  Beta, 
Gamma  and  Delta  having  been  assigned 
to  now  extinct,  local,  non-collegiate  Vir- 
ginia chapters.  They  subseqnently  became 
the  Alphas,  respectively,  of  Connecticut 
and  Massachusetts.  From  this,  doubtless, 
arose  the  custom  in  many  of  the  Greek- 
letter  fraternities  of  designating  chapters 
by  Greek  letters,  the  oldest  in  a  State  as 
Alpha,  and  so  on.  Six  years  later,  in 
1787,  the  Yale  and  Harvard  Chapters 
took  Phi  Beta  Kappa  to  Dartmouth,  at 
Hanover,  N.  H.,  and  in  1817,  thirty  years 
after,  it  was  established  at  Union  College  at 
Schenectady,  N.  Y.  It  was  during  this 
thirty  years'  interval  that  the  older  college 
literary  societies  flourished,  many  of  which 
had  Latin  names,  some  of  which  are  still  act- 
ive, but  most  of  which  have  given  Avay  to  the 
Greek-letter  fraternities,  except  at  Prince- 
ton, where  Whig  and  Clio  continue  features 
of  student  life;  and  at  Lafayette,  where 
Washington  and  Jefferson  claim  a  large 
share  of  attention.  Four  years  after  Phi 
Beta  Kappa  was  taken  to  Union  College,  a 
second  Greek-letter  fraternity  Avas  founded 
at  Yale,  manifestly  suggested  by  Phi  Beta 
Kappa,  Avhich  had  been  there  forty-one 
years.  It  was  called  Chi  Delta  Theta,  and 
differed  from  its  progenitor  in  that  it  never 
established  branches  or  chapters  at  other 
colleges,  but  remained  a  local,  and,  more 
recently,  an  honorary  society,  membership 
in  it  being  practically  an  honor  conferred 
upon  the  editorial  staff  of  the  Yale  "  Literary 
Magazine."  Two  years  later,  in  18"-23,  ac- 
cording to  tradition,  a  Kappa  Alpha  club 
was  formed  at  Union  College,  there  being  at 
that  time  no  intention  of  making  it  a  secret 
society.  AVhether  the  thought  of  rivalling 
the  then  comparatively  widespread  Greek- 
letter  fraternity  Phi  Beta  Kappa  was  the 
inspiration  is  not  known,  but  the  probabili- 
ties indicate    that  the  second   Greek-letter 


fraternity  at  Union  was  modelled  after  the 
first.  Their  names  are  suggestively  alike 
and  a  comparison  of  the  watchkey  badges  of 
both  would  seem  to  settle  the  question.  In 
1825  Ka2:)pa  Alpha  club  blossomed  out  as  a 
regular  Greek-letter  fraternity,  and  two 
years  later,  stimulated  by  a  spirit  of  emula- 
tion, Sigma  Phi  was  founded  and  Avithin  a 
few  months  Delta  Phi  was  organized,  the 
third  at  Union  College,  Avhich  institution 
has  proved  a  veritable  mother  of  fraternities. 
These  three  societies,  the  "Union  Triad," 
are,  more  than  any  others,  except  Phi  Beta 
Kappa,  responsible  for  the  Avidespread  in- 
terest shown  during  the  past  sixty  years  in 
this  department  of  secret,  social,  aiid  liter- 
ary life  at  American  colleges.  Sigma  Phi 
was  the  first  to  follow  the  example  of  Phi 
Beta  Kappa  by  establishing  chapters,  its 
original  branch  being  at  Hamilton  College, 
Clinton,  N.  Y.,  Avhere  it  Avas  established  in 
1831.  Kajipa  Alpha  Avas  'piick  to  follow 
the  example,  but  the  Hamilton  students 
AA^io  were  approached  by  the  "Kaps"  de- 
clined to  become  members  of  that  society, 
and  in  1832  founded  one  of  their  own,  call- 
ing it  Alpha  Delta  Phi.  It  was  in  1832  also 
that  the  Yale  society  commonly  called 
Skull  and  Bones  appeared.  It  has  con- 
tinued a  purely  local  organization,  on  the 
lines  of  other  college  fraternities,  Avithout  a 
Greek-letter  title,  but  with  more  mystery 
and  prestige  than  usually  surrounds  a  soci- 
ety Avhich  does  not  venture  beyond  the  place 
of  origin.  It  is  due  to  Skull  and  Bones  that 
Avhat  is  known  as  the  Yale  secret  society 
system  differs  from  that  at  almost  all  other 
colleges.  At  the  latter,  members  of  a  fra- 
ternity Avould  as  soon  think  of  committing 
treason  as  join  a  second  college  society;  but 
at  Yale  the  sophomore  joins  one  of  the  junior 
Greek-letter  fraternities,  if  asked,  and  then 
Ha'cs  in  the  unuttered  hope  of  being  in\'ited 
to  join  one  of  the  local  senior-year  fraterni- 
ties. Whether  successful  or  not,  his  inter- 
est in  his  junior  society  (one  of  the  three 
most  renowned  Avhich  have  chapters  at  the 
older  institutions  of  learning)  is  not,  as  a 


334 


COLLEGE   FRATERNITIES 


rule,  of  that  deep  and  lasting  nature  which 
characterizes  members  of  the  same  society 
at  other  colleges.  In  1829,  three  years  be- 
fore Skull  and  Bones  was  founded,  I.  K.  A. 
(not  Greek),  appeared  at  Washington,  now 
Trinity  College,  Hartford,  Conn.,  and,  like 
the  former,  has  remained  a  local  senior  so- 
ciety ever  since.  In  1833  Union  College 
gave  birth  to  another  fraternity,  Psi  Upsilon, 
which,  within  a  few  years,  followed  Alpha 
Delta  Phi,  which  led  in  placing  chapters  in 
the  then  foremost  colleges  and  universities. 
Alpha  Delta  Phi  shocked  some  of  the  con- 
servative spirits  of  1835  by  placing  chapters 
simultaneously  at  the  University  of  New 
York  and  in  what  M'as  then  regarded  as  the 
far  West,  at  Miami  University,  Oxford,  0. 
In  183G  it  appeared  at  Columbia  in  New 
York  city  and  at  Amherst;  in  1837  at  Yale, 
Harvard,  and  Brown,  and  in  1838  at  the 
Cincinnati  Laiv  School;  so  that  within  six 
years  it  possessed  nine  chapters  as  contrasted 
with  only  four  cha2:)ters  of  Phi  Beta  Kappa, 
four  of  Sigma  Phi,  one  of  Delta  Phi,  all 
older  societies,  and  as  compared  with  two 
chapters  of  Psi  Upsilon.  A  brief  account 
of  the  local,  senior-class  society.  The  Mysti- 
cal Seven, founded  at  Wesleyan  University  in 
1837  (since  absorbed  by  Beta  Theta  Pi),  may 
be  found  in  the  sketch  of  the  Heptasophs, 
or  Seven  Wise  Men.  The  advent  of  Alpha 
Delta  Phi  at  Miami  resulted  in  the  forma- 
tion of  Beta  Theta  Pi.  In  1837  Psi  Upsilon 
went  to  the  University  of  New  York,  in 
1839  to  Yale,  and  in  1840  to  Brown,  in 
which  year  Alpha  Delta  Phi  was  established 
at  Hobart.  In  1841  Union  arose  to  the 
occasion  again  and  gave  birth  to  another, 
its  fifth  fraternity,  Chi  Psi,  and  in  1842, 
stimulated  by  the  success  of  Skull  and 
Bones  at  Yale,  Scroll  and  Key  made  its  ap- 
pearance there,  to  choose  fifteen  juniors 
annually  and  divide  the  honors,  as  far  as 
possible,  with  the  older  senior  society.  In 
1844  a  schism  from  the  Yale  Chaiiter  of  Psi 
Upsilon  resulted  in  the  formation  of  a  third 
junior-year  fraternity.  Delta  Kappa  Epsilon, 
the  only  living  society  originating  at  Yale 


which  has  established  chapters  at  other  col- 
leges and  has  conformed  to  the  college  so- 
ciety system  existing  out  of  New  Haven. 
Alpha  Delta  Phi,  Psi  Upsilon,  and  Delta 
Kappa  Epgilon,  for  fifty  years,  have  been 
closely  associated  in  the  minds  of  the  mem- 
bers of  the  college  world,  and  are  fairly 
classed  as  the  three  great  college  fraterni- 
ties. They  are  great  rivals  and  number 
many  distinguished  names  in  professional, 
political,  commercial,  and  industrial  life  on 
the  lists  of  their  alumni.  A  large  propor- 
tion of  their  chapters  own  their  own  houses 
or  temples.  At  most  of  the  older  Eastern 
and  Middle  State  colleges  and  universities 
chapters  of  two  of  these  fraternities  are  to 
be  found,  and  at  many  such  institutions  the 
three  meet  as  rivals.  In  the  latter  instance, 
as  pointed  out  by  Baird,*  the  colleges  are 
historic,  which  is  due  to  the  fact  that  forty 
years  ago  such  colleges  were  the  centres  of 
the  literary  activity  of  the  country. 

New  chapters  of  Alpha  Delta  Phi,  Psi 
Upsilon,  Delta  Kappa  Epsilon,  and  Beta 
Theta  Pi  were  established  with  comparative 
frequency  between  1844  and  18G1,  the  socie- 
ties ranking  during  that  period  about  in  the 
order  named.  During  those  years  thirteen 
new  college  fraternities  appeared  to  dispute 
supremacy,  so  far  as  possible,  with  those 
which  were  practically  their  inspiration, 
Zeta  Psi  at  the  University  of  New  York  in 
1846;  Theta  Delta  Chi  at  Union  in  1847; 
Delta  Psi  at  Columbia  in  the  same  year;  Phi 
Delta  Theta  at  Miami,  and  Phi  Gamma  Delta 
at  Washington  and  Jefferson  in  1848;  Phi 
Kappa  Sigma  at  the  University  of  Pennsyl- 
vania in  1850;  Phi  Kappa  Psi, at  Jefferson 
in  1852;  Sigma  Chi  at  Miami  in  1855; 
Sigma  Alpha  Ej^silon  at  the  University  of 
Alabama  in  1856;  Chi  Phi  (southern)  at 
the  University  of  North  Carolina  in  1858; 
another  Clii  Phi,  this  at  Hobart  College  in 
1860,  and  Delta  Tau  Delta  at  Bethany  Col- 
lege in  the  same  year.  The  original  South- 
ern  college   fraternity,     ''The    Eainbow," 

*  Anierican  College  Fraternities  ;  New  York, 
James  P.  Downs,  1890. 


COLLEGE   FRATERNITIES 


335 


founded  at  the  University  of  Mississippi  in 
1843,  believed  to  have  been  an  offshoot  from 
the  Mystical  Seven  of  Wesleyan,  did  not 
livelong.  (See  Order  of  the  Ileptasophe.) 
The  Princeton  and  Hobart  orders  of  Chi 
Phi  united  iu  18G7,  and  the  Southern  order 
of  Chi  Phi  joined  them  in  1874,  when  the 
amalgamated  orders  took  the  name  of  the  Chi 
Phi  fraternity.  After  the  Civil  AVar  there 
was  not  much  opportunity  for  new  college 
fraternities  to  compete  with  those  already  in 
the  field,  except  at  the  South,  where  chapters 
of  Northern  fraternities  had  disappeared. 
As  shown  in  an  accompanying  genealogical 
chart  of  these  organizations,  five  Greek-let- 
ter fraternities  were  established  at  Southern 
educational  institutions  between  18G4  and 
1870:  Alpha  Tau  Omega  at  Virginia  Mili- 
tary Institute,  and  Kappa  Alpha  (southern) 
at  Washington-Lee  University,  Virginia,  in 
1865;  Kappa  Sigma  at  the  University  of 
Virginia  in  1867;  Pi  Kappa  Alpha  at  the 
same  place  in  1868,  and  Sigma  Xu  at  the 
Virginia  Military  Institute  in  1869,  all  of 
which  have  sent  out  branches  and  prospered. 
Aside  from  the  founding  in  1884  of  a  third 
local  senior  society.  Wolf's  Head,  at  Yale, 
the  past  twenty-seven  years  have  developed 
few,  if  any,  college  fraternities  of  national 
repute  except  professional  and  women's  so- 
cieties. The  quarter  of  a  century  in  this 
department  of  college  life  has  witnessed  a 
rapid  growth  on  the  part  of  some  fraterni- 
ties which,  just  after  the  war,  were  not 
ranked  among  the  first  half  dozen,  and  by 
others,  the  development  of  abnormal  con- 
servatism, with  a  tendency  to  let  well  enough 
alone,  and  in  some  instances  to  live  on  pres- 
tige. An  accompanying  chart  makes  it  plain 
that  after  Kappa  Alpha,  Sigma  Phi,  and 
Delta  Phi  at  Union  had  given  rise  to  Alpha 
Delta  Phi  and  to  Psi  Upsilon,  the  former 
to  Beta  Theta  Pi  and  the  latter  to  Delta 
Kappa  Epsilon,  that  the  line  of  pro])aga- 
tion,  as  it  were,  was  divided.  One  course 
was  the  outcome  of  the  activity  of  Aljiha 
Delta  Phi  and  Beta  Theta  Pi,  resulting  iu 
Phi  Gamma  Delta,  Phi  Delta  Theta,  Phi 


Kappa  Psi,  Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon,  Delta 
Tau  Delta,  Alpha  Tau  Omega,  Kappa  Alpha 
(southern)  and  Sigma  Nu;  the  other,  the 
result  of  Psi  Upsilon  and  Delta  Kappa 
Epsilon  stimulus,  including  Sigma  Chi, 
Kajipa  Sigma,  Pi  Kappa  Alpha,  and  Phi 
Kappa  Sigina.  Among  remaining  ])romi- 
nent  societies  Chi  Psi  and  Theta  Delta  Chi 
had  their  origin  at  Union,  and  Delta  Psi 
and  Zeta  Psi  in  Xevv  York  city,  where  Alpha 
Delta  Phi,  Psi  Upsilon,  and  Delta  Phi  had 
each  preceded  them.  The  foregoing  sug- 
gests a  classification  of  college  fraterni- 
ties into  general,  honorary,  professional, 
women's,  and  local. 

The  older  societies  in  the  first  group  may 
be  subdivided  according  to  seniority  and 
place  of  origin  as  follows: 

General  Fraternities. 

Union  Triad.  —  Kappa  Alpha,  Sigma 
Phi,  Delta  Phi. 

Historic  Triad. — Alpha  Delta  Phi,  Psi 
Upsilon,  Delta  Kappa  Epsilon. 

Pennsylvania  Triad. — Phi  Gamma  Del- 
ta, Phi  Kappa  Sigma.  Phi  Kappa  Psi. 

Double  Triad  (East). — Mystical  Seven, 
Chi  Psi,  Zeta'  Psi,  Tlieta  Delta  Chi,  Delta 
Psi,  ChiThi  (Princeton,  1854). 

Miami  Triad  (AVest).— Beta  Theta  Pi, 
Phi  Delta  Theta,  Sigma  Chi. 

Triple  Triad  (South).— AV.  W.  AV.,  or 
The  Painbow  (dead),  Sigma  Alpha  Epsilon, 
Chi  Phi  (University  of  North  Carolina), 
Delta  Tau  Delta,  Alpha  Tau  Omega, 
Kappa  Ali)ha,  Kappa  Sigma,  Pi  Kappa 
Alpha,  Signui  Xu. 

The  characteristics  of  the  three  earlier 
fraternities  at  Union  College  are  broadly 
marked.  Twenty  years  ago  and  for  a  long 
time  preceding,  the  membership  of  the  few 
chapters  of  Kappa  Alpha  (very  few  had  or 
have  been  established)  was  limited  and  ex- 
clusive, while  the  policy  of  the  fraternity 
was   distinctly   one   of   non-extension.     Its  • 

immediate  imitator,  Sigma  Phi,  was  not 
long  in  securing  a  like  classification.  It, 
too,  had  a  restricted  number  of  chajiters, 


336 


COLLEGE   FRATERNITIES 


and  a  tendency  to  regard  the  grandfather 
as  having  much  to  do  with  the  man.  Delta 
Plii  was  less  exclusive,  but  did  not  establish 
many  new  chapters  and  has  held  to  its 
earlier  standard  with  less  success  than  the 
other  two.  Baird  says  of  the  three  great 
fraternities,  Alpha  Delta  Phi,  Psi  Upsilon, 
and  Delta  Kappa  Epsilon,  that  "they  are 
rivals  of  each  other  more  frequently  than  of 
other  societies,  and  have  the  common  char- 
acteristics of  chapters  of  large  size,  literary 
work  in  their  meetings,  and  wealth  in  their 
outward  appointments."  He  thinks  the 
first  excels  in  literary  spirit,  the  second  in 
the  cultivation  of  the  social  side  of  life,  and 
that  the  third  "  occupies  a  middle  ground." 
At  Yale  they  are  junior  societies,  and  at 
that  place,  more  often  than  otherwise,  are 
stepping-stones  to  the  senior  societies. 
They  are  found  as  rivals  at  Hamilton,  Co- 
lumbia, Yale,  Amherst,  Brown,  Bowdoin, 
Dartmouth,  Michigan,  Eochester,  Wesleyan, 
Kenyon,  Cornell,  Trinity,  and  Minnesota; 
the  first  and  third  at  Western  Reserve,  Wil- 
liams, and  College  of  the  City  of  New  York; 
the  second  and  third  at  Chicago  and  Syra- 
cuse, and  the  first  two  at  Union.  Psi  Up- 
silon  also  has  chaj)ters  at  New  York  Uni- 
versity, University  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
Lehigh;  Alpha  Delta  Phi  at  Harvard,  Johns 
Hopkins  and  Toronto;  and  Delta  Kappa 
Epsilon  at  Colby,  Lafayette,  Colgate,  Eut- 
gers,  Middlebury,  Eensselaer  Polytechnic 
Institute,  De  Pauw,  Central,  Miami,  Cali- 
fornia, Vanderbilt,  Virginia,  North  Caro- 
lina, Alabama,  and  Mississippi.  Alpha 
Delta  Phi  and  Psi  Upsilon  continue  to  pay 
that  attention  to  the  social  standing  and  lit- 
erary excellence  among  their  members  which 
has  ever  characterized  almost  all  of  the  chap- 
ters of  each,  but  are  more  conservative  as 
to  extension  than  formerly.  Delta  Kappa 
Epsilon  is  noticeable  for  good  fellowship 
and  numerous  chapters,  some  of  which,  as 
noted,  are  at  minor  colleges.  Beta  Theta 
Pi,  the  first  western  fraternity,  is  now  one 
of  the  largest  and  best  governed.  It  places 
less  weight  on  the  propriety  or  desirability 


of  what  has  been  called  conservatism  with 
respect  to  increase  of  chapters  and  main- 
tains as  high  literary  excellence  among 
members  as  older  and  formerly  more  distin- 
guished fraternities.  Chi  Psi,  while  not  so 
restricted  as  to  number  of  chapters  as  Sigma 
Phi  or  Kappa  Alpha,  continues  one  of  the 
smaller  societies;  its  reputation  is  as  much 
for  good  fellowship  as  for  social  or  literary 
excellence.  Zeta  Psi  was  formerly  one  of 
the  smaller  fraternities,  but  adopted  a  policy 
of  extension  and  has  grown  rapidly.  It  is 
very  secret,  was  founded  by  Freemasons, 
and  in  recent  years  has  made  a  remarkable 
advance  in  standing  and  membership.  The 
socially  exclusive  members  of  Delta  Psi,  like 
those  of  Sigma  Phi  and  KajDpa  Alpha,  do 
not  add  to  their  few  chapters.  There  is 
considerable  wealth  centred  in  this  organi- 
zation. Among  western  societies  Avhich 
have  shown  enterprise  and  have  become 
prominent  of  late  years  are  Phi  Kappa  Psi, 
Phi  Delta  Theta,  and  Phi  Gamma  Delta. 
Some  of  the  relatively  smaller  or  younger 
societies,  such  as  Theta  Delta  Chi,  the 
(amalgamated)  Chi  Phi,  Sigma  Chi,  and 
Delta  Tau  Delta,  are  particularly  strong  at 
a  number  of  colleges.  The  fraternities  in 
the  Pennsylvania  and  Miami  groups,  as  a 
whole,  have  joaid  more  attention  to  exten- 
sion than  to  the  exclusiveness  which  has 
marked  societies  forming  the  Union,  His- 
toric, and  Double  Triads.  Most  of  the  Chap- 
ters of  the  Southern  grouji.  are  confined  to 
colleges  in  the  South.  Since  1880,  Beta 
Theta  Pi,  Phi  Delta  Theta,  Delta  Tau 
Delta,  Phi  Kappa  Psi,  Sigma  Chi,  and 
Phi  Gamma  Delta,  which,  prior  thereto, 
were  found  almost  exclusively  in  western 
and  southern  colleges,  began  to  invade  col- 
leges and  universities  of  the  North  and 
East,  where  to-day,  in  some  instances,  they 
dispute  supremacy  with  older  fraternities. 

Honorary  Fraternities. 

Phi  Beta  Kappa;  Chi  Delta  Theta,  local, 
Yale,  and  Sigma  Xi,  local,  Cornell,  1886. 


COLLEGE    FRATERNITIES 


837 


Professional  Fraternities. 

Theta  Xi,  English  and  scientific,  Rens- 
selaer Polytechnic  Institute,  1804;  four 
chapters  in  1890  ;  membership  estimated, 
450. 

Phi  Delta  Phi,  law.  University  of  ^lichi- 
gan,  1800;  sixteen  cliaj^ters  in  1800;  member- 
ship in  1897  estimated,  2,000. 

Q.  T.  v.,  (not  Greek-letter),  agricultural 
and  scientific,  ^lassacliut^etts  Agricultural 
College,  18G9;  four  chapters  in  1890;  mem- 
bership estimated,  G50. 

Phi  Sigma  Kappa,  scientific  and  medical, 
Massachusetts  Agricultural  College,  1873; 
three  chapters' in  1890;  membership  esti- 
mated, 210. 

Nu  Sigma  Nu,  medical.  University  of 
Michigan,  1882;  three  chapters  in  1890; 
membership  in  1897  estimated,  200. 

Alpha  Chi  Omega,  music  (women  stu- 
dents), De  Pauw  University,  1885 ;  two  chap- 
ters in  1890;  membership  estimated,  200. 

Phi  Alpha  Sigma,  medical,  Bellevue  Hos- 
pital, 1887;  two  chapters  and  an  estimated 
membership  of  150. 

College  Sisterhoods. 

Pi  Beta  Phi,  founded  at  Monmouth  Col- 
lege, Illinois,  by  eleven  young  women; 
originally  called  the  I.  C.  Sorosis,  now 
known  by  the  Greek  letters  which,  placed 
on  the  feather  of  a  golden  arrow,  constitute 
the  society's  badge;  colors  are  Avine  red  and 
pale  blue  and  its  flower  is  the  carnation; 
there  were  nineteen  chapters  reported  in 
1890  in  Illinois,  Iowa,  Indiana.  Kansas, 
Michigan,  Nebraska,  Colorado,  District  of 
Columbia,  Ohio,  and  Minnesota.  Total 
membership  is  probably  not  over  1,G00. 

Kappa  Kappa  Gamma,  organized  at  Mon- 
mouth, 111.,  1870,  by  four  young  women, 
in  preference  to  accepting  membership  in  a 
proposed  sisterhood.  It  spread  to  colleges 
through  tiie  central  western  and  north- 
western States,  and  by  1890  had  twenty-two 
active  chapters,  with  a  form  of  government 
similar  to  that  of  many  Greek-letter  fraterni- 


ties. Its  colors  are  dark  and  light  blue,  and 
the  badge  is  a  jewelled  key  with  the  letters 
Kappa  Kappa  Gamma  and  Alpha  Omega 
Omicron  enamelled  in  black  thereon.  Pres- 
ent membership,  about  2,200. 

Kappa  Alpha  Theta,  organized  at  De 
Pauw  University,  Indiana,  in  1870,  by  a 
daughter  of  a  member  of  the  Beta  Theta  Pi, 
and  three  other  women  students,  assisted  by 
the  father  of  the  founder.  Its  government 
was  vested  in  the  parent  chapter  until  18S3, 
when  it  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  a  Grand 
Chai)ter  composed  of  one  member  from  each 
chapter.  Its  flower  is  the  pansy,  its  colors 
are  black  and  gold  and  its  badge  is  a  kite- 
shaped  shield  with  a  black  field  and  white 
chevron  bearing  the  Greek  letters  forming 
its  name.  Its  twenty  active  chapters  in  1890 
were  scattered  tlirough  the  central  western 
and  northwestern  States,  with  a  few  in 
California,  Pennsylvania,  New  York,  and 
Vermont.  Present  membership  is  approxi- 
mately 1,900. 

Delta  Gamma,  founded  at  the  University 
of  Mississippi,  in  1872,  by  three  women,  the 
outgrowth  of  a  social  organization  at  a  neigh- 
boring educational  institution.  The  twelve 
active  chapters  in  1890  were  distributed 
through  southern,  central,  northwestern, 
a  few  far  western,  and  in  eastern  States. 
March  15  is  observed  as  a  day  of  reunion, 
when  the  alumni,  so  far  as  possible,  visit 
active  chapters  or  communicate  with  them 
by  mail.  A  Grand  (governing)  and  De])uty 
Grand  Chapter  is  chosen  every  four  years. 
There  are  alumni  cha])ters  at  Cleveland, 
Milwaukee,  Chicago,  and  other  cities.  Its 
colors  are  pink,  blue,  and  bronze,  and  the 
pearl  rose  is  the  society  flower.  The  badge 
is  a  gold  anchor,  with  a  shield  above  the 
flukes  bearing  the  letters  forming  the  name 
of  the  organization. 

Alpha  Phi,  founded  at  Syracuse  Univer- 
sity, in  1872,  by  ten  women  students.  Nine 
years  later  it  established  the  second  or  Beta 
Chapter,  tliat  at  Northwestern  University, 
but  has  continued  a  conservative  policy  in 
this  respect,  having  formed  only  five  chapters 


338 


COLLEGE   FRATERNITIES 


Idj  1890,  the  others  being  at  Boston  Uni- 
versity, De  Pauw,  and  Cornell.  There 
are  several  alumni  chapters.  The  first  so- 
ciety chapter  house  among  Greek-letter  sis- 
terhoods was  erected  by  the  Alpha  (Syra- 
cuse) Chapter  of  Alpha  Phi.  Lilies  of  the 
valley  and  forget-me-nots  are  the  flowers  of 
the  sisterhood.  Its  colors  are  silver  gray 
and  red,  and  its  badge  is  a  monogram 
formed  of  the  letters  composing  its  name. 
Frances  Willard,  late  President  of  the  W.  C. 
T.  U.,  was  one  of  its  alumna?. 

Gamma  Phi  Beta,  founded  at  Syracuse 
University,  1874,  by  four  women  students, 
aided  by  Bishop  E.  0.  Haven,  then  Chancel- 
lor of  the  University.  Its  four  other  chapters 
in  1890  were  located  at  Ann  Arbor,  Uni- 
versity of  Wisconsin,  Boston  University, 
and  ISTorthwesteru  University.  The  society 
flower  is  the  carnation.  Its  colors  are  fawn 
and  seal  brown,  and  the  badge  is  a  mono- 
gram of  the  three  Greek  letters  within  a 
crescent. 

Sigma  Kappa  was  organized  at  Colby  Uni- 
versity, Waterville,  Me.,  1874.  Estimated 
membership  130. 

Alpha  Beta  Tau  was  founded  in  1881,  at 
Oxford  Eemale  Institute,  Oxford,  Miss., 
with  a  branch  at  tlie  University  of  Missis- 
sippi.    Its  total  membership  is  about  290. 

P.  E.  0.  (Not  Greek-letter.)  Little  is 
known  of  this  society,  which  exists  West 
and  South,  both  at  and  without  college  cities 
and  towns.  There  appears  to  be  an  especial 
element  of  secrecy  attached  to  it.  Its 
membership,  has  been  estimated  at  about 
2,000. 

Delta  Delta  Delta  was  organized  in  1888 
at  Boston  University  by  four  young  women. 
In  1890  it  had  five  chapters.  It  is  governed 
by  convention,  and  during  recess  by  the 
officers  and  parent  chapter.  It  displays  the 
jDansy,  gold,  silver,  and  blue  colors,  and  a 
badge  consisting  of  a  crescent  with  three 
deltas  upon  it  and  three  stars  between  the 
horns.     Its  membership  is  about  300. 

Beta  Sigma  Omicron  was  founded  at  the 
L^niversity  of  Missouri  in  1889. 


Local  Frateenities. 

I.  K.  A.  (not  Greek),  Trinity,  1829. 
Founded  by  six  students  of  the  classes  of 
'29,  '30,  and  "32.  Its  color  is  royal  purple. 
The  badge  is  a  St.  Andrew's  cross,  bearing 
the  initials  of  its  title  on  three  of  the  arms, 
and  177G  on  the  fourth.  Eev.  Thomas 
Gallaudet,  St.  Ann's,  New  York,  and  Rev. 
George  Mallory,  editor  of  the  "  Church- 
man,'' New  York,  are  among  its  best  known 
alumni. 

Skull  and  Bones  was  founded  at  Yale  Col- 
lege, as  a  senior  society,  by  fifteen  members 
of  the  class  of  1832.  A  writer  in  the  New 
York  "  Tribune,"  in  1896,  states  that  : 

The  father  of  "Bones,"  first  of  the  senior  socie- 
ties, is  believed  to  have  been  General  William  H. 
Russell,  '37,  who  died  a  few  years  ago,  after  hav- 
ing been  for  many  years  at  the  head  of  a  famous 
military  academy  in  the  city  of  New  Haven.  It  is 
a  part  of  college  tradition  that  "  Bones  "  is  a  branch 
of  a  university  coi-ps  in  Germany,  in  which  country 
General  Russell  spent  some  time  before  his  gradua- 
tion. One  of  the  classmates  who  joined  with  him 
in  establishing  the  society  at  Yale  was  the  late 
Alphonso  Taft  of  C!incinnati,  President  Hayes's 
Attorney-General.  The  society  flourished  from  the 
start.  For  a  long  time  it  held  its  meetings  in  hired 
rooms  ;  but  in  185G  the  windowless,  vine-covered 
brown  stone  hall  in  High  Street,  near  Chapel  Street, 
opposite  the  campus,  was  erected.  A  few  years  ago 
the  society  found  more  space  necessary  and  built  a 
large  wing  to  the  hall.  The  building  is  about  30 
feet  highj  33  feet  wide,  and  44  feet  deej?.  The 
property  is  held  by  the  Russell  Trust  Association, 
a  name  assumed  in  honor  of  General  Russell.  On 
the  last  Thursday  in  May  the  entire  college  assem- 
bles before  Durfee  Hall,  among  whom  the  juniors 
are  conspicuous,  for  they  all  know  that  lightning 
is  to  strike  forty-five  of  them.  Soon  a  "Bones" 
man  appears  who,  however  good  natured,  wears  a 
solemn  look  as  he  passes  in  and  out  among  the 
crowd.  Suddenly  he  taps  or  slaps  a  junior  on  the 
shoulder,*  and  says  sternly,  "Go  to  your  room." 
Amid  wild  cheering  the  lucky  man  obeys  mutely, 
followed  by  the  one  who  tapped  him,  who  says, 
"  Will  you  accept  an  election  to  the  society  known 
as  '  Skull  and  Bones  ? '  "  and  goes  away  in  silence, 
while  the  junior  returns  to  receive  the  congratula- 
tions of  friends.     About  the  same  time  a  "Keys" 

*  Secret  Societies  at  Yale.  Rupert  Hughes,  Me- 
Clure's  Magazine,  June,  1894. 


,            ,.,.,>...K...           1                                                                                           1 

11776 

[Era  nt  Lai  in  named 

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1770— 

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ivi.) 

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1827 

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1862 

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1889 

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ISM 

WoU-a  Ucad.  Yale. 

GENEALOGICAL   CHART   OF  GENERAL,  GREEK-LETTER,  COLLEGE  FRATER- 
NITIES IN   THE    UNITED   STATES. 


340 


COLLEGE   FRATERNITIES 


mail,  anil  a  "Wolfs  Head"  man  in  his  wake,  go 
through  t  he  same  evolutions.  Between  ';  tapping 
time  "  and  initiation  a  week  elapses.  During  this 
time  the  shipper  and  the  slapped  ])i-eserve  a  sacred 
mutual  silence,  except  when  the  new  man  is  noti- 
fied of  the  time  and  place  of  the  awful  ordeal,  to  be 
consummated  in  the  rccessps  of  the  society  house. 

This  i:)eculiai'  ceremou}^  of  nominating  or 
choosing  new  members  of  the  Yale  senior 
societies,  original  there  with  Skull  and 
Bones  and  imitated  by  "Keys"  and  by 
Wolf's  Head,  is,  doubtless,  derived  from 
the  accolade,  or  conferring  of  knighthood, 
in  ancient .  times  an  embrace,  but  more  re- 
cently a  blow  on  the  shoulder  with  the  flat 
of  a  sword.  But  still  more  singular  is  the 
custom  of  the  Yale  juniors  in  assembling  on 
the  campus  between  foxir  and  six  o'clock, 
on  the  particular  Thursday  in  May,  accom- 
panied by  half  the  college,  and  hundreds  of 
other  spectators,  entirely  without  announce- 
ment from  or  arrangement  by  any  one. 
The  writer  first  referred  to  points  out,  in 
addition  to  the  fact  that  Yale's  senior  so- 
cieties meet  Thursday  nights  in  closely 
guarded  society  houses,  that  a  "Bones" 
man,  while  in  college,  is  never  without  his 
badge,  a  skull  and  bones,  with  the  figures 
"322"  in  place  of  the  lower  jaw;  that  if 
in  swimming  without  bathing  costume,  he 
carries  it  in  his  mouth;  that  one  of  the 
newly  chosen  "Bones"  men  wears  two 
(overlapped)  badges  for  six  months,  and 
that  the  "sanctum  sanctorum"  in  the 
"  Bones  "  house  is  referred  to  by  the  figures 
"322."  There  is  a  tradition,  however, 
that  the  "322,"  the  sum  of  which  is  the 
perfect  number  and  suggests  a  ' '  mystical 
seven,"  means  "  founded  in  '32,  2d  chap- 
ter "  (the  first  being  "  the  German  corps  "); 
also,  that  the  members  trace  their  society 
"  to  a  Greek  patriot  organization,  dating 
back  to  Demosthenes,  322  B.C.  The  '  Bones  ' 
records  of  1881,  it  is  alleged,  are  headed 
'  Anno-Demotheni  2203.'"  An  election 
to  "Bones"  is  generally  the  secret  ambi- 
tion of  almost  all  Yale  men,  even  over  the 
bones  of  the  Greek-letter  societies,  although 
Scroll  and  Key,  and  Wolf's  Head,  of  late, 


have  made  such  strides  as  to  frequently  dis- 
pute the  first  ]3lace  which  the  older  senior 
society  has  had  in  the  minds  of  available 
material.  "  Bones  ''  generally  elects  honor 
men  and  athletic  stars.  Scroll  and  Key 
takes  men  of  the  same  rank,  but  more  fre- 
quently from  among  the  social  element, 
while  Wolf's  Head  has  taken  men  which 
might  have  been  welcome  additions  to  either 
"Bones"  or  "Keys."  The  following  are 
the  names  of  some  of  the  better  known  Yale 
graduates  who  are  "  Bones"  men :  President 
Dwight,  Ellis  H.  Roberts,  William  W. 
.Craj)o,  Daniel  C.  Gilman,  Andrew  D. 
White,  Cliauncey  M.  Depew,  Moses  Coit 
Tyler,  Eugene  Schuyler.  William  Walter 
Phelps,  Anthony  Higgins,  Daniel  H.  Cham- 
berlain, Franklin  McYeagh,  William  Col- 
lins Whitney,  William  Graham  Sumner, 
George  Peabody  Wetmore,  Wilson  Shannon 
Bissell,  John  C.  Eno,  Theodore  S.  Woolsey, 
Walker  Blaine,  Arthur  T.  Hadley,  Robert 
J.  Cook,  Judge  William  H.  Taft,  Walter 
Camp,  Sheffield  Phelps,  and  Alonzo  A. 
Stagg.  The  three  historic  junior  societies 
at  Yale  are  Alpha  Delta  Phi,  Psi  Upsilon, 
and  Delta  Kappa  Epsilon,  although  Zeta 
Psi  has  figured  there  of  late  years  as  a  sopho- 
more and  junior  society.  Skull  and  Bones, 
Scroll  and  Key,  and  Wolf's  Head,  as  a  mat- 
ter of  practice,  each  elect  fifteen  members 
annually,  generally  from  among  members 
of  the  first  three  societies  named,  seldom 
from  members  of  that  last  named,  and  still 
less  frequently  elect  a  junior  who  is  not  a 
member  of  any  of  the  Greek-letter  fra- 
ternities. 

Lambda  Iota  was  founded  at  the  Univer- 
sity of  Vermont  by  thirteen  students,  where 
it  has  since  maintained  a  prosperous  exist- 
ence. Its  badge  consists  of  an  owl  on  the 
top  of  a  column  or  pillar  between  the  let- 
ters forming  the  society's  name.  It  num- 
bers three  governors  of  Yermont  among  its 
alumni.     Its  membership  is  more  than  400. 

Scroll  and  Key  was  founded  at  Yale  in 
1841,  by  members  of  the  class  of  '42,  as  a 
rival  senior  society  to  Skull  and  Bones,  most 


COLLEGE   FRATERNITIES 


341 


of  the  peculiarities  of  which  it  copied.  (See 
Skull  and  Bones.)  It  celebrated  its  fiftieth 
anniversary  with  a  three  days'  jubilee  in 
May,  1892,  in  its  society  house  at  New 
Haven,  one  of  the  handsomest  structures  of 
the  kind  in  the  country.  It  is  incorporated 
as  the  Kingsley  Trust  Association.  It  is 
related  that  on  the  nights  when  the  society 
meets  all  the  active  '*Keys"  men  in  New 
Haven  are  required  to  be  in  the  society 
house  from  half-past  six  until  half-past 
twelve,  and  that  none  of  them  is  allowed  to 
leave  the  building  during  that  period,  ''  un- 
less accompanied  by  another  man."  In 
preserving  a  deep  mystery  about  its  affairs, 
in  not  mentioning  the  society  in  the  pres- 
ence of  an  outsider,  and  in  retaining  con- 
stant possession  of  badges  by  undergraduate 
members,  "Keys"  parallels  its  prototype. 
While  members  of  the  latter  wear  their 
badges  on  their  vests,  ''Keys"  men  fre- 
quently wear  theirs  on  their  neckties.  The 
'"  Keys  "  badge  consists  of  a  gold  key  across 
a  scroll,  with  the  letters  "  C.  S.  P."  above, 
and  "  C.  C.  I."  below.  It  selects  annually 
fifteen  members  of  the  junior  class  by  the 
same  process  described  as  originating  with 
Skull  and  Bones.  Its  membership,  on  the 
Avhole,  is  characterized  as  conspicuous  for 
social  standing  and  wealth  rather  than  for 
college  or  athletic  honors,  though  many 
Yale  athletes  and  honor  men  have  joined 
it.  Among  its  promi)ient  graduates  are 
Theodore  Runyon,  John  Addison  Porter, 
George  Shiras,  General  Wager  Swayne,  the 
Rev.  Joseph  11.  Twitchell,  Dr.  James  W. 
McLane,  George  A.  Adee,  Edward  S.  Dana, 
Isaac  Bromley,  Bartlett  Arkell,  and  James 
R.  Sheffield.  ' 

Wolf's  Head  was  founded  at  Yale  by  a 
number  of  members  of  the  class  of  '84, 
as  a  rival  senior  society  to  Skull  and  Bones 
and  to  Scroll  and  Key.  (See  those  soci- 
eties.) It  copies  most,  if  not  all,  of  the 
peculiarities  of  the  two  older  senior  soci- 
eties. For  a  few  years  it  was  not  rated  as 
highly  as  either  *'  Bones  "  or  "  Keys,"  and 
was  able  to  take  onlv  the  so-called   better 


men  in  the  Junior  Class  overlooked  by 
"Bones"  and  "Keys;"  but  with  the  in- 
crease in  the  size  of  classes,  and  the  fact 
that  each  of  the  senior  societies  takes  only 
fifteen  men  each  year,  with  increased  age 
and  its  handsome  ivy-clad  society  house. 
Wolf's  Head  continues  to  gain  upon  its  older 
rivals.  It  is  incorporated  as  the  Phelps 
Trust  Association.  Its  badge  consists  of  a 
wolf's  head  transfixed  on  an  inverted  Egyp- 
tian tau,  the  symbolism  suggested  by  which 
is  significant,  yet  probably  different  from 
that  taught  within  the  pale  of  the  society. 

Phi  Nu  Theta  was  organized  at  "Wesleyan 
Universit}',  1837,  shortly  after  the  appear- 
ance there  of  the  Mystical  Seven  which  is  now 
dead,  and  in  some  respects  one  of  the  most 
remarkable  college  societies  in  the  country. 
Phi  Nu  Theta  sought  to  bring  together  a 
few  members  of  each  class  for  mutual  help- 
fulness and  within  the  past  sixty  years  has 
initiated  about  4G0  members.  It  has  a 
handsome  house,  and  ranks  well  among 
Middletown  college  fraternities.  Its  badge 
is  a  scroll  watch-key  with  the  letters  form- 
ing its  name  engraved  thereon.  Among  its 
alumni  are  Rev.  Dr.  Winchell,  formerly  of 
Syracuse  University,  the  late  Bishop  Haven 
and  Professor  W.  0.  Atwater. 

Kappa  Kappa  Kappa.  Founded  at  Dart- 
mouth, Hanover,  N.  II.,  in  1842,  by  six 
students,  assisted  by  Professor  C.  B.  Had- 
dock, the  year  following  the  appearance  of 
Scroll  and  Key  at  Yale.  It  numbers  about 
850  members.  The  badge  is  a  Corinthian 
column  and  capital  of  gold  with  the  letters  ' 
K.  K.  K.  at  the  base.  It  has  generally 
ranked  with  other  fraternities  at  Dart- 
mouth. 

Delta  Psi.  Organized  at  the  University 
of  ^'ermont  in  1850.  For  a  few  years  it  was 
an  anti-secret  society.  It  has  no  connection 
with  the  fraternity  by  the  same  name  which 
was  founded  at  Columbia  in  1847.  It  num- 
bers about  350  members. 

Alpha  Sigma  Pi.  Organized  at  Norwich 
University,  Vermont,  in  1S57,  by  seven  stu- 
dents.  The  military  character  of  the  society 


342 


COLLEGE   FRATERMITIES 


was  the  natural  outcome  of  the  college 
where  it  U2)pearecl.  Its  colors  are  blue  and 
white,  and  the  badge  is  a  gold  shield  dis- 
playing a  flag  and  musket  crossed  over  a 
drum  and  the  Greek  letters  forming  the 
name  of  the  organization.  Present  mem- 
bership, about  290.  General  Granville  M. 
Dodge  is,  jjerhaps,  its  most  widely  known 
alumnus. 

Phi  Zeta  Mu  was  organized  in  the  scientific 
school,  Dartmouth,  in  1857,  by  five  stu- 
dents, members  of  '58  and  '59.  It  has  a 
monogram  badge,  a  fine  society  building, 
and  about  400  members. 

Alpha  Sigma  Phi  was  founded  at  Yale  in 
1846  as  a  sophomore  society.  It  established 
chapters  at  Harvard  in  1850,  Amherst  in 
1857,  Marietta  College,  Ohio,  in  1860,  and 
at  Ohio  Wesleyau  University  in  1865.  The 
parent  chapter  died  from  internal  disagree- 
ments, the  first  two  branches  were  sup- 
pressed by  college  faculties,  and  the  fourth 
was  withdrawn  by  the  society  itself,  which 
flourishes,  therefore,  solely  at  Marietta  Col- 
lege. It  has  about  300  names  in  its  cata- 
logue, and  there  are  several  organizations  of 
its  alumni.  The  society  has  a  fine  house. 
Its  badge  consists  of  a  shield  bearing  an 
open  book  on  which  are  hieroglyphics,  across 
it  a  quill  and  letters  forming  the  name  of 
the  society. 

Berzelius  was  established  at  Sheffield,  Yale 
College,  iu  1863.  Its  membershi]?  is  about 
370.  The  badge  ''  is  a  combination  of  pot- 
ash bulbs  in  gold,"  over  which  is  the  letter 
*'  B."  It  ranks  high  among  Yale  scientific 
students. 

Sigma  Delta  Chi  was  founded  at  Sheffield 
Scientific  School,  Yale,  in  1867.  It  is  some- 
times rfefei'red  to  as  Book  and  Snake,  because 
its  badge  consists  of  an  open  book  display- 
ing the  letters  Sigma  Delta  Chi,  surrounded 
by  a  serpent.  It  is  prosperous  and  has 
about  300  members. 

The  foregoing  makes  it  plain  that  the 
secret  society  system  at  Yale  is  something 
radically  different  from  that  at  other  col- 
leges.    The  difference  may  be  made  clear 


by  stating  that  at  almost  all  colleges  the 
freshman  who  receives  a  bid  from  and  joins 
a  Greek-letter  fraternity  unites  with  an  in- 
terstate or  national  society  which  represents 
the  social,  literary,  and  human  side  of  col- 
lege life  and  binds  him  closely  to  itself  not 
only  while  an  undergraduate,  but  for  life. 

At  Yale  when  there  used  to  be  freshmen 
as  well  as  sophomore,  junior,  and  senior 
societies,  the  same  general  cliques  or  group 
of  "fellows"  were  taken  into  the  same 
freshman,  sophomore,  junior,  and  senior  soci- 
eties in  a  mass,  a  sort  of  four  degrees  system, 
each  society  representing  a  different  "de- 
gree." The  freshmen  societies  were  merely 
Yale  affairs,  with  no  ligaments  reaching  to 
other  colleges,  and  the  like  is  true  to-day  of 
Yale's  sophomore  societies.  Its  three  junior 
fraternities  are,  indeed,  j^arts  of  as  many 
national  college  societies,  with  a  prestige 
not  second  even  to  Yale's  senior  societies, 
but  one  must  leave  the  shadows  of  Yale  to 
appreciate  the  fact.  The  Yale  senior  soci- 
eties, owing  to  this  excejDtioual  and  unfor- 
tunate system  so  far  as  the  Yale  sophomore 
and  junior  societies  are  concerned,  are  goals, 
and  the  sophomore  and  junior  societies  are 
merely  stepping-stones.  Twenty-five  years 
ago  the  rival  freshmen  societies  were  "  D. 
K."  (Delta  Kappa)  and  "Sigma  Epps " 
(Kappa  Sigma  Epsilou).  The  sojjhomore 
members  endeavored  to  select  freshmen  most 
likely  to  make  a  mark  while  in  college,  and 
great  efforts  were  made  by  the  rival  soci- 
eties to  outwit  each  other  and  get  "  the  best 
men. ' '  When  the  initiation  ceremonies  were 
held,  a  month  later,  the  sojjhomores  felt 
that  they  were  rewarded  for  their  trouble.  A 
correspondent  of  the  Isew  York  "  Sun  "  has 
described  substantially  what  took  place  at 
the  initiation  of  freshmen  during  the  palmy 
days  of  "D.  K."  and  "Sigma  Epps,"  as 
follows : 

The  candidate  received  a  black-bordered  notifica- 
tion of  liis  election,  with  instructions  to  repair  the 
following  evening  to  some  remote  street  corner. 
There  he  was  met  by  two  sophomore  members  who 
straightway    blindfolded    him    and    grasped    him 


COLLEGE  FRATERNITIES 


343 


firmly  on  either  side.  Then  ensued  a  Walhalla 
dance  through  byj)ath  and  wood  and  dell.  Now 
the  candidate  was  run  at  full  speed  against  a  tree, 
now  he  trembled  astride  a  picket  fence,  now  the 
bandage  was  slipped  so  as  to  give  one  glance  of  an 
open  grave  or  the  dizzy  verge  of  East  Rock.  Then, 
after  many  miles  and  countless  turns,  he  was  hur- 
ried, all  panting,  struggling,  and  stumbling,  through 
a  busy  street,  made  evident  by  jostlings  and  derisive 
calls.  He  was  forced  step  by  step  to  mount  back- 
ward a  seemingly  inferminable  flight  of  stairs,  and 
to  wait  in  a  close  and  heated  room  until  there  was 
a  sudden  upward  jerk,  the  bandage  was  removed, 
and  he  found  himself  on  the  roof  of  a  high  building 
witli  others  of  his  classmates,  equally  confused  and 
exhausted.  When  at  length  the  candidate's  name 
was  called  in  sombre  tones  he  advanced  all  uncer- 
tain to  the  scuttle.  Thei'e  he  was  bound  and  blind- 
folded. Strong  arms  grasped  him  from  above  and 
from  below.  He  descended  rapidly  with  many  a 
bump.  He  was  dragged  into  the  main  hall,  flung 
into  a  gi'eat  canvas  blanket  with  rope  handles,  and 
then,  with  all  the  force  of  a  score  of  excited  young 
devotees,  tossed  and  slapped  again  and  again 
against  the  lofty  ceiling.  He  was  rolled  in  a  cask 
and  nailed  in  a  coffin,  and  stretched  on  a  guillotine 
with  one  blade — all  to  an  accompaniment  of  sul- 
phurous smoke  and  lurid  flashes  and  piercing  yells 
of  "  My  poor  fresh." 

But  these  ceremonies  were  not  always 
without  unfortunate  results,  and  at  times 
were  marked  by  a  degree  of  hilariousness 
not  explained  entirely  on  the  ground  of  good 
nature  and  a  desire  to  look  on  the  humorous 
side  of  life.  The  displeasure  of  the  faculty 
was  an  outcome,  and  in  1880  the  societies 
were  abolished.  The  only  remaining  Yale 
freshman  fraternity.  Gamma  Xu,  founded 
in  1859  as  a  non-secret,  literary  society, 
died  from  internal  weakness  in  1889,  since 
which  time  Yale  Greek-letter  or  other 
secret  freshmen  societies  have  been  extinct. 
Twenty-five  years  ago  Yale's  sophomore  fra- 
ternities were  Phi  Theta  Psi  and  Delta  Beta 
Xi,  founded  on  the  ruins,  as  it  were,  of 
Kappa  Sigma  Phi  and  Alj)ha  Sigma  Theta. 
The  first,  called  "Theta  Psi,"  was  practi- 
cally a  stepping-stone  to  Psi  Upsilon,  and 
"  Delta  Beta  "  was  an  ante-room  leading  to 
the  sanctum  sanctorum  of  Delta  Kappa 
Epsilon.  They  took  about  thirty  men  each 
and  held  weeklv  meetings,  features  of  which 


were  mild-mannered  literary  exercises  and 
sometimes  punch  that  was  anything  but 
mild.  So  serious  were  the  results  of  one 
occasion  of  that  kind,  in  1878,  that  the  fac- 
ulty unceremoniously  ''  twisted  the  neck  " 
of  the  ''iihcenix  of  Theta  Psi,"  and  closed 
"  the  book  of  Delta  Beta  forever."  The  two 
existing  sophomore  societies  are  He  Boule 
and  Eta  Phi,  the  first  formed  in  1875  and 
the  latter  in  1879,  among  the  most  pow- 
erful organizations  at  Yale,  it  being  seldom 
that  a  member  of  each  fails  of  an  election 
to  the  junior  societies.  They  are  almost  if 
not  ([uite  as  secret  in  their  workings  as  the 
senior  societies,  and  constitute  a  formidable 
factor  in  college  politics.  The  names  of  the 
seventeen  members  of  each,  together  witli 
their  places  of  meeting,  are  confidently  be- 
lieved by  members  to  be  unknown  to  the 
outside  world;  and  while,  as  a  matter  of 
fact,  such  is  seldom  or  never  the  case,  the 
fiction  is  encouraged.  The  owl  and  initials 
of  He  Boule  and  the  mask  of  Eta  Phi  are 
worn  near  the  left  armholes  of  the  waist- 
coat. Alpha  Delta  Phi,  Psi  Upsilon,  and 
Delta  Kappa  E])silon  of  national  fame,  with 
chapters  at  many  other  colleges,  each  takes 
thirty-five  sophomores  at  the  end  of  the 
year.  Zeta  Psi,  a  two-year  society  at  Yale, 
also  takes  its  quota.  As  explained  in  the 
sketch  of  Skull  and  Bones,  these  elections 
have  an  important  bearing  on  the  chances 
of  those  selected  for  securing  member- 
ship in  one  of  the  three  senior  societies. 
About  twenty-five  years  ago  Alpha  Delta 
Phi  refused  to  continue  to  be  made  a  means 
to  an  end,  merely  an  entryway  to  a  senior 
society,  and  withdrew  its  Yale  Chapter. 
For  nearly  a  score  of  years  thereafter  Psi 
Upsilon  and  Delta  Kappa  Epsilon  monopo- 
lized desirable  junior  classmen  on  their  M-ay 
to  '"Bones"  and  "Keys,"  and  after  1884 
to  "Wolf's  Head.  Six  or  seven  years  ago 
Al2)ha  Delta  Phi  revived  its  Yale  Chapter, 
the  oldest  secret  society  at  Yale  except  Skull 
and  Bones,  as  a  four-year  fraternity,  and 
tried  to  make  it  a  Yale  organization  on  a 
par  with  even  the  senior  year  fraternities. 


344 


COLLEGE  FRATERNITIES 


It  met  with  only  moderate  success,  owing  to 
the  overpowering  weight  of  Yale  sentiment 
in  favor  of  class  societies,  and  within  a  few 
years  accepted  the  situation,  became  a  junior 
society  again,  so  far  as  that  chapter  is 
concerned,  built  one  of  the  handsomest  and 
most  expensive  fraternity  houses  at  New 
Haven,  and  revived  its  ancient  standing  as 
a  worthy  rival  of  the  Yale  variety  of  Psi 
Upsilon  and  Delta  Kappa  Epsilon. 

This  junior  society  rivalry^  however,  is 
more  on  the  surface  than  otherwise,  the 
three  fraternities  being  practically  private 
social  clubs  which  meet  separately,  of 
course,  to  cooperate  in  the  production  of 
jilays  and  burlesques  and  in  even  more  dis- 
tinctively social  entertainments.  The  "  Al- 
pha Delt, "  "  Psi  U, "  and  "  Deke  ' '  halls, 
or  houses,  at  New  Haven  are  among  the 
most  elaborate  and  costly  structures  of  the 
kind  in  the  country.  In  the  Aveek  prior  to 
the  "tapping"  ceremonial  of  the  senior  so- 
cieties, in  May  (see  Skull  and  Bones),  the 
junior  societies  appear  on  the  campus  at- 
tired in  gowns  and  hoods,  singing  each  its 
own  peculiar  songs,  after  which  they  retire 
to  their  several  buildings  and  proceed  to  in- 
itiate the  thirty-five  newly  fledged  members 
who  are  to  act  as  heirs  and  assigns  of  these 
fraternities  for  the  ensuing  college  year. 

The  inspiration,  development,  rituals, 
and  function  .of  the  general  college  fra- 
ternities, those  which  do  not  live  in  vain, 
which  hold  the  remembrance  and  affection 
of  members  well  on  into  their  declining 
years,  which  often  divide  the  regard  felt 
for  alma  mater,  call  for  an  analysis  which 
the  mere  chronicler  may  well  be  excused  for 
not  attempting.  A  recent  writer  stated  that 
"  many  men  who  have  belonged  to  a  Greek- 
letter  society  during  their  undergraduate 
days  lose  interest  in  the  matter  before  they 
are  five  years  away  from  their  alma  mater. 
This  is  almost  inevitable  because  of  new  in- 
terests and  because  a  large  number  of  grad- 
uates are  not  associated  in  their  homes  with 
men  who  belong  to  their  fraternity."  One 
can  hardly  refrain  from  believing  the  author 


of  the  sentiment  is  a  Yale  man.  The 
"Bones"  or  ''Keys"  graduate  of  Yale 
might  naturally  find  the  height  of  his  am- 
bition in  an  election  to  a  senior  society. 
Neither  his  sophomore  nor  junior  year  fra- 
ternities cuts  much  of  a  figure  bej'ond  the 
fact  that  he  used  them  in  an  effort  to  get  to 
"Bones,"  "Keys,"  or  Wolf's  Head.  But 
the  alumnus  of  Cornell,  Columbia,  Amherst, 
the  University  of  Michigan,  and  many  other 
colleges,  who  is  an  "Alpha  Delt,"  a  "Psi 
U,"  a  "Deke,"  a  "Beta,"  a  "Zete,"  a 
"Kap,"  a  "Sig,"  or  a  member  of  any  of  a 
score  of  others  with  a  national  reputation, 
remains  more  often  than  otherwise  a  faith- 
ful son  of  such  society  so  long  as  he  lives, 
and  treasures  its  records,  its  traditions  and 
its  influences  to  the  latest  days  of  his  life. 
The  Greek-letter  fraternities  antedate  all 
other  existing  secret  societies  in  America, 
except  the  fraternity  of  Freemasons.  They 
vary  more  than  might  be  supposed,  for 
members  are  always  convinced  of  the  su- 
periority of  their  own  fraternities  over  all 
rivals  and  confident  of  the  greater  loyalty 
of  their  own  alumni.  Some  have  elaborate 
rituals  and  others  ceremonials  which  would 
be  regarded  by  good  judges  as  common- 
place. The  world  at  large,  unfortunately, 
has  had  abundant  evidence  during  the  past 
twenty-five  years  of  the  sensational  if  not 
solemn  character  of  the  initiation  ceremonies 
of  some,  as  the  results  were  such  as  to  en- 
danger the  lives  of  initiates. 

Heckethorn*  and  some  others  attribute  the 
founding,  in  1776,  of  Phi  Beta  Kapjja,  the 
mother  of  American  college  Greek-letter  fra- 
ternities, to  the  Illuminati,  of  Weishaupt,  in 
Bavaria,  but  this  is  undoubtedly  mere  con- 
jecture. The  Illuminati  itself  was  founded 
in  1776,  and  it  is  hardly  likely  that  a  few 
boys  at  the  College  of  William  and  Mary  in 
Virginia,  in  those  days  of  extremely  infre- 
quent letter-writing  and  trans-Atlantic 
voyages,  were  inspired  in  their  formation 
of    a    Greek-letter    secret    society   by   the 

*  Secret  Societies  of  All  Ages. 


College  of 
William  and  Mary 


Phi  Beta  Kapi-a. 


Williamsburg. 
Virginia,  1776. 


Phi  Beta  Kappa,  Yale.  1780. 


Phi  BeU  Kappa,  Harvard,  1781. 


Plii  Beta  Kappa.  Dartmouth,  1787. 


Phi  Beta  Kappa.  Union,  1817. 


Chi  Delta  Tbeta.  Yale,  1821. 


Chi  Phi,  Princeton.  1834 


Kappa  Alpha,  Union,  1825 
« 


Sigma  Phi,  Union,  1827. 


Phi  Beta  Kappa.  Trinity,  1829. 
I.  K.  A..  Trinity,  1829. 
Phi  Beta  Kappa,  Brown,  1829. 
Phi  Beta  Kappa.  Bowdoin,  1829. 


I 

Delta  Phi,  Union.  1825. 


Alpha  Delta  Phi, 
Hamilton,  1832. 


Psi  Upsilon,  Union.  1833, 


Bets  Theta  Pi,  Miami.  1839. 

Delta  Kappa  Epsilon.  Yale.  1844. 


GENEALOGICAL    CHART    OF    EARLIER  CHAPTERS   OF  PHI   BETA  KAPPA, 

AND    THE    BETTER    KNOWN   COLLEGE   FRATERNITIES 

IMxMEDIATELY   FOLLOWING    THEM. 


346 


COLLEGE  FRATERNITIES 


illustrious  foreigner  whose  name  is  linked 
to  an  order  which  for  a  short  time  was 
grafted  upon  Freemasonry  and  then  dis- 
appeared forever.  There  is  no  reason  .for 
believing  that  American  college  Greek- 
letter  societies  had  any  inspiration  be- 
yond what  appeared  on  the  surface,  until 
after  1828,  the  year  following  the  disappear- 
ance of  Morgan,  who  was  accused  of  being 
about  to  betray  Masonic  secrets.  In  that 
and  several  succeeding  years  politicians 
made  use  of  this  "  good  enough  Morgan  un- 
til after  election,"  and  so  fanned  the  anti- 
Masonic  flame  that  thousands  of  well-mean- 
ing people  discovered  prejudices  against  the 
fraternity  which  they  never  till  then  sus- 
pected themselves  of  possessing.  Reference 
has  been  made  to  the  effect  on  John  Quincy 
Adams,  Edward  Everett,  and  others,  and 
the  history  of  that  time  will  reveal  some, 
notably  Thurlow  Weed,  who  were  less  sin- 
cere in  their  antagonism  to  Freemasonry, 
even  though  no  less  bitter.  This  presented 
an  opportunity  to  cranks  and  charlatans 
which  was  not  to  be  despised,  and  the  coun- 
try was  speedily  flooded  with  supposititious 
accounts  of  Masonic  ceremonies  and  alleged 
revelations  of  Masonic  secrets.  The  public 
mind  was  directed  to  that  subject  as  it  never 
had  been  before,  and  probably  never  will  be 
again.  Secret  societies  of  the  middle  ages, 
the  mysteries  of  Isis  and  Osiris  and  of 
Eleusis,  and  the  revolutionary  secret  societies 
of  this  and  of  other  countries,  all  came  in 
for  a  critical  examination  and  premeditated 
condemnation  and  got  both.  The  only  im- 
portance attacl^ng  to  this  reference  is  to 
recall  what  seems  not  to  have  been  pointed 
out  before,  that  it  was  during  the  period 
from  1828  to  1845,  covering  the  anti-Ma- 
sonic agitation,  that  the  older  among  the 
best  known  national  Greek-letter  college 
fraternities  were  born.  At  that  time  the 
Eagiish  Order  of  Foresters  was  just  being 
introduced  here;  the  English  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows  had  not  been  domesticated  more 
than  a  decade  and  had  only  a  few  members; 
the  English  Order  of  Druids  was  a  new- 


comer; the  American  Improved  Order  of 
Red  Men,  as  at  present  organized,  was  only 
then  taking  shape,  and  the  Ancient  Order 
of  Hibernians  had  just  arrived  at  New  York 
city  from  Ireland.  Curiosity  and  jarejudice 
had  been  mingled  in  an  effort  to  find  out 
something  with  Avhich  to  condemn  the  type 
of  the  secret  society,  Freemasonry,  and  the 
effort  resulted,  among  other  things,  in  a 
study  of  secret  societies  in  general.  If  one 
can  read  of  groups  of  college  students  at 
New  York  and  New  England  centres  of  in- 
telligence organizing  Greek-letter  secret  so- 
cieties on  the  outward  lines  established  by 
Phi  Beta  Kappa,  Kappa  Alpha,  Sigma  Phi, 
and  Delta  Phi  without  appreciating  that 
they  must  have  utilized  some  of  the  raw  ma- 
terial which  was  floating  in  the  air,  he  must 
be  deficient  in  imagination.  The  societies 
which  saw  the  light  in  1825  and  1827, 
KajDpa  Alpha,  Sigma  Phi,  and  Delta  Phi, 
probably  did  not  have  elaborate  rituals  at 
that  time.  There  are  those  who  know  they 
had  them  later.  Then  came  Alpha  Delta 
Phi  and  Skull  and  Bones  in  1832,  Psi  Up- 
silon  in  1833,  Mystical  Seven  in  1837,  Beta 
Theta  Pi  in  1839,  Chi  Psi  and  Scroll  and 
Key  in  1841,  and  Delta  Kappa  Epsilon  in 
1844.  In  these  one  finds  the  practical  in- 
spiration for  all  that  came  after  in  the  fam- 
ily of  Greek-letter  societies.  That  college 
fraternities  multiplied  fast  and  grew  rapidly 
during  this  period  is  more  than  significant. 
As  a  matter  of  fact,  some  of  the  better 
known  college  fraternities  give  unmistak- 
able evidence,  to  those  of  their  members  in 
a  position  to  judge,  of  having  rummaged  in 
the  bureau  drawers  of  Freemasonry,  Odd 
Fellowship,  Forestry,  the  Templars,  Knights 
of  Malta,  and  other  "orders"  for  ritualis- 
tic finery.  Zeta  Psi  was  founded  by  Free- 
masons. Delta  Psi,  Columbia,  1847,  was 
di'essed  up  by  some  one  who  had  access  to 
rituals  of  the  bastard  Masonic  rices  of  Mis- 
raim  and  Memphis.  Psi  Upsilon  hung  its 
harp  low  on  the  tree  of  symbolic  Masonry, 
while  its  offspring,  Delta  Kappa  Epsilon, 
read  up  on  the  Vehmgerichte  and  ancient 


ALPHA   DELTA    I'lII 


347 


Grecian  mysteries  before  selecting  u  few 
ceremonials  which  would  better  tit  nine- 
teenth-century college  life.  Theta  Delta 
Chi  went  far  afield  and  returned  with  the 
Forestic  legend,  while  the  earlier  "Alpha 
Delts "  were  evidently  inspired  by  what 
they  knew  of  Eoyal  Arch  ^lasonry  and  the 
Ked  Cross  degree  as  conferred  in  command- 
eries  of  Masonic  Knights  Templars.  There 
would  appear  to  be  little  room  to-day  for 
additions  to  the  Greek-letter  world.  There 
are  too  many  of  these  fraternities  already, 
and  while  there  is  no  tendency  on  the  part 
of  stronger  societies  to  unite,  weaker  ones 
occasionally  find  their  way  into  older  or 
stronger  fraternities.  The  latter,  having 
the  prestige  of  age  and  a  distinguished 
alumni,  are  naturally  well-nigh  invinci- 
ble. 

The  general  fraternities  publish  cata- 
logues containing,  as  estimated,  about  111,- 
000  names,  honorary  about  G,500,  pro- 
fessional 4,400,  and  the  ladies,  perhaps, 
9,000;  in  all  about  131,000,  a  large  pro- 
portion of  which  are  of  deceased  mem- 
bers. 

Alplia  Beta  Taw. — Women's  society. 
(See  College  Fraternities.) 

Alpha  Clii  Omega. — Professional  (mu- 
sic) society.     (See  College  Fraternities.) 

Alpha  Delta  Phi.— This  is  the  oldest 
of  the  three  great  Greek-letter  fraternities 
round  which  the  secret  society  world  re- 
volved between  1835  and  1870,  and  which 
to-day  are  associated  with  all  that  leads  in 
this  department  of  social  and  literary  life  in 
America.  (See  College  Fraternities.)  It 
was  founded  at  Hamilton  College,  Clinton, 
N.  Y.,  in  1832,  by  Samuel  Eels  of  tiie  class 
of  '32,  aided  by  John  C.  Underwood  of  his 
own  class;  Loreuzo  Latham,  '32;  and  Oliver 
A.  Morse  and  Henry  L.  Storrs  of  tiie  class 
of  '33.  Sigma  Phi  had  reached  llanulton 
in  1831  and  Kappa  Alpha  sought  to  follow 
it  a  year  later;  but  Eels  and  others  who  were 
approached  by  the  '"Kaps,"  and  asked  to 
form  the  Hamilton  Chapter  of  the  latter, 
after  consideration  declined  the  invitation 


and  i'uuiided  Al[)ha  Delta  Phi.  The  orig- 
inal "Alpha  Delt "  badge  was  of  gold,  in 
the  form  of  an  oblong,  with  rounded  cor- 
ners. It  presented  a  field  of  black  enamel 
containing  a  white  crescent  with  the  horns 
up,  enclosing  an  upright,  five-pointed,  em- 
erald star.  The  field  was  bordered  with  a 
rope  of  gold  and  beneath  the  crescent  was 
the  date  of  foundation,  1832.  On  the  re- 
verse, on  plain  gold,  was  engraved  the  name 
of  the  owner,  his  college  and  class,  with  a 
pair  of  crossed  swords  over  the  star  and  cres- 
cent upon  the  shaft  of  a  conventionalized 
monument.  The  one  star  and  the  crescent 
are  plainly  a  modification  of  tlie  ancient  em- 
blem, a  crescent  with  seven  stars,  suggested, 
possibly,  by  the  six  stars  of  Phi  Beta  Kappa. 
The  rope  of  gold  requires  no  explanation. 
The  crossed  swords  and  the  unbroken  col- 
umn are  easily  traceable  to  the  general  at- 
tention given  secret  societies  between  1828 
and  1835,  and  to  the  Masonic  fraternity  in 
particular,  modifications  of  several  of  the 
ceremonies  of  which,  in  lodge,  chapter, 
and  commandery,  may  be  found  in  even 
the  modern  Alpha  Delta  Phi  ritual.  The 
emblem  more  commonly  in  use  by  members 
to-day  is  a  gold  crescent  containing  a  smaller, 
raised,  black  enamelled  crescent,  closely  set 
about  with  pearls,  and  upon  which  in  gold 
are  the  letters  Alpha,  Delta,  and  Phi.  In 
the  star,  held  by  the  points  of  the  crescent, 
is  a  large  emerald  contrasting  with  pearls 
Avhich  surround  it.  This  society,  unlike 
almost  all  others  of  like  nature,  designates 
its  chapters  after  the  colleges  Avhere  situ- 
ated or  with  some  local  name,  instead  of  by 
Greek  letters  in  the  order  of  establishment. 
It  was  the  first  Greek-letter  fraternity  (ex- 
cepting Phi  Beta  Kappa)  at  Harvard,  the 
University  of  New  York,  Columbia,  Am- 
herst, Brown,  Miami,  Hobart,  Bowdoin, 
Rochester,  and  the  College  of  the  City  of 
New  York,  and  may  be  said  to  have  blazed 
the  way  for  such  jirominent  followers  as  Psi 
U[)silon,  Beta  Theta  Pi,  and  Delta  Kappa 
Epsilon  during  a  f|uarter  of  a  century  pre- 
ceding the  Civil  AVar.    Its  Harvard  Chapter, 


348 


ALPHA   PHI 


1837,  at  first  was  of  an  extremely  literary 
character,  but  later  took  in  an  extraordi- 
narily large  number  of  members  from  each 
class,  so  that  it  lost,  in  a  measure,  a  share 
of  that  sympathy  with  the  other  chapters 
which  usually  marks  college  fraternities. 
It  finally  lost  its  identity,  and  in  1858  be- 
came known  as  the  "A.  D.  Club,"  which 
organization,  having  no  connection  with  the 
fraternity,  still  continues  to  exist  at  Har- 
vard. The  Harvard  Chapter  of  Alpha 
Delta  Phi  was  revived  in  1879,  and  remains 
one  of  the  best  of  the  score  or  more  which 
bear  aloft  the  green  and  white  and  the  star 
and  crescent.  The  war  at  Michigan  Uni- 
versity between  the  faculty  and  chapters  of 
Alpha  Delta  Phi,  Beta  Theta  Pi,  and  Chi 
Psi,  which  lasted  from  1845  to  1850-51,  is 
treated  under  the  title  College  Fraternities. 
Alpha  Delta  Phi  has  no  alumni  chapters, 
but  there  are  several  associations  of  its 
alumni,  and  in  New  York  the  Alpha  Delta 
Phi  club  is  one  of  the  best  of  its  kind  in  the 
city.  Its  Yale  Chapter  retrograded  during 
the  period  1870-72,  and  was  withdrawn  in 
the  latter  year.  With  Psi  Upsilon  and 
Delta  Kappa  Epsilon,  Alpha  Delta  Phi  had 
indulged  in  the  luxury  of  being  a  junior 
society  at  Yale,  permitting  itself  to  be  a 
stepping-stone  merely  to  the  (then)  two 
senior  societies.  In  the  struggle  to  secure 
elections  to  one  class  society  after  another, 
loyalty  to  any  one  of  the  societies  not  re- 
garded there  as  the  goal  was  likely  to  be- 
come a  name  only.  For  nearly  twenty  years 
Alpha  Delta  Phi  remained  away  from  Yale, 
and  then  returned  to  make  an  effort  to  hold 
its  own  as  a  four-year  society,  in  the  face  of 
the  dominant  Yale  sentiment  favoring  sepa- 
rate societies  in  the  sophomore,  junior,  and 
senior  years.  It  made  a  partial  success  of 
it,  but  finally  concluded  not  to  try  to  swim 
against  the  stream,  built  itself  a  magnificent 
society  house  and  locked  horns,  as  of  old, 
with  its  two  former  junior  society  rivals, 
with  which  it,  as  elsewhere,  does  not  fail  to 
hold  its  own.  (See  College  Fraternities  for 
further  details  concerning  the  secret  society 


system  at  Yale.)  The  government  of  Alpha 
Delta  Phi  is  by  means  of  an  Executive  Coun- 
cil (incorporated)  consisting  of  the  Presi- 
dent, Secretary,  and  Eecorder,  ex-officio ; 
nine  members  at  large,  the  terms  of  three  of 
whom  expire  each  year,  one  representative 
of  each  inactive  (or  dormant)  chapter  and 
two  from  each  active  chapter.  This  body 
transacts  business  through  an  executive 
committee  of  nine,  and  makes  account  of 
its  stewardship  to  the  annual  convention. 
Among  members  whose  names  are  most 
familiar  are  United  States  Senators  Pugh, 
Allison,  and  Squire;  United  States  Treas- 
urer Ellis  H.  Roberts;  Congressmen  W.  W. 
Crapo,  W.  S.  Groesbeck,  Jay  A.  Hubbell; 
Edward  F.  Noyes,  ex-Minister  to  France; 
John  Jay,  ex-Minister  to  Austria;  Charles 
Emory  Smith,  ex-Minister  to  Russia;  James 
R.  Lowell,  ex-Minister  to  England;  James 
0.  Putnam,  ex-Minister  to  Belgium;  J. 
Meredith  Read,  ex-Minister  to  Greece;  Hor- 
ace Maynard,  ex-Minister  to  Turkey;  Judge 
Blatchford  of  the  United  States  Supreme 
Court;  Judges  Wallace  and  Coxe  of  the 
United  States  Circuib  Court;  Joseph  A. 
Choate,  Clarence  A.  Seward,  James  C.  Car- 
ter, Everett  P.  Wheeler,  and  Francis  Lynde 
Stetson,  among  leading  members  of  the  bar*^ 
Rev.  Dr.  R.  S.  Storrs,  Bishops  Brewer, 
Brooks,  Coxe,  Harris,  Huntington,  Lyman, 
Stevens,  Wells,  Whitehead,  and  Watson  of 
the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church;  Presi- 
dents Eliot  of  Harvard,  Gilman  of  Johns 
Hopkins,  and  D wight  of  Yale;  Edward 
Everett  Hale,  Donald  G.  Mitchell,  Moses 
Coit  Tyler,  Charles  Francis  Adams,  Jr., 
Manton  Marble,  and  Francis  Parkman. 
The  fraternity  membership  list  to-day  con- 
tains more  than  7,000  names. 

Alpha  Phi. — Women's  society.  (See 
College  Fraternities.) 

Alpha  Sigma  Phi. — Local  fraternity  at 
Marietta  College,  Ohio.  (See  College  Fra- 
ternities.) 

Alpha  Sig-ma  Pi.  —  Local  society  at 
Norwich  University,  Vermont.  (See  Col- 
lege Fraternities.) 


BETA   THETA   PI 


349 


Alpha  Sigma  Theta  (extinct). — One 
of  Yale's  earlier  local  sojihomore  societies. 
(Sec  College  Fraternities.) 

Alpha  Tail  Omega. — A  general  Greek- 
letter  college  fraternity,  founded  at  Eich- 
mond,  Va.,  September  11,  18G5,  by  Otis  A. 
Glazebrook  and  Alfred  Marshall  of  the  class 
of  '65,  Virginia  Military  Institute,  Lexing- 
ton, Va.,  and  Alfred  Marshall,  then  a  recent 
graduate  of  the  same  institution.  The 
parent  chapter  was,  therefore,  placed  at  the 
Virginia  ^Military  Institute,  by  which  the 
Virginia  Beta  was  established  at  Washington 
and  Lee  University.  It  pushed  its  way 
almost  exclusively  among  Virginia,  Tennes- 
see and  Kentucky  colleges  for  a  number  of 
years,  when  in  1881  it  appeared  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Pennsylvania  and  at  Muhlenburg 
in  Pennsylvania,  Stevens  in  New  Jersey, 
Columbia  in  New  York  and  Adrian  in 
Michigan.  Its  i)olicy  of  extension  has  since 
taken  it  to  many  Western,  Southern,  and 
Eastern  Colleges,  among  them,  Lehigh, 
Massachusetts  Institute  of  Technology,  Cor- 
nell and  the  Universities  of  Vermont  and 
Michigan.  The  government  of  the  frater- 
nity vests  in  a  congress  of  delegates  from 
chapters,  which  meets  biennially,  the  Grand 
oflBcers  and  High  Council,  the  latter  chosen 
by  the  Congress  and  the  Worthy  High  Chan- 
cellor, who  represents  the  judicial  liranch 
and.  decides  disputed  points.  The  badge  is 
a  black  enamelled  gold  Maltese  cross,  with- 
out the  indentations,  with  a  circular  field  at 
the  centre,  in  which  are  the  Tan,  three  stars, 
a  crescent  above  and  the  clasped  hands 
below.  The  letters  Alpha  and  Omega  on 
the  arms  of  the  cross,  with  the  T  at  the 
centre,  present  the  fraternity  name  vertically 
and  horizontally.  Total  membership  is 
about  3,250.  C.  R.  Breckenridge,  former 
Minister  to  Russia,  and  Walter  H.  Page, 
editor  of  the  ''Atlantic  Monthly,"  are 
among  its  best  known  alumni.  (See  College 
Fraternities.) 

Berzelius  (not  Greek).  A  secret  society 
at  SheflBeld  Scientific  School,  Yale.  (See 
College  Fraternities.) 


Beta  Sigma  Omicron. — Women's  soci- 
ety.    (See  College  Fraternities.) 

Beta  Theta  Pi.— One  of  the  Miami 
triad  of  college  fraternities  and  the  first 
Greek-letter  society  founded  at  Miami  Uni- 
versity, Oxford,  Ohio.  It  was  founded  in 
1839  ])y  John  Riley  Knox,  of  the  class  of 
'39,  and  Samuel  Taylor  Alarshall,  of  '40, 
"with  whom  were  associated  David  Linton, 
James  George  Smith,  Henry  Ilardin,  John 
Holt  Duncan,  Michael  Charles  Ryan  and 
Thomas  Boston  Gordon — the  first  named 
of  the  class  of  '39,  the  next  four  of  '40, 
and  the  last  of  '41.  Alpha  Delta  Phi  had 
established  a  chapter  at  Miami  in  1835, 
four  years  before,  and  its  popularity  and 
growing  prestige  are  admitted  having  been 
the  inspiration  of  or  causes  for  the  for- 
mation of  Beta  Theta  Pi.  The  establish- 
ment of  chapters  of  the  latter  through- 
out the  West  and  South  "was  rapid  prior  to 
the  war,  during  which  period  some  were 
"killed"  by  anti-fraternity  college  laws, 
and  later  by  hostilities  between  the  North 
and  South.  Beta  Theta  Pi  absorbed  the 
Mystical  Seven  fraternity  in  1889,  formed 
at  Wesleyan  in  1837,  and  the  Alpha  Sigma 
Chi  in  1879,  formed  at  Rutgers  in  1873. 
(For  particulars  concerning  the  Mystical 
Seven,  see  Order  of  the  Ileptasophs,  or  Seven 
Wise  Men.)  For  twenty-five  years  follow- 
ing the  close  of  the  Civil  AV'ar,  Beta  Theta 
Pi  followed  what  was  regarded  as  a  radical 
policy  of  extension.  Besides  absorbing  two 
smaller  fraternities,  alumni  and  all,  it  estab- 
lished chapters  at  about  thirty  colleges  be- 
tween 18G5  and  1890,  in  many  instances — 
notably  at  Johns  Hopkins,  the  University 
of  California,  Lehigh,  Columbia,  Dart- 
mouth, and  some  larger  and  older  Eastern 
colleges — challenging  the  respectful  atten- 
tion of  the  representatives  of  the  Greek- 
letter  world  which  had  preceded  them. 
The  badge  of  Beta  Theta  Pi  is  an  eight- 
sided  shield  of  gold,  the  sides  of  which 
turn  inward.  Along  the  edges  a  row  of 
pearls  encloses  a  field  of  black  enamel  which 
displays  the  letters  Beta  Theta  Pi ;  above 


350 


CHI    DELTA   THETA 


tliem  a  diamond  encircled  by  a  wreath  of 
green  gold,  and  below,  the  letters  Alpha, 
Omega,  Lambda,  Theta.  Its  earlier  badge 
was  even  still  more  suggestive  of  the  Alpha 
Delta  Phi  slab  badge,  being  an  oblong  with 
corners  curved  inward  instead  of  rounded 
off,  and  the  Beta  Theta  Pi  under  a  crescent 
and  three  stars  instead  of  the  waxing  moon 
and  a  single  star.  Tlie  crescent  on  the 
**Beta"  badge  ultimately  became  the 
wreath  and  diamond.  The  growth  of  the 
latter  society  has  been  aided  by  its  absorp- 
tion of  a  number  of  local  fraternities,  and 
by  a  general  disregard  of  the  conservatism 
and  exclusiveness  in  the  matter  of  exten- 
sion preferred  by  some  older  societies.  In 
this  instance  the  innovation  on  the  methods 
peculiar  to  most  Greek-letter  fraternities 
appear  to  have  borne  good  fruit.  Beta 
Theta  Pi  has  more  than  sixty  active  and 
nearly  twenty  alumni  chapters,  and  main- 
tains a  summer  resort  at  "  Wooglin,"  Lake 
Chautauqua.  One  of  its  characteristics,  in 
which  it  differs  from  nearly  if  not  all  other 
Greek-letter  societies,  is  a  form  by  means  of 
which  its  members  sign  letters  to  one  an- 
other in  a  manner  untranslatable  except  by 
the  initiated.  The  only  jDarallel  known  to 
the  writer  is  the  form  of  signature  used  by 
members  of  the  Royal  Arcanum,  a  mutual 
assessment,  beneficiary,  secret  society. 

Beta  Theta  Pi,  incorporated,  is  governed 
by  nine  directors,  the  terms  of  three  of 
whom  expire  each  year,  its  general  secre- 
tary, and  the  chiefs  of  subordinate  districts 
into  which  the  society  is  divided.  Its  mem- 
bership is  estimated  at  about  10,000.  The 
list  of  prominent  alumni  is  a  long  one,  and 
among  the  names  are  those  of  John  C. 
Bullit  of  Philadelphia ;  Dr.  Mendenhall 
of  New  York  ;  Albert  G.  Porter,  ex-Minister 
to  Italy  ;  Governors  Francis  of  Missouri, 
Morton  and  Porter  of  Indiana,  Hoadley  of 
Ohio  and  Beaver  of  Pennsylvania  ;  William 
M.  Springer,  William  D.  Bynum  ;  Senators 
Daniel  W.  Voorhees,  M.  S.  Quay,  Joseph 
E.  McDonald,  B.  Gratz  Brown  ;  Stanley 
Matthews,  and  James  M.  Harlan  and  Wil- 


liam B.  Woods  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
United  States. 

Chi  Delta  Theta. — Honorary,  local, 
senior  society  at  Yale.  (See  College  Fra- 
ternities. ) 

Chi  Phi. — A  general,  Greek-letter  col- 
lege fraternity,  resulting  from  the  union 
of  three  similar  organizations  by  that  title, 
the  eldest  being  that  founded  at  Princeton, 
in  1854,  by  John  McLean,  Jr.,  Charles  S.  De 
Graw,  and  Gustavus  W.  Mayer,  as  a  result  of 
the  alleged  discovery  of  some  old  docu- 
ments purporting  to  be  the  constitution  of 
a  college  social  and  religious  society  which 
existed  at  Princeton  in  1824,  the  initials  of 
the  motto  of  which  were  Chi  Phi.  No 
evidence  has  been  shown  that  the  Chi  Phi 
of  1824  ever  had  an  active  existence  and 
the  "  old  constitution  "  has  been  lost.  The 
Chi  Phi  of  1854  succumbed  to  the  anti-fra- 
ternity laws  at  Princeton  in  1859,  but  was 
continued  through  its  chapter  at  Franklin 
and  Marshall,  established  ih  1855,  which  in 
1867  placed  a  chapter  at  Pennsylvania  Col- 
lege. In  1860  the  Secret  Order  of  Chi 
Phi  was  founded  at  Hobart  College,  New 
York,  by  Amos  Brunson  and  Alexander  J. 
Beach,  of  the  class  of  '62,  and  ten  others, 
and  established  chapters  at  Kenyon  in  1861, 
Princeton  in  1864,  and  Rutgers  in  1867,  in 
which  year,  after  two  years'  negotiations,  it 
united  with  the  Princeton  Order  of  Chi 
Phi,  under  title  of  the  Northern  Order  of 
the  same,  in  distinction  from  the  Southern 
Order  of  like  name,  which  was  founded  in 
1858,  at  the  University  of  North  Carolina, 
by  Augustus  W.  Flythe  of  the  class  of  '59, 
Thomas  Capeheart  and  John  C.  Tucker  of 
'61,  and  James  J.  Cherry  of  '63.  The  last  of 
three  Chi  Phi  fraternities  was  the  most  pros- 
perous prior  to  and  after  the  war,  establish- 
ing fifteen  chapters  throughout  the  south- 
ern States  and  maintaining  a  high  social 
and  literary  standard  of  membership.  After 
the  war  the  Northern  and  Southern  Orders 
were  attracted  to  each  other,  more,  j^erhaps, 
by  the  striking  similarity  of  names  and 
badges,  a   monogram   formed   of   Chi  and 


DELTA    KAPPA    KPSILON 


351 


Phi,  than  by  any  other  cliaraclcristic  com- 
mon to  both,  and  after  a  i)ro]ongc'd  corre- 
spondence and  negotiation  they  united  in 
1874  under  the  title  of  Chi  Phi  Fraternity. 
Among  tlie  chapters  established  since  1875 
are  those  at  Harvard,  Stevens,  the  Univer- 
sities of  Mieiiigan,  California,  Pennsylvania, 
Slieffield,  Yale,  and  Rensselear  Polytechnic 
Institute.  Two  of  the  strong  eastern  chap- 
ters of  Chi  Phi  are  found  at  Amherst  and 
Cornell,  where  they  were  i)laced  by  the 
Northern  Order.  The  fraternity  is  gov- 
erned by  convention,  and  during  recess  by 
a  Grand  Lodge  composed  of  the  president 
of  the  society  and  four  members  a})pointed 
by  him.  The  total  membership  is  about 
3,900.  Among  prominent  alumni  the  names 
of  the  late  Henry  W.  Grady  and  Emory 
Speer  are  conspicuous.  (See  College  Fra- 
ternities.) 

Chi  Psi. — One  of  the  larger  among  the 
smaller  general  Greek-letter  college  fra- 
ternities. It  was  founded  at  Union  College, 
N.  Y.,  in  1841,  by  Major-General  James  C. 
Duane,  Judge  Patrick  U.  Major,  Philip 
Spencer,  Colonel  Alexander  P.  Berthoud, 
John  Brush,  Jr.,  Dr.  Jacob  A.  Farrel, 
Robert  H.  McFadden,  Samuel  T.  Taber, 
William  F.  Tcrhune,  and  James  L.  Wither- 
spoon,  the  fifth  like  society  organized  at 
Union,  which  college  has  been  called  the 
mother  of  fraternities.  Within  nineteen 
years,  or  during  its  lifetime  prior  to  the  Civil 
War,  it  placed  chapters  at  fourteen  other  col- 
leges, going  to  nearly  all  the  larger  eastern 
institutions  except  Yale  and  Harvard,  as  far 
west  as  the  University  of  Michigan,  and  as 
far  south  as  South  Carolina  and  Mississippi. 
The  Civil  War  naturally  interfered  with  its 
progress,  and  a  number  of  "Chi  Psis'' 
were  enrolled  in  southern  as  well  as  north- 
ern armies.  After  the  period  of  depression 
incident  to  the  war  it  became  mucii  more 
conservative,  creating  only  ten  new  chap- 
ters within  twenty-five  years  after  the  ces- 
sation of  hostilities,  by  which  time  only 
sixteen  of  its  new  chapters  were  active  and 
nine  inactive.     Its  badge  consists  of  a  gold 


monogram  formed  of  Chi  and  Psi,  the  for- 
mer heavily  jewelled  and  over  the  latter, 
on  which,  at  the  top,  apprars  either  a  (juar- 
tered  circle  or  a  passion  cross,  and  at  the 
bottom  a  skull  and  cross  bones  under  three 
daggers.  The  latter  are  significant  in  that 
they  })oint  to  some  of  the  haute  grades  of 
Freemasonry,  from  which  storehouses,  a  few 
of  the  secret  characteristics  of  this  excep- 
tionally secret  college  fraternity  were  drawn. 
Neither  its  annual  convention  or  fraternity 
periodicals  are  public,  and  the  tie  between 
its  members  is  closer  and  more  lasting  than 
that  found  between  members  of  many  like 
societies.  Its  total  membership  is  about 
3,500.  Philip  Spencer,  one  of  the  found- 
ers, when  a  midshipman  on  the  United 
States  brig  of  war  "  Somers,''  was  executed 
for  mutiny,  but  the  unfortunate  young  man's 
memory  was  cleared  by  United  States  Sena- 
tor Thomas  11.  Benton  and  others,  among 
them  James  Fenimore  Cooper  and  Gail 
Hamilton,  who  pointed  out  that  the  charge 
against  young  Spencer,  who  was  the  son  of 
a  cabinet  officer,  was  untenable,  and  that 
the  arrest  and  execution  were  unwarranted. 
Among  the  better  known  "Chi  Psis"  are 
Speaker  Thomas  B.  Reed,  ex-United  States 
Senator  Thomas  M.  Palmer,  ex-Postmas- 
ter-General Don  M.  Dickinson,  Stephen 
H.  Tyng,  Jr.,  Elbridge  T.  Gerry,  William 
Astor  and  Chief  Justice  Fuller  of  the 
United  States  Supreme  Court.  (See  Col- 
lege Fraternities.) 

Delta  Beta  Xi. — An  extinct  Yale,  local, 
sopliomore  society.  (See  College  Frater- 
nities.) 

Delta  Delta  Delta. — Women's  society. 
(See  College  Fraternities.) 

Delta  Gaiiiiiia. — Women's  society.  (See 
College  Fraternities.) 

Delta    Kappa A  former    Yale,  local, 

freshman  society.  (See  Collegi'  Fraterni- 
ties.) 

Delta  Kappa  Kpsilon. — Organized  on 
June  22,  1844,  at  Yale  College,  by  William 
W.  At  water,  Edward  G.  Bartlett,  Frederick 
P.   Bellinger,  Jr.,  Henry  Case,  George  F. 


352 


DELTA   KAPPA   EPSILON 


Chester,  John  B.  Conyngham,  Thomas  I. 
Franklin,  AV.  Walter  Horton,  William  Boyd 
Jacobs,  Edward  V.  Kinsley,  Chester  N. 
Eighter,  Elisha  Bacon  Shapleigh,  Thomas 
D.  Sherwood,  Alfred  Everett  Stetson  and 
Orson  W.  Stow,  who  had  just  completed 
their  sophomore  year.  They  had  contem- 
l^lated  being  elected  members  of  Psi  Upsi- 
lou  in  a  body,  but  some  of  them  failing  to 
secure  an  election  to  that  junior  society,  the 
fifteen  stood  together  and  formed  a  new 
junior  society  with  the  foregoing  title,  to 
compete  with  Alpha  Delta  Phi  and  Psi 
XJpsilon,  which,  until  then,  had  monopo- 
lized junior  year  Greek-letter  society  inter- 
ests at  Yale.  Delta  Kappa  Epsilon,  or 
*'D.  K.  E."  as  it  is  usually  called,  beat  all 
records  at  extension,  by  placing  chapters  at 
thirty-two  colleges  and  universities  between 
the  year  it  was  founded  and  the  outbreak 
of  the  v^ar  in  1861,  going  as  far  as  Miami 
and  the  University  of  Michigan  in  the  West 
and  to  colleges  in  Virginia,  Kentucky,  Ten- 
nessee, Mississippi  and  Louisiana  at  the 
South.  The  southern  chapters  were  ren- 
dered dormant  by  the  war,  and  since  1866 
the  fraternity  has  been  much  more  particu-, 
lar  in  creating  branches,  has  made  more  of 
an  effort  to  revive  inactive  chapters  than  to 
place  new  ones.  Its  original  plan  did  not 
contemplate  a  general  fraternity,  but  early 
opportunities  for  new  chapters  presenting 
themselves,  a  plan  for  the  propagation  of 
'' D.  K.  E."  was  organized  and  was  car- 
ried out  with  a  thoroughness  which,  owing 
in  part  to  the  war,  reacted  upon  the  gen- 
eral standing  of  the  society.  From  1870  to 
date  the  society  has  built  upon  far  better 
foundation  and  with  more  care  and  skill, 
and  ranks  as  the  largest  general  college 
fraternity,  with  more  than  12,000  members, 
nearly  10  per  cent,  of  the  total  membership 
of  the  world  of  Creek-letter  societies.  The 
impression  has  always  prevailed  that  the 
parent  chapter  of  ''D.  K.  E."  exercises  a 
dominant  influence  over  the  entire  organi- 
zation, but  this  has  been  denied.  Cer- 
tain it  is  that,  at  times,  the  tie  between  the 


Yale  ''Deke"  and  his  f raters  from  other 
colleges  is  not  as  strong  as  that  between 
members  of  different  chapters  of  almost  any 
other  college  fraternity.  But  this  may  be 
due  to  the  peculiar  society  system  at  Yale 
rather  than  to  a  peculiarity  in  the  govern- 
ment or  personnel  of  Delta  Kappa  Epsilon. 
Its  Harvard  chapter  ran  against  the  anti- 
fraternity  laws  there  in  1858  and  practically 
ceased  to  exist  as  a  chapter  of  Delta  Kappa 
Epsilon  until  1863.  It  had  not  initiated 
members  for  several  years,  but  held  meet- 
ings in  Boston,  where  it  became  known  as 
the  "  Dicky  Club.''  The  chapter  was  re- 
vived as  a  sophomore  society  in  1863,  and 
exists  to-day,  occasionally  challenging  at- 
tention when  some  accident  reveals  to  the 
public  its  ridiculous  and  at  times  repre- 
hensible method  of  initiating  candidates. 
Dicky  Club  is  no  longer  '*  D.  K.  E.''  Quite 
a  number  of  chapters  of  "  D.  K.  E.''  have 
houses  of  their  own;  the  "D.  K.  E." 
club  in  New  York  stands  as  high  as  simi- 
lar institutions  there,  and  there  are  asso- 
ciations of  *'  D.  K.  E.''  alumni  at  a  scoi'e 
of  cities  which  hold  annual  reunions  and 
cultivate  the  fraternal  relations  begun  dur- 
ing college  life.  The  fraternity  is  gov- 
erned by  an  advisory  council  which  is  in- 
corporated. The  badge  resembles  that  of 
Psi  Upsilon,  except  that  in  the  centre  of  the 
black  field  the  golden  letters  Delta  Kappa 
Epsilon  appear  upon  a  white  scroll.  Much 
is  made  of  armorial  bearings,  each  chapter 
having  a  distinct  blazon.  The  fraternity 
emblem  is  a  lion  rampant,  in  black,  on  a  gold 
background.  On  its  list  of  names  of  dis- 
tinguished members  are  those  of  United 
States  Senators  M.  C.  Butler  and  Calvin  S. 
Brice  ;  Perry  Belmont,  W.  D.  Washburn, 
John  D.  Long,  A.  Miner  Griswold,  A.  P. 
Burbank,  Theodore  Roosevelt,  John  Bach 
McMaster,  George  Ticknor  Curtis,  Julian 
Hawthorne,  Robert  Grant,  Theodore  Win- 
throp,  William  L.  Alden,  ex-Governor 
McCreary  of  Kentucky  ;  Wayne  McYeagh, 
Charles  S.  Fairchild,  General  Francis  A. 
Walker,  Whitelaw  Reid,  Robert  T.  Lincoln, 


DELTA    TAU    DELTA 


353 


Stewart  L.  Woodford,  Mark  H.  DunucU, 
and  Henry  Cabot  Lodge. 

Delta  Phi. — A  general  Greek-letter 
college  fraternity,  founded  in  1827,  at 
Union  College,  almost  immediately  follow- 
ing the  organization  of  Sigma  Phi,  by 
Benjamin  Burroughs,  William  H.  Fondey, 
Samuel  L.  Lamberson,  Samuel  C.  Lawrison, 
David  H.  Little,  Thomas  C.  McLaurey, 
John  Mason,  Joseph  J.  Masten,  and  Will- 
iam Wilson.  It  has  relatively  few  chapters, 
but  as  most  of  them  are  in  the  New  Eng- 
land and  the  Middle  States,  not  far  from 
one  another,  it  tends  to  bind  the  members 
of  the  fraternity  close  together.  Some  of 
its  chapters  stand  high,  and,  owing  to  its 
age,  the  society  enjoys  considerable  prestige. 
Its  government  is  by  convention.  The 
badge  is  a  gold  Maltese  cross  having  a  cir- 
cular disk  in  the  centre,  displaying  the  let- 
ters Delta  and  Phi.  On  the  arms  of  the 
cross  are  engraved  or  enamelled  the  clasped 
hands,  an  antique  lamp,  a  scroll  and  quill 
and  a  constellation  of  stars.  It  numbers 
about  2,540  members.  In  the  list  are  the 
names  of  Hon.  William  H.  Seward,  Sena- 
tors C.  K.  Davis  and  Christopher  Magee, 
ex-Governors  Ludlow  of  New  Jersey  and 
Gaston  of  Massachusetts,  Dr.  Howard  Cros- 
by and  Edgar  Fawcett  of  New  York,  Dr.  K. 
Ogden  Dorcmus,  William  H.  Hurlburt  of 
London,  Charles  Scribner  and  John  W. 
and  Joseph  A.  Harper,  the  publishers. 
(See  College  Fraternities.) 

Delta  Psi. — Founded  at  Columbia  Col- 
lege, New  York,  in  1847,  by  Charles  Arms 
Budd  and  John  Hone  Anthon  ;  perhaps  the 
most  exclusive  general  Greek-letter  college 
fraternity  as  to  the  social  standing  of  mem- 
bers. It  has  comparatively  few  chapters, 
but  all  of  them  possess  their  own  houses. 
Some  Delta  Psi  temples  are  very  costly. 
Two  of  its  southern  chapters  survived  the 
Civil  War.  There  are  several  graduate 
clubs  or  associations  of  Delta  Psis  known 
as  St.  Anthony's  clubs,  notaljly  at  New 
York,  Philadelphia,  and  Rochester.  The 
.society  is  exceptionally  secret  and  is  said  to 
23 


embody  in  its  ritual  features  of  some  of  the 
elaborate  and  audacious  innovations  upon 
ancient  Freemasonry  which  appeared  at  the 
end  of  the  last  and  early  in  the  present 
century.  (See  College  Fraternities.)  Its 
membership  is  about  2,7G0.  The  badge  is 
a  golden  St.  Anthony^s  cross,  or  T  the 
sides  of  which  are  curved  inward.  Upon 
the  u})right  of  the  cross  is  a  conventional 
shield  dis})laying  Delta  Psi  upon  a  field  of 
blue  enamel.  There  are  four  Hebrew  let- 
ters upon  the  bar  of  the  cross,  and  at  the 
base  a  skull  over  a  crossed  key  and  sword. 
Some  of  the  best  known  members  are 
Bishops  Doane  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church  and  Galloway  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  South  ;  Hamilton  Fish,  .Jr.; 
General  Stewart  L.  Woodford  ;  Nicholas 
Fish,  ex-Minister  to  Belgium  ;  Rev.  Justin 
D.  Fulton,  Brooklyn  ;  Thomas  Nelson  Page  ; 
Stuyvesant  Fish,  former  President  of  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad,  and  H.  AValter 
Webb  and  Dr.  W.  Seward  Webb  of  New 
York. 

Delta  Psi. — The  second  Greek-letter  so- 
ciety by  that  name.  It  has  no  connection 
with  the  general  college  fraternity  of  that 
title ;  a  local  society  at  the  University  of 
Vermont.     (See  College  Fraternities.) 

Delta  Tan  Delta.— One  of  the  better 
known  of  the  group  of  southern  general 
Greek-letter  fraternities.  It  was  organized 
January  1,  1860,  at  Bethany  College,  W. 
Va.,  by  William  R.  Cunningham,  with 
whom  were  associated  Henry  K.  Bell, 
Alexander  C.  Earle,  John  L.  N.  Hunt, 
John  C.  Johnson.  Jacob  S.  Lowe,  and 
Eugene  Tarr,  as  a  rival  to  Phi  Kappa  Psi, 
then  the  only  other  like  society  at  the  col- 
lege named,  and  jn'omjitly  began  placing 
chapters  at  other  colleges.  As  the  exten- 
sion was  North,  East,  and  West,  rather  tlian 
South,  it  suffered  relatively  less  from  the 
Civil  War  than  some  other  southern  Greek- 
letter  fraternities.  It  has  shown  good  judg- 
ment in  withdrawing  charters  from  unde- 
sirable institutions,  and  has  strong  chapters 
South,  West,  and  East,  notably  those  at  the 


354 


DELTA   UPSILON 


Universities  of  Michigan,  Minnesota,  Colo- 
rado, Mississippi,  Georgia,  Tennessee,  Vir- 
ginia, and  Wisconsin,  at  Kensselaer,  Tufts, 
Massachusetts  Institute  of  Technology,  and 
Cornell.  In  1886  it  absorbed  two  chapters 
of  the  Eainbow  Fraternity,  or  W.  W.  W., 
the  first  southern  college  secret  society, 
founded  at  the  University  of  Mississippi  in 
1848,  by  seven  students  who  had  gone 
thither  from  La  Grange  College,  Tennessee. 
The  two  remaining  chapters  of  Rainbow, 
or  W.  W.  T\'.,  united  with  Phi  Delta 
Theta,  and  so  the  Rainbow,  etc.,  disap- 
peared. It  was  very  much  like  the  Mys- 
tical Seven,  Wesley  an,  1837,  made  much 
of  the  number  seven,  emphasized  the  seven 
primary  colors,  referred  to  its  members  as 
the  Sons  of  Iris  and  employed  an  iridescent 
arch  over  three  W^'s  as  its  emblem.  (See 
Order  of  Heptasophs,  or  S.  *.  M.  W.  •.; 
also  College  Fraternities.)  Delta  Tau 
Delta  is  governed  by  an  Executive  Council, 
since  the  union  with  the  Rainbow,  called 
an  Arch  Council,  composed  of  five  alumni 
and  four  undergraduate  members,  elected 
by  convention.  The  badge  is  a  square  slab 
of  gold,  with  concave  sides,  displaying  the 
letters  Delta  Tau  Delta  over  a  crescent 
and  under  a  radiated  eye.  There  is  a  five- 
pointed  star  in  each  corner.  Total  mem- 
bership is  about  5,500.  Among  prominent 
alumni  are  Dr.  Allan  McLane  of  New  York 
and  Will.  Carleton  the  poet. 

Delta  Upsiloii. — Non-secret,  general  fra- 
ternity.    (See  College  Fraternities.) 

Eta  Phi. — One  of  two  rival  Yale  local 
soijhomore  societies.  (See  College  Frater- 
nities.) 

GaiiHiia  Jf u. — (Non-secret. )  Formerly 
local  literary  society  for  freshmen  at  Yale. 
(See  College  Fraternities.) 

Ganmia  Phi  Beta. — Women's  society. 
(See  College  Fraternities.) 

He  Boul^. — A  local  sophomore  society 
at  Yale.     (See  College  Fraternities.) 

I.  K.  A. — Local  senior  society  (not 
Greek-letter)  at  Trinity  College.  (See 
College  Fraternities.) 


Kappa  Alpha. — Founded  at  Union  Col- 
lege, in  1825,  by  Rev.  John  H.  Hunter  of 
Yonkers,  N.  Y.,  with  whom  were  asso- 
ciated Professor  Isaac  W.  Jackson  of  Union, 
Dr.  Thomas  Hunn  and  Judge  Rufus  W. 
Peckham  of  Albany,  Judge  Levi  Hubbell 
of  Milwaukee,  Senator  Preston  King  of 
New  York,  Professor  Amos  Dean  of  the 
Albany  Law  School,  and  Rev.  Leonard 
Woods,  D.D.,  ex-president  of  Bowdoin 
College.  It  is  the  oldest  general  Greek- 
letter  college  fraternity  having  a  continu- 
ous existence  as  a  secret  society,  and  stands 
alone  in  having  had  as  founders  gentlemen 
who  afterwards  became  distinguished  in 
political  or  professional  life.  It  began  as  a. 
social  club  in  a  private  school,  in  1823,  and 
two  years  later,  when  members  were  at 
college,  blossomed  out  as  a  secret  brother- 
hood in  manifest  imitation  of  Phi  Beta 
Kappa,  a  secret  society  which  had  appeared 
at  Union  in  1817,  eight  years  before.  (See 
Phi  Beta  Kappa  ;  also  College  Fraternities.) 
The  badge  of  Kappa  Alpha,  a  watch-key 
with  the  handle  and  stem  at  diagonally 
opposite  corners  of  a  square  of  gold,  instead 
of  at  opposite  sides  as  in  the  case  of 
the  watch-key  badge  of  Phi  Beta  Kappa, 
is  enough  to  indicate  the  inspiration  of 
Kappa  Alpha,  if  nothing  else  were  avail- 
able. The  signs  of  the  zodiac  surround 
the  letters  Kappa  and  Alpha  in  the  centre  of 
the  square,  and  in  the  right  and  left  hand 
corners,  respectively,  are  engraved  or  enam- 
elled two  Hebrew  letters,  sufficiently  signifi- 
cant to  those  familiar  with  "the  summit 
and  perfection  "  of  something  else  to  indi- 
cate the  direction  in  which  the  earlier 
'^Kaps"  delved  for  material  with  which  to 
dress  their  ritual.  On  the  reverse  are  "the 
rising  sun  and  other  symbols,"  quite  in  line 
with  what  has  just  been  written.  Kappa 
Alpha  established  a  chapter  at  Williams 
College  in  1833,  the  first  outpost,  where 
it  encountered  active  antagonism  from  a 
social  fraternity,  later  known  as  Delta  Up- 
silon,  established  in  1834  to  combat  secret 
college  societies  (see  College  Fraternities), 


KAPPA  SIGMA 


355 


a  liumbcr  of  the  members  of  which  witli- 
drew  and  joined  Kappa  Alpha.  In  1827 
,the  success  of  Kappa  Alpha  at  Union 
was  such  that  two  fraternities  Avere  organ- 
ized there  in  opposition  to  it,  Sigma  Phi 
and  Delta  Phi,  the  first  of  wliich  followed 
it  to  Williams  in  1834.  Its  conservatism 
in  instituting  new  chapters  has  always  been 
marked,  and  it  has  only  half  a  dozen  to- 
day, exclusive  of  those  which  \yere  killed  by 
the  anti-fraternity  wars  at  Princeton  and 
at  the  University  of  Virginia,  which  dis- 
appeared at  the  outbreak  of  the  Civil  War. 
Its  Williams*  Chapter  was  the  first  among 
like  organizations  there  to  own  a  house  of 
its  own.  Its  .  membership,  estimated  at 
1,140,  has  always  been  limited,  but  is  of  high 
rank  socially.  At  its  semi-centennial  cele- 
bration at  Union  in  1875  the  address  was 
delivered  by  Governor  Henry  M.  Hoyt  of 
Pennsylvania.  It  is  governed  by  an  Execu- 
tive Council  composed  of  alumni  and  dele- 
gates from  active  chapters.  Among  its 
better  known  alumni,  other  than  those 
mentioned,  are  General  Albert  J.  Myer; 
S.  G.  W.  Benjamin,  ex-Minister  to  Persia ; 
Edward  S.  Bragg,  ex-Minister  to  Mexico  ; 
Augustus  Schell,  ex-Collector  of  the  Port 
of  Xew  York,  and  Eliphalet  K  Potter, 
President  of  Hobart  and  of  Union  Colleges. 
Kappa  Alpha.  —  (Southern  Order.) 
Founded  in  1865  as  a  general  Greek-letter 
college  fraternity  at  Washington  and  Lee 
University,  Virginia,  by  Professor  S.  Z. 
Ammen,  James  W.  Wood,  Rev.  W.  N. 
Scott,  and  William  A.  Walsh.  Until  1870 
it  was  governed  by  the  jKirent  chapter. 
Since  then  its  affairs  have  been  governed 
by  conventions  of  delegates  from  chapters, 
and  in  the  intervals  administered  by  an 
Executive  Council.  It  has  confined  its 
extension  mainly  to  the  South,  and  is  pros- 
perous, although  numerous  chapters,  some 
of  which  are  not  at  institutions  of  tlie  first 
rank,  will  explain  why  its  membership  is 
not,  as  a  whole,  of  the  highest  social  or 
scholastic  grade.  Its  badge  is  a  gold  shield 
on  which   are  a  cross  having  four  arms  of 


equal  length  and  the  letters  Kappa  and 
Alpha  on  a  black  field.  Its  total  member- 
ship is  about  2,950.  (See  College  Frater- 
nities.) 

Kappa  Alpha  Thcta. — Women's  so- 
ciety.    (See  College  Fraternities.) 

Kappa  Kappa  Gam  ma. — Women's  so- 
ciety.    (See  College  Fraternities.) 

Kappa  Kappa  Kappa. — Local  frater- 
nity at  Dartmouth  College.  (See  College 
Fraternities). 

Kappa  Sigma. — A  general  Greek-letter 
college  fraternity,  organized  fit  the  Uni- 
versity of  Virginia,  in  1867,  by  Dr.  George 
W.  Hollingsworth  and  Dr.  George  M.  Ar- 
nold, with  whom  were  associated  Edward  L. 
Rogers,  George  L.  Thomas,  John  C.  Boyd, 
and  Robert  Dunlop.  It  is  declared  that  the 
society  is  a  direct  descendant  of  Kirjaith 
Sepher,  a  European  university  secret  so- 
ciety, founded  at  Bologna  and  Firenze, 
Italy,  about  1400  a.  d.  by  a  Greek  professor 
at  those  institutions,  branches  of  which  ap- 
peared at  the  French  Universities  of  Mont- 
pellier,  Orleans,  and  Paris  about  1410.  The 
story  runs  that  the  Italian  branches  finally 
became  extinct,  except  in  a  family  named 
De  Bardi,  "  who  handed  down  its  traditions  " 
to  Hollingsworth  and  Arnold  in  1806  while 
they  were  abroad  studying  medicine,  giv- 
ing them  permission  to  establish  the  society 
in  America,  which,  Baird  addsj  "they  did, 
under  the  name  of  Kappa  Sigma."  It  was 
carried  to  the  University  of  Alabama  the 
year  the  parent  chajjter  was  founded,  and 
spread  rapidly  to  southern  and  southwestern 
colleges  with  the  exception  that  the  third 
outpost  was  ])laced  at  Bellevue  Medical  Col- 
lege, New  York,  where  it  was  empowered 
to  initiate  students  at  Columbia  and  the 
College  of  the  City  of  New  York.  Nearly 
all  other  northern  chapters  are  at  smaller 
western  colleges.  The  government  of  the 
fraternity  is  through  a  national  Grand  Con- 
clave, or  convention,  which  meets  biennially, 
between  the  sessions  of  which  the  affairs  of 
the  society  are  in  the  hands  of  a  committee 
of  five  officers.     The  badge  is  an  inverted 


356 


KAPPA   SIGMA   EPSILON 


crescent  of  gold,  attached  to  and  below 
which,  by  four  of  its  points,  is  a  five-pointed 
star  with  the .  letters  Kappa  Sigma  in  its 
centre,  encircled  by  jewels.  At  the  top,  on 
the  crescent,  a  skull  and  bones  are  engraved; 
at  the  left,  the  crossed  keys,  and  at  the 
right,  crossed  swords.  Membership  about 
2,800.     (See  College  Fraternities.) 

Kappa  Sigma  Epsiloii. — Former  local 
freshman  society  at  Yale.  (See  College 
Fraternities.) 

Kappa  Sig-ma  Phi.— Long  extinct  local 
sophomore  society  at  Yale.  (See  College 
Fraternities.) 

Lambda  Iota. — Local  society  at  the  Uni- 
versity of  Vermont.  (See  College  Fra- 
ternities.) 

Mystical  Seven. — (Not  Greek-letter. ) 
In' some  respects  among  the  most  ambitious 
efforts  at  creating  a  college  secret  society 
with  a  good  ritual.  Absorbed  by  Beta  Theta 
Pi.  (See  Order  of  the  Heptasophs,  or  Seven 
Wise  Men;  also,  College  Fraternities.) 

Nu  Sigma  Nu. — Professional,  medical 
society.     (See  College  Fraternities.) 

P.  E.  O. — (Not  Greek. )  Women's  society. 
(See  College  Fraternities. ) 

Phi  Alpha  Sigma. — Professional,  medi- 
cal society.     (See  College  Fraternities.) 

Phi  Beta  Kappa. — The  parent  of  the 
American  system  of  Greek-letter  college 
fraternities,  organized  December  5,  1776, 
by  John  Heath,  Thomas  Smith,  Eiehard 
Booker,  Armistead  Smith  and  John  Jones, 
undergraduates  at  the  College  of  William 
and  Mary,  Williamsburg,  Va.,  then  one  of 
the  most  prosperous  and  aristocratic  insti- 
tutions of  learning  in  the  colonies.  It  is 
likewise  explained  that  the  meeting  to  form 
this  society  was  held  in  the  Apollo  room 
in  Ealeigh  Tavern,  made  famous  by  the 
great  speech  of  Patrick  Henry.  Much  time 
and  erudition  have  been  expended  in  investi- 
gations to  determine  tlie  origin  of  the  Greek- 
letter  fraternity  and  how  the  first  one  came 
to  give  itself  a  title  consisting  of  Greek  let- 
ters. Heckethorn  disposes  of  the  matter 
summarily  by  stating  that  the  Bavarian  lUu- 


minati,  '^  according  to  some  accounts,"  had 
spread  to  America,  there  to  form  a  philo- 
sophico-political  sect  based  upon  the  teach- 
ings of  Philo,  Cato,  Lucian,  Pythagoras, 
and  Marius.  But  he  evidently  forgot  that 
Weishaupt's  Illumiuati  was  born  on  the 
continent  of  Europe  in  the  same  year, 
probably  only  a  few  months  before  Phi 
Beta  Kappa  made  its  appearance  in  Vir- 
ginia, that  communication  between  Virginia 
and  the  continent  of  Europe  at  that  time 
was  infrequent,  and  that  there  could  have 
been  little  in  common  between  the  Bava- 
rian philosopher  and  the  five  boys  who  were 
studying  the  elements  of  a  higher  education 
at  Williamsburg,  Va.  At  all,  or  nearly  all, 
of  the  American  colleges  at  that  time,  there 
were  j^ublic  and  private  literary  societies, 
as  they  were  called,  debating  clubs,  in  which 
students  learned  how  to  think  while  stand- 
ing upon  their  feet  and  talking  ;  how  to 
express  their  ideas,  and,  more  than  that, 
how  to  make  others  feel  the  force  of  what 
they  said.  Most  of  those  organizations, 
only  a  few  of  which  remain,  were  known 
by  ponderous  or  other  Latin  names.  At 
the  founding  of  the  new  society  in  the 
Apollo  room  in  Ealeigh  Tavern,  it  was 
thought  desirable  to  make  a  departure  in- 
stead of  imitating  the  Latin-named  socie- 
ties of  the  day  ;  and,  as  one  of  those  pres- 
ent *'  was  the  best  Greek  scholar  in  college," 
the  name  of  the  society  was  formed  of  the 
initials  of  a  Greek  motto,'  Phi  Beta  Kappa. 
It  is  hardly  probable  the  five  young  men 
responsible  for  this  creation  realized  or 
thought  they  were  "planning  a  union  of 
the  virtuous  college  youth  of  this  country;" 
but  they  were.  Moreover,  they  called  them- 
selves a  fraternity,  declared  the  society 
was  formed  for  congeniality  and  to  pro- 
mote goodfellowship,  with  "friendship 
as  its  basis  and  benevolence  and  literature 
as  its  pillars."  A  month  later,  January  5, 
1777,  Daniel  Fitzhugh,  John  Stuart,  The- 
odoric  Fitzhugh,  and  John  Stark  joined 
the  organization  and  entered  into  a  cove- 
nant to  preserve  its  secrets  and  advance  its 


PHI   BETA   KAPPA 


357 


interests.  lu  1778  it  was  decided  to  estab- 
lish bi'UDches  of  the  society  in  order  to  ex- 
tend its  good  work,  in  wiiich  we  find  tlie 
beginnings  of  tiiat  movement  wliieh  has 
l)eopled  the  college  world  with  about  700 
chapters  of  nearly  one  hundred  Greek- 
letter  fraternities.  A  charter  for  a  branch 
to  be  known  as  the  Beta  chapter  was  granted 
Samuel  Hardy  in  1779,  another  to  William 
Stuart  for  Gamma,  and  a  third  to  William 
Cabel  for  Delta.  In  December  that  year 
a  charter  was  granted  Elisha  Parmele,  a 
graduate  of  Harvard,  who  had  also  been  a 
student  at  Yale,  and  in  1780  charters  were 
granted,  respectively,  to  John  Beckley  for 
an  Eta  chapter  at  Richmond,  and  George 
L.  Turberville  for  a  Theta  at  Westmore- 
land. In  1781  meetings  of  the  parent 
chapter  were  suspended  owing  to  hostilities 
between  British  troops  and  the  colonists. 
Of  the  fate  of  the  five  local  chapters  noth- 
ing is  known,  and  it  is  due  to  the  granting 
of  a  charter  to  young  Parmele  of  Harvard 
and  Yale  that  Phi  Beta  Kappa  did  not  die  at 
the  approach  of  Lord  Cornwallis.  Parmele 
organized  a  chapter  at  New  Haven  in 
November,  1780.  It  was  originally  in- 
tended to  call  the  Yale  chapter  Zeta,  but 
this  was  changed,  and  it  became  the  Alpha 
of  Connecticut.  In  less  than  a  year,  Sep- 
tember, 1781,  the  parent  chapter  being 
dead,  what  was  intended  to  be  tlie  Ei)silon, 
at  Harvard,  was  organized  as  the  Alpha  of 
Massachusetts.  In  1787  Yale  and  Harvard 
carried  the  organization  to  Dartmouth  at 
Hanover,  where  the  Alpha  of  New  Hamp- 
shire was  formed. 

Xo  more  chapters  were  established  for 
thii-ty  years,  when  Yale,  Harvard,  and  Dart- 
mouth, in  1817,  instituted  an  Alpha  of  New 
York  at  Union  College.  Twelve  years  after, 
in  1829,  cha})ters  of  Phi  Beta  Kappa  were 
placed  at  Washington,  now  Trinity  College, 
Hartford,  Conn.  ;  Brown  University,  Provi- 
dence, R.I.,  and  Bowdoin  College  at  Bruns- 
wick, Me.  In  1831  the  Harvard  Chapter,  as 
described  by  Baird,  "gave  up  its  individual 
secrets  and    those  of  the  organization,  and 


thereafter  the  society  assumed  a  purely  for- 
mal existence  which  has  continued."    (See 
College  Fraternities.)  The  influence  of  John 
Quiney  Adams,  Joseph  Story,  Edward  Ev- 
erett,  and   others  was   sufficient,  in   those 
days  of  trial  and  tribulation  for  Freemasons 
and  members  of  other  secret  societies,  to 
cause  the  Harvard  Phibetians  to  appear  on 
the  Cambridge   campus   and   publicly  an- 
nounce the  features  which  had  been   the 
mystery  and  inspiration  of  Phi  Beta  Kappa. 
After  that  the  meetings  of  the  society  were 
held  at  longer  intervals,  and  generally  con- 
fined to  a  public  literary  programme.    But 
with  the  removal  of  the  secrecy  which  at- 
tached to  the  society  much  of  the  interest 
felt  in  it  disappeared  and  formal  meetings 
at  commencement  time  were  about  all  that 
remained  to  show  that  the  organization  was 
not  extinct.     It  elected  members  annually 
from  among  the  best  students  in  the  junior 
class,  and,  in  time,  became,  what  it  is  to- 
day, an  honorary  organization,  holding  an 
annual  meeting  for  the  election  of  officers 
and   new  members,  each   of  whom   is  per- 
mitted to  wear  the  well-known  oblong  gold 
watch-key,  for  so  many  years  identified  with 
Phi  Beta  Kappa.    The  honorary  society  was 
placed  at  Wcsleyan  College  and  at  the  Uni- 
versit}'  of  Alabama  in  the  twenty  years  fol- 
lowing, and  between  1852  and  18G9  chapters 
were  ])laced  at  the  University  of  Vermont, 
Western  Reserve,  Amherst,  AVilliams,  New 
York  University  and   at   Rutgers.     There 
were  rumors  of  southern  cha})ters  at  that 
period,  but  little  is  known  of  them.     The 
writer  quoted  says  that  down  to  1881  chap- 
ters of  Phi  Beta  Kappa  were  in  the  habit 
of  having  an  oration   and   poem  at  public 
exercises  at  commencement  time,  of  hold- 
ing a  "  private  "  business  meeting  to  choose 
officers  and  members  for  the  ensuing  year, 
"the  former,  graduates,  and  the  latter,  the 
best  scholars  in  the  incoming  class."     The 
centennial  of  the  organization's  arrival  at 
Harvard  was  celel)rated  in  1881,  and  twen- 
ty-nine delegates  rejiresenting  twelve  chap- 
ters met  there  and  adjourned  to  meet  in 


358 


PHI   DELTA   PHI 


New  York  in  October,  when  sixteen  chap- 
ters were  re})resented,  .and  it  was  resolved  to 
recommend  tlie  formation  of  a  National 
Council  and  adopt  a  constitntion.  At  a 
third  meeting,  at  Saratoga  Springs,  Sep- 
tember, 1882,  a  constitution  was  adopted 
and  afterwards  approved  by  sixteen  chap- 
ters under  the  title  United  Chaj^ters  of 
the  Phi  Beta  Kappa  Society.  This  society 
is  governed  by  a  National  Council  of  sena- 
tors and  delegates,  each  chapter  being  en- 
titled to  send  three  of  the  latter,  each  of 
whom  must  be  a  graduate  of  five  years' 
standing.  There  are  tliirty  senators  in  two 
classes,  whose  terms  expire  in  alternate 
sessions,  and  who  are  elected  by  delegates, 
from  among  whom  the  president  of  the 
Council  is  chosen  by  the  senators.  The 
Council  meets  the  first  Wednesday  in  Sep- 
tember in  each  year,  and  when  not  in  ses- 
sion the  senate  is  the  executive. 

Chapters  of  Phi  Beta  Kaj^pa  also  exist 
at  the  College  of  the  City  of  New  York, 
Columbia,  Hamilton,  Hobart,  Colgate,  Cor- 
nell, Rochester,  Dickinson,  Lehigh,  Lafay- 
ette, De  Pauw,  the  University  of  Kansas, 
and  Northwestern  L^niversity,  total  mem- 
bership being  not  far  from  10,000.  The 
badge  of  the  Phi  Beta  Kappa  is  an  oblong 
watcli-key  of  gold,  on  one  side  of  which  are 
engraved  the  letters  Phi,  Beta  and  Kappa, 
with  a  hand  below  pointing  to  seven  stars 
above,  while  on  the  reverse  is  the  name  of 
the  owner  and  S.  P.,  Dec.  6,  177G. 

The  apparent  mystery  in  this  badge,  which 
tradition  informs  us  was  originally  worn  on 
a  ribbon  about  the  neck  of  the  owner,  is 
easily  explained  in  view  of  the  services  ren- 
dered posterity  by  John  Quincy  Adams, 
Joseph  Story,  and  Edward  Everett.  The 
letters  Phi  Beta  Kappa  refer  to  the  motto 
of  the  society,  Philosophia,  Biou  Kyber- 
netes,  or  Philosophy  is  the  guide  of  life. 
The  seven  stars  refer  to  the  j)arent  chapter 
and  its  six  branch  chapters,  from  which 
the  college  secret  societies  of  to-day  may 
be  said  to  have  descended.  Forgetful- 
ness  of  the  original  chapters  of   Phi   Beta 


Kappa  is  prevented  by  the  hand  which  per- 
l^etually  points  through  the  motto  to  the 
seven  stars.  The  crescent  moon  and  seven 
stars  are  found  on  some  of  the  oldest 
Masonic  floor-cloths  and  charts.  The  sig- 
nificance of  the  six  stars  arranged  about 
one  as  a  centre  may  be  perceived  when  they 
are  connected  by  straight  lines.  The  re- 
sulting figure  is  a  hexagon  consisting  of 
six  equilateral  triangles  with  tlieir  apexes 
at  a  common  point,  the  centre  of  a  circle 
circumscribing  the  hexagon,  whence  the 
Freemason  again  finds  the  "point  within 
a  circle "  and  the  member  of  Phi  Beta 
Kappa  another  meaning  than  merely  a 
reference  to  the  seven  earlier  chapters  of 
that  fraternity.  The  popularity  of  the 
crescent  and  stars  among  later  college  fra- 
ternities is  indicated  by  a  study  of  their 
badges.  Thus,  Alpha  Delta  Phi  used  a 
single  star  and  crescent  ;  Beta  Theta  Pi,  a 
crescent  and  three  stars  ;  Delta  Tau  Delta, 
four  stars  and  a  crescent ;  Kappa  Sigma,  a 
single  star  suspended  from  a  reversed  cres- 
cent ;  Sigma  Chi,  seven  stars  on  the  base  of 
its  St.  George's  cross,  and  Theta  Delta  Chi, 
two  stars.  The  letters  "  S.  P."  on  the 
reverse  of  the  Phi  Beta  Kappa  badge  are 
translated  "Societas  Philosophise,"  or  Phil- 
osophical Society.  The  date  is  that  of  its 
origin,  or,  as  some  mystical  students  will 
have  it,  the  date  of  "  Dluminism."  The 
sign  of  a  Phibetian,  prior  to  1831,  was 
made  by  placing  two  fingers  of  the  right 
hand  over  the  left  corner  of  the  mouth 
and  drawing  them  across  the  chin.  His 
grip  Avas  made  by  locking  the  hands  with- 
out clasping  the  thumbs  at  the  same  time 
pressing  the  wrists;  and  his  ''^word"  was 
tlie  motto  for  which  the  letters  of  Phi  Beta 
Kappa  stood. 

Phi  Delta  Phi.  —  Professional,  law, 
society.     (See  College  Fraternities.) 

Phi  Delta  Theta.— Organized  in  1848 
at  Miami  University,  where  Aljjha  Delta 
Phi  had  established  a  chapter  in  1835,  and 
where  Beta  Theta  Pi  was  founded  in  1839, 
the  second  member  of  the  Miami  Triad,  the 


PHI   KAPPA   PSI 


359 


most  widely  extended,  and  therefore  the 
most  distinctively  national  among  the  gen- 
eral Greek-letter  college  fraternities.  It 
was  founded  by  Robert  Morrison  and  John 
McMillan  Wilson  of  the  class  of  '49 ; 
Robert  Thomjoson  Drake,  John  AVolfeLind- 
ley,  and  Andrew  Watt  Rogers  of  '50,  and 
Ardivan  Walker  Rogers  of  '51,  all  of  whom 
graduated  with  distinction.  Before  the 
outbreak  of  the  Civil  War  it  had  established 
sixteen  chapters  in  the  AVest,  Northwest, 
and  South,  but  at  the  close  of  the  war  only 
five  remained.  In  the  next  nineteen  years 
the  work  of  extending  the  fraternity  was 
carried  on  with  a  degree  of  enthusiasm 
never  equalled,  forty-six  chapters  being 
established  between  18G4  and  1883.  While 
by  far  the  majority  were  placed  at  what  may 
be  classed  as  minor  institutions  of  learn- 
ing, principally  at  the  West  and  South,  there 
were  noteworthy  exceptions  at  Michigan 
University,  Cornell,  the  University  of  Vir- 
ginia, University  of  Vermont,  Vanderbilt, 
and  the  University  of  Minnesota.  In  the  last 
fourteen  years  more  than  that  number  of 
chapters  have  been  established,  the  invasion 
of  the  East  being  continued  at  Union,  Col- 
lege of  the  City  of  New  York,  Columbia, 
Dartmouth,  Williams,  University  of  Syra- 
cuse, Lehigh,  Amherst,  and  Brown.  In 
two  instances  two  chapters  of  Phi  Delta 
Theta  were  established  at  a  single  college 
owing  to  an  overflow  of  members,  but  con- 
solidation followed  shortly  after.  Owing  to 
frequent  conflict  with  college  anti-fraternity 
laws  its  list  of  inactive  or  dead  chapters  is  a 
long  one,  yet  it  boasts  an  organization  at 
about  seventy  colleges  and  universities  in 
nearly  thirty  States.  The  society  is  gov- 
erned by  a  General  Council,  composed  of  a 
president,  secretary,  treasurer, and  historian, 
and  is  divided  into  provinces,  each  of  which 
has  a  president  chosen  by  the  General  Coun- 
cil. It  has  a  long  list  of  alumni  cha])ters, 
which  have  the  privilege  of  sending  dele- 
gates to  conventions  to  choose  members  of 
the  General  Councils.  The  Phi  Delta  Theta 
badge,  in    the   form   of   a  shield,  presents 


those  letters  on  a  white  scroll  upon  a  black 
field  below  "  a  radiated  eye."  The  frater- 
nity also  displays  a  coat-of-arins,  an  ''open 
motto,"  a  triangular  flag,  and  a  society 
''yell."  The  list  of  names  of  distinguished 
"Phis  "  contains  those  of  ex-President  Har- 
rison, ex-Vice-President  Stephenson,  ex- 
Secretary  of  the  Interior  William  F.  Vilas, 
ex-Senator  Blackburn  of  Kentucky,  ex- 
Commissioner  of  Pensions  J.  C.  Black,  the 
late  Eugene  Field,  and  former  war  corre- 
spondent H.  V.  Boynton.  Its  total  mem- 
bership is  about  9,200.  (See  College  Fra- 
ternities.) 

Plii  Kappa  Psi. — Third  of  the  Pennsyl- 
vania Triad  of  general  Greek-letter  college 
fraternities,  founded  at  Jefferson  College  in 
1852,  by  Charles  P.  T.  Moore  and  AV.  II. 
Letterman.  This  society  has  a  long  list  of 
chapters  and  credits  many  of  the  efforts 
resulting  in  its  successful  extension  to  Judge 
Moore,  one  of  its  founders,  with  whom  was 
associated  T.  C.  Chamberlain.  During  the 
period  preceding  the  Civil  War  most  of  its 
chapters  M'ere  placed  in  Pennsylvania  and 
southern  colleges.  It  gradually  spread  West, 
but  in  18G9  appeared  in  the  East'at  Cornell, 
in  187G  at  Johns  Hopkins,  in  1881  at  Ilobart, 
in  1884  at  Syracuse,  and  later  at  other  east- 
ern colleges.  In  the  meantime  it  had  gained 
a  strong  footing  throughout  the  Central  and 
Northwestern  States  and  on  the  Pacific 
Coast,  so  that  it  numbers  about  forty  active 
chapters  and  (i.GOO  members,  notwithstand- 
ing losses  through  chapters  having  become 
extinct  during  the  Avar,  college  anti-fra- 
ternity laws  and  other  causes.  The  gov- 
ernment is  patterned  after  that  of  some  of 
the  regular  secret  societies,  as  are  some  of 
its  secret  features,  consisting  of  a  Grand 
Arch  Council  and  an  Executive  Council  of 
five  alumni  and  four  undergraduates.  In 
order  to  facilitate  the  work  of  both,  the  fra- 
ternity is  divided  into  four  districts,  each  of 
which  is  presided  over  by  an  Archon.  The 
Grand  Arch  Council  meets  biennially,  and 
elects  the  alumni  members  of  the  Execu- 
tive Council.     Undergraduate  members  are 


360 


PHI   KAPPA   SIGMA 


elected  by  District  Councils.  Ex-Governor 
Josej-)!!  B.  Foraker  of  Ohio  and  Congress- 
man Philip  H.  Dugro  are  among  the  best 
known  alumni  of  the  society.  The  badge 
is  a  conventional  shield,  Avith  a  jewelled 
border  bearing  the  letters  Phi  Kappa  Psi 
above  an  antique  lamp  and  below  "a  radi- 
ated eye/'  on  either  side  of  which  is  a  five- 
pointed  star.     (See  College  Fraternities.) 

Phi  Kappa  Sigma. — The  second  of  the 
Pennsylvania  Triad  amoug  general  Greek- 
letter  college  fraternities.  (See  College 
Fraternities.)  It  was  founded  August  16, 
1850,  by  S.  B.  W.  Mitchell,  J.  B.  Hodge, 
A.  Y.  Du  Pont,  Charles  H.  Hutchinson, 
J.  T.  Stone,  Duane  Williams  and  A.  A. 
Eipka,  and  prior  to  the  Civil  War  estab- 
lished chapters  at  Pennsylvania  colleges,  at 
Princeton,  Columbia  and  throughout  the 
South,  fourteen  in  all.  Its  strength  at  the 
South  proved  unfortunate,  for  the  war  closed 
the  colleges  there.  This,  with  anti-frater- 
nity legislation,  left  it  badly  crippled,  though 
it  has  succeeded  in  maintaining  a  gratifying 
rank  among  the  smaller  fraternities.  Its 
government  is  in  the  hands  of  a  Grand 
Chapter  composed  of  three  delegates  from 
each  subordinate  chapter.  The  present 
membership  is  about  2,230.  Ex-Congress- 
man S.  D.  McEnery  of  Louisiana,  Jiidge 
Chauncey  F.  Black  of  Pennsylvania,  Whar- 
ton Barker  of  Philadelphia  and  General 
Horatio  C.  King  of  ISTew  York  are  mem- 
bers of  Phi  Kappa  Sigma.  The  badge  of 
the  society  is  suggestively  similar  to  that 
Avorn  by  Masonic  Knights  Templars,  con- 
sisting of  a  black  enamelled  Maltese  cross, 
Avith  skull  and  crossbones  at  the  centre,  a 
six-pointed  star  on  the  upper  arm,  and  the 
letters  forming  the  name  of  the  society  on 
the  other  three. 

Phi  Nil  Theta. — Local  fraternity  at  Wes- 
leyan  University.    (See  College  Fraternities. ) 

Phi  Sigma  Kappa. — Professional,  medi- 
cal, society.     (See  College  Fraternities.) 

Plii  Theta  Psi. — A  former  Yale,  local 
sophomore  society.  (See  College  Fraterni- 
ties.) 


Phi  Zeta  Mu. — Local  scientific  society 
of  Dartmouth  College.  (See  College  Fra- 
ternities.) 

Pi  Beta  Phi. — Women's  society.  (See 
College  Fraternities.) 

Pi  Kappa  Alpha. — Founded  as  a  gen- 
eral Greek-letter  fraternity  in  1868,  at  the 
LTniversity  of  Yirginia,  by  Frederick  S.  Tay- 
lor, L.  W.  T.  Bradford,  Robertson  Howard, 
Julian  E.  Wood,  and  James  B.  Sclater, 
some  of  Avhom  had  been  intimately  associ- 
ated in  the  Confederate  Army.  Its  growth 
was  less  hurried  than  that  of  some  like  fra- 
ternities, only  eleven  chapters  being  estab- 
lished in  twenty-two  years,  all  of  them  in  the 
South  Atlantic  and  Gulf  region.  Indiffer- 
ence, anti-fraternity  laws  and  the  decline 
of  colleges  themselves  contributed  to  the 
death  of  a  majority  of  the  chapters.  Mem- 
bership about  500.  The  goA'ernment  is  by 
a  council  of  graduates.  The  badge  flispla3'S 
a  diamond  field  upon  a  shield,  Avith  the  let- 
ters Pi  Kappa  Alpha  on  the  former.  (See 
College  Fraternities.) 

Psi  Upsiloii. — One  of  the  three  great 
Greek-letter  college  fraternities  (see  College 
Fraternities)  whose  chapters  Avere  estab- 
lished at  colleges  and  universities  of  the  first 
rank  throughout  the  country  between  1835 
and  1870;  which,  from  a  social  and  literary 
point  of  view,  stand  highest,  and  Avhich 
present  on  the  rolls  of  their  alumni  the 
names  of  many  of  those  distinguished  in 
professional,  political,  and  commercial  life. 
It  AA'as  founded  in  1833  at  Union  College, 
Avhere  Kap2:)a  Alpha,  Sigma  Phi,  and  Delta 
Phi  had  preceded  it,  the  first  of  the  three 
named,  in  1825,  in  imitation  of  Phi  Beta 
Kappa,  Avhich  Avas  established  there  in  1817, 
and  the  other  tAvo  in  1827,  stimulated  by 
the  success  of  Kappa  Alpha.  The  founders 
of  Psi  Upsilon  Avere  Samuel  Goodale,  Ster- 
ling G.  Hadley,  EdAvard  Martindale,  and 
George  W.  Tuttle  of  the  class  of  '36;  Rob- 
ert Barnard,  Charles  W.  Harvey,  and  Mer- 
wiu  H.  StcAvart  of  '37.  It  had  evidently 
been  in  process  of  formation  for  some  time, 
for  the  statement  is  made  that  its  badge 


PHI   GAMMA.    DELTA 


361 


"had  been  exhibited  "  at  Union  as  early  iir> 
1831.  The  badge  consists  of  a  lozenge- 
shaped  slab  of  gold,  enclosing  a  black  ouam- 
elled  field  surrounded,  generally,  by  pearls, 
across  the  shorter  diameter  of  whioh  is  the 
ancient  emblem,  a  pair  of  clasp. ?d  hands, 
Fides,  with  the  letter  Psi  above  ar,  I  Upsilou 
below.  It  is  usually  worn,  as  ar ;  most  col- 
lege society  badges,  on  the  Avaistooat.  Psi 
Upsilon  was  the  first  of  like  fra  ernities  at 
Union  to  initiate  students  from  all  of  tlio 
fonr  classes,  which  is  explained  by;iits  hav- 
ing been  founded  by  sophomores  and  fresh- 
men. Its  second  chapter  was  placed  at  the 
University  of  New  York  in  18J-»7,  where 
Alpha  Delta  Phi  and  Sigma  Phi  had  pre- 
ceded it,  and  its  third  at  Yale  il,  1H39, 
where  Phi  Beta  Kappa  and  Alph;;  Delta 
Phi  had  gone  before.  In  1840  it  ;,vent  to 
Brown,  in  1841  to  Amherst  and  in  'vL842  to 
Columbia,  at  all  of  which  Alpha  Delta  Phi 
had  then  been  established,  and  atjjthe  first 
of  which  it  also  faced  chai^ters  of  Phi  Beta 
Kappa  and  Delta  Phi.  It  established  a 
chapter  at  Dartmouth  in  1842  also.^  where 
it  was  first  upon  the  ground  after  y\n  Beta 
Kappa,  which  antedated  it  there  fj  fifty- 
five  years.  In  1843  it  ajipeared  at  Hamilton, 
there  to  meet  its  jirincipal  rival,  Alpi:,a  Delta 
Phi;  at  Bowdoin,  where  it  followed»the  lat- 
ter; and  at  Wesleyan,  where  none  of  the 
existing  general  college  fraternities  except 
Phi  Beta  Kappa  then  had  a  chapter.  In 
1844  a  number  of  Yale  sophomores  who  had 
been  elected  to  membership  in  Psi  Upsilon 
declined  to  be  initiated,  inasmuch  as  others 
associated  with  them  had  not  been  chosen, 
and,  with  the  latter,  formed  Delta  Kappa 
Epsilon,  which  has  since  become  the  largest 
general  Greek-letter  college  society,  and  is 
bracketed  with  Alpha  Delta  Phi  and  Psi 
Upsilon,  wliich  form  the  three  great  Greek- 
letter  fraternities.  Psi  Upsilon  did  not  in- 
crease its  list  of  chapters  so  rapidly  during 
the  next  fifteen  years,  establishing  branches 
only  at  Harvard,  1850,  Rochester,  1858, 
and  Kenyon,  18G0,  prior  to  the  outbreak  of 
the  Civil  War.     Its  growth  has  been  very 


conservative,  and  with  not  more  than  a  score 
of  chapters  it  numbers  about  7,825  mem- 
bers. At  Yale  it  shares  the  honors  of  junior 
society  life  with  Alpha  Delta  Phi  and  Delta 
Kappa  Epsilon,  and  its  Yale  members  with 
those  of  the  other  societies  named  form  the 
material  from  which  each  of  tlie  three  Yale 
senior  societies  usually  selects  its  fifteen 
members.  It  is  governed  by  convention  and 
an  Executive  Council,  with  headquarters  at 
New  Y^'ork  city.  It  has  no  alumni  chapters, 
but  associations  of  "  Psi  U"  alumni  exist 
at  nearly  twenty  cities.  A  valuable  and  in- 
teresting account  of  the  fraternity,  its  or- 
ganization, government,  and  the  personnel 
of  its  membership,  has  been  published  by 
Albert  P.  Jacobs  of  Detroit.  Its  list  of 
alumni  who  are  well  known  is  a  long  one, 
and  on  it  are  the  names  of  the  late  ex-Presi- 
dent Arthur;  United  States  Senators  0.  S. 
Ferry,  W.  P.  Frye,  J.  R.  Hawley,  Anthony 
Higgins;  Congressmen  Lyman  K.  Bass, 
Galusha  A.  Grow,  Waldo  Ilutchins,  William 
Walter  Phelps,  Clarkson  X.  Potter,  and 
William  E.  Robinson;  George  B.  Loring, 
at  one  time  Commissioner  of  Agriculture; 
William  C.  Whitney,  ex-Secretary  of  the 
Navy;  James  B.  Angell,  ex-Minister  to  Tur- 
key; Eugene  Schuyler,  ex-Minister  to 
Greece;  Andrew  D.  White,  ex-Minister  to 
Germany;  ex-Governors  D.  H.  Chamberlain 
of  South  Carolina  and  A.  H.  Rice  of  Massa- 
chusetts; Chauncey  M.  Depew,  Francis  M. 
Bangs,  George  Bliss,  and  Daniel  G.  Rollins 
of  New  York;  Charles  Dudley  Warner,  Ed- 
mund C.  Stedman,  William  Allen  Butler, 
Albion  AY.  Tourgee,  William  G.  Sumner, 
Orange  Judd,  John  Taylor  Johnson,  Bray- 
ton  Ives;  and  Bishops  Beckwith,  Littlejohn, 
Whittaker,  Niles,  Paddock,  Spaulding, 
Scarborough,  Brown,  Perry,  Seymour,  and 
Knickerbocker  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal 
Church. 

Phi  Gniuiua  Delta. — One  of  the  Penn- 
sylvania Triad  of  general  Greek-letter  fra- 
ternities. It  was  founded  at  Jefferson  Col- 
lege, Canonsburg,  Pa.,  (afterward  Wash- 
ington and   Jefferson),   in   May,   1848,   by 


362 


Q.    T.   V. 


John  T.  McCartj,  James  Elliott,  Daniel 
Webster  Crofts,  Samuel  B.  Wilson,  Ellis  B. 
Gregg  of  the  class  of  '48,  and  Naamen 
Fletcher  of  '49.  It  was  started  as  a  rival  of 
Beta  Theta  Pi,  and,  following  the  interests 
of  many  identiiied  with  it,  extended  the 
fraternity  to  the  South  and  West,  rather 
than  the  East.  It  went  to  the  College  of 
the  City  of  New  York  in  1865,  and  to  Co- 
lumbia in  1866,  the  Sheffield  Scientific 
School  in  1875,  and  to  Cornell  in  1888, 
numbering  more  than  forty  active  chap- 
ters, nearly  one-half  as  many  inactive,  with 
a  list  of  nearly  5,700  members.  It  has  sev- 
eral graduate  associations,  and  perhaps  one- 
half  of  its  chapters  possess  houses  of  their 
own.  It  is  governed  by  a  Grand  Chapter 
composed  of  graduates  from  the  New  York 
city  chapters  and  New  York  resident  mem- 
bers of  other  chapters.  The  badge  is  a 
diamond-shaped  slab  of  gold,  with  the  cus- 
tomary border  of  pearls,  and  the  Greek 
letters  forming  the  name  of  the  society  on 
a  field  of  black.  Above  them  is  a  five- 
pointed  star,  and  below,  the  letters  Alpha, 
Omega,  Mu,  and  Eta.  Among  its  gradu- 
ates the  best  known  names  are  those  of 
Zebulon  B.  Vance;  William  C.  Goodale, 
ex-Minister  to  Belgium  ;  and  Daniel  D. 
Lloyd  and  Maurice  Thompson,  authors. 
(See  College  Fraternities.) 

Q.  T.  V. — (Not  Greek.)  Professional, 
agricultural,  society.  (See  College  Fra- 
ternities.) 

Scroll  and  Key. — Local  senior  frater- 
nity, Yale  College.  (See  College  Fraterni- 
ties.) 

Sigma  Alpha  Epsiloii. — Founded  at  the 
University  of  Alabama,  March  9,  1856,  as 
a  general  Greek-letter  college  fraternity  by 
Noble  L.  De  Votie,  with  whom  were  associ- 
ated John  W.  Kerr,  Wade  Foster,  John  B. 
Rudulph,  Nathan  E.  Cockrell,  Samuel  M. 
Dennis,  and  Abner  E.  Patton.  The  Civil 
War  killed  fourteen  out  of  the  fifteen  chap- 
ters Avhich  were  established  within  five  years, 
the  surviving  branch  being  at  Columbian 
University,  District  of  Columbia.     In  1866 


(Several  chapters  were  revived  and  many 
ne  V  ones  placed  throughout  the  South  and 
Soutbwest,  in  some  instances  at  seminaries, 
institu^^^es,  and  what  were  little  more  than 
high  scbools.  Many  such  died,  and  others 
were  killod  by  college  anti-fraternity  laws, 
so  that  l\y  1880  another  effort  was  needed 
to  build  ^up  the  society.  The  exertion 
made  is  l;>est  described  by  the  statement 
that  thirt'y  new  chapters  were  established 
within  t'3n  years,  half  a  dozen  of  them  cross- 
ing the*'' Mason  and  Dixon,  line  to  locate  at 
Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Michigan  and  Iowa 
colleges.'  The  fraternity  is  divided  into 
province,^  for  convenience  of  administration 
and  governed  by  a  Supreme  Council  of  six, 
elected  at  conventions  of  delegates.  The 
badge  Is  a  diamond-shaped  slab,  with  the 
usual  bf:»rder  of  jewels  enclosing  a  black  field 
in  which  the  letters  Sigma,  Alpha,  Epsilon 
are  dis^J^ayed  over  a  representation  of  an  up- 
right hii'man  figure  beside  a  recumbent  lion. 
Below,  this  are  the  letters  Phi  and  Alpha. 
Total  /  nembership  about  3,400.  (See  Col- 
lege Frtiternities.) 

Signiftx  Chi. — Founded  at  Miami  Univer- 
sity in  J355,  the  third  general  Greek-letter 
fraten>''ty  to  which  that  institution  gave 
birth,  tiy  Thomas  C.  Bell,  James  P.  Cald- 
well, Di^miel  AV.  Cooper,  Benjamin  P.  Run- 
kle,  Frank  H.  Scobey,  Isaac  M.  Jordan, 
and  William  L.  Lockwood,  the  result  of  a 
schism  in  Delta  Kappa  Epsilon,  all  but  the 
last  named  founder  having  been  members 
of  the  Miami  Chapter  of  "  D.  K.  E."  The 
parent  chapter  did  not  live  long,  but  the 
work  of  extending  the  fraternity  was  begun 
early,  and  notwithstandiug  its  growth  was 
checked  by  the  Civil  War,  the  society  num- 
bers a  long  list  of  chapters  scattered 
throughout  the  West,  Northwest,  South,  at 
various  Pennsylvania  colleges,  on  the  Pacific 
Coast,  and  at  the  East  in  such  institutions 
as  the  Massachusetts  Institute  of  Technol- 
ogy, Stevens  Institute,  and  Cornell  Univer- 
sity. During  the  Civil  War  there  was  a 
chapter  of  Sigma  Chi  in  one  of  the  brigades 
of  the  Confederate  Army,  something  unique 


THETA    DELTA    CHI 


363 


in  the  history  of  like  societies.  It  was  uot 
chartered,  however,  initiated  only  a  few 
members,  and  became  dormant  at  the  close 
.of  the  war.  The  Purdue  chapter  was  re- 
sponsible for  the  fraternity  war  there.  (See 
College  Fraternities.)  The  fraternity  has 
been  governed  since  1883  by  an  Executive 
Council  of  alumni  members  and  may  be 
ranked  as  exceptionally  j^rosperous,  with 
about  5,400  members.  Some  of  the  better 
known  alumni  are  Harry  S.  New  of  Indian- 
apolis, Edgar  L.  Wakeman,  William  G. 
Stahlnecker  and  J.  J.  Piatt. 

Sigma  Chi. — Honorary  local  society  at 
Cornell,      (See  College  Fraternities.) 

Sig'iua  Delta  Chi. — Local  at  Sheffield 
Scientific  School,  Yale.  (See  College  Fra- 
ternities.) 

Sigma  Kappa. — Women's  society.  (See 
College  Fraternities.) 

Sigma  Nu. — One  of  the  more  prosperous 
southern  general  Greek-letter  college  fra- 
ternities, founded  January  1,  18G9,  at  the 
Virginia  Military  Institute,  by  Frank  Hop- 
kins, with  whom  were  associated  J.  W. 
Hopson,  Greenfield  Quarles,  J.  M.  Riley, 
and  E.  E.  Semple,  in  opposition  to  Alpha 
Tan  Omega,  which  had  become  prosperous 
and  prominent  in  the  college  world  at  Lex- 
ington, Ya.  The  establishment  of  new 
chapters  was  managed  rather  loosely  at 
first,  and  by  1879  only  the  parent  chapter 
remained.  With  the  placing  of  a  chapter 
at  the  North  Georgia  Agricultural  College 
there  were  more  energy  arid  judgment  dis- 
played, and  during  the  next  seventeen  years 
the  society  appeared  at  a  number  of  col- 
leges. Its  total  membership  is  now  about 
1,700.  The  government  is  by  a  High,  or 
Executive  Council,  created  by  annual  con- 
ventions called  Grand  Chapters.  The  badge 
is  a  fifteen-pointed,  five-armed  cross  in  a 
circular  field,  in  the  centre  of  which  is  a 
coiled  serpent.  On  each  of  the  arms  or  panels 
is  a  pair  of  crossed  swords,  below  which 
are  distributed  the  letters  Sigma,  Nu,  Ep- 
silon,  Tan,  Tau.  (See  College  Fraternities.) 

Sigma   Phi. — Next   in    line    to    Kappa 


Alpha  as  a  general  Greek-letter  fraternity, 
having  a  continuous  existence  as  a  secret 
society,  after  which  it  patterned.  It  was 
founded  at  Union  College  in  March,  1827,  by 
T.  F.  Bowie,  George  N.  Porter,  Charles  N. 
Rowley,  S.  W.  Beall,  R.  II.  Champan,  and 
Charles  T.  Cromwell,  members  of  the  senior 
class.  In  1S31  it  established  a  chapter  at 
Hamilton  College,  Clinton,  N.  Y,,  the  first 
after  Phi  Beta  Kai)pa  to  begin  a  policy  of 
extension,  yet  it  has  ever  been  conservative, 
even  exclusive,  and  ranks  to-day  preemi- 
nent for  the  social  standing  of  its  members. 
Each  chapter  owns  its  own  house,  that  at 
Williams  being  one  of  the  costliest  in  the 
country.  It  is  governed  by  convention,  and 
is  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  the  State 
of  New  York.  While  the  loyalty  of  alumni 
members  of  all  Greek -letter  societies  to  their 
fraternities  is  marked,  in  the  case  of  gradu- 
ate members  of  Sigma  Phi  it  is  conspicuous. 
Its  total  membership  is  about  2,265,  and  in 
the  list  of  names  are  found  those  of  ex-Sen- 
ator J.  J.  Ingalls;  Charles  J.  Folger,  late 
Secretary  of  the  Treasury;  J.  J.  Knox,  late 
Comptroller  of  the  Currency;  A.  D.  White, 
ex-]\nnister  to  Germany;  John  Bigelow,  ex- 
Minister  to  England;  H.  C.  Christiancy, 
ex-]yiinister  to  Peru ;  ex-Governors  Hoffman 
of  New  York  and  Hartranft  of  Pennsyl- 
vania; Colonel  Emmons  Clark,  A.  Oakey 
Hall,  Elihu  Root,  Joel  B.  Erhardt  and 
John  E.  Parsons  of  New  York;  and  Pro- 
fessor Whitney  of  Yale.  Its  badge  consists 
of  a  gold  monogram  formed  of  the  letters 
Sigma  and  Phi,  the  former  usually  richly 
je\velled.     (See  College  Fraternities.) 

Skull  and  ISoiios. — Local  senior  society, 
Yale  College.     (See  College  Fraternities.) 

Tliota  I>olta  Chi. — The  sixth  general 
Greek-letter  college  fraternity  founded  at 
Union  College,  one  of  the  larger,  stronger, 
and  more  progressive  of  the  group  of  smaller 
fraternities.  It  was  organized  in  1847,  at  a 
period  when  Ihiion  was  very  prosperous,  by 
Theodore  B.  Brown,  William  G.  Aikin, 
William  Ilyslop,  Samuel  F.  AVile,  Abel 
Beach   and    Andrew  II.  Green.     It  estab- 


364 


THETA  XI 


lished  sixteen  charges,  as  its  chapters  are 
called,  witliiu  fourteen  years  preceding  the 
Civil  War,  but  not  many  more  than  that 
during  the  past  thirty-four  years,  about  one- 
half  of  which  are  inactive.  This  college 
fraternity  is  governed  by  a  Grand  Lodge  in- 
stead of  an  executive  council  and  conven- 
tion, the  former  corresponding  to  a  conven- 
tion made  up  of  delegates  from  the  charges. 
The  society  badge  is  a  shield  of  gold  dis- 
playing a  border  of  pearls  or  other  jewels, 
surrounding  a  field  of  black  enamel,  on 
which  are  the  letters  Theta  Delta  Chi,  above 
them  two  five-pointed  stars  and  below  two 
crossed  arrows.  In  1869  it  published  a 
fraternity  journal  and  is  thought  to  have 
been  the  first  to  fly  a  fraternity  flag.  It  has 
a  membership  of  about  3,500,  and  among 
the  names  of  members  who  have  become  well 
known  are  John  Hay,  Fitz James  O'Brien 
and  John  Brougham,  Daniel  N.  Lockwood, 
Seward  A.  Simons  of  Buffalo,  Charles  R. 
Miller,  editor  of  "  The  Times,"  New  York; 
and  Bishops  Wingfield,  Randolph,  and  Gril- 
bert  of  the  Protestant  Episcopal  Church. 

Theta  Xi. — Professional,  engineering, 
society.     (See  College  Fraternities.) 

W.  W.  AV.,  or  The  Rainbow.— (Not 
Greek.)  First  southern  college  society,  be- 
lieved to  have  been  founded  by  a  former 
member  of  the  college  fraternity  called 
Mystical  Seven.  (See  the  latter;  also  Col- 
lege Fraternities;  also  Order  of  Heptasophs, 
or  Seven  Wise  Men.) 

Wolf's  Head. — Local  senior  society, 
Yale  College.     (See  College  Fraternities.) 

Zeta  Psi. — In  the  brief  historical  sketches 
of  a  number  of  other  general  Greek-letter 
college  fraternities,  explanation  has  been 
offered  of  how  some  of  their  characteristics 
have  been  drawn  from  Masonic  sources,  in 
almost  all  instances  unknown  to  nearly  if 
not  all  of  the  living  members.  Zeta  Psi,  one 
of  the  best  among  the  smaller  general  college 
societies,  differs  only  in  that  it  was  virtually 
organized  by  members  of  the  Masonic  fra- 
ternity. It  was  founded  in  1846,  at  the 
University  of  New  York,  by  Jolm  B.  Yates 


Sommers,  William  Henry  Dayton,  and  John 
M.  Skillman  of  the  class  of  '49,  with  whom 
was  associated  Rev.  AVilliam  Henry  Carter, 
D.D.,  of  Florida.  It  impresses  upon  its 
members^  rather  more  than  some  like  organi- 
zations, the  imjjortance  of  profound  secrecy 
regarding  the  society  and  its  affairs.  It 
will  probably  surprise  members  to  learn  that 
its  secret  work,  so-called,  embodies  several 
features  borrowed  from  Freemasonry.  The 
badge,  however,  has  no  resemblance  to  the 
better  known  Masonic  emblems,  consisting 
of  a  gold  monogram  formed  of  a  jewelled 
Zeta,  with  a  circle  in  its  upper  and  an  A  in 
its  lower  angle,  placed  upon  a  Psi,  upon  the 
left  arm  of  which  is  a  five-pointed  star,  and 
upon  the  latter  a  Roman  fasces.  When  the 
parent  chapter  was  two  years  old  it  began 
the  work  of  extension,  and  sixteen  chapters 
were  established  in  thirteen  years  prior  to  the 
outbreak  of  the  Civil  War,  most  of  them  in. 
the  New  England  and  Middle  States,  the 
outposts  being  at  Michigan  and  North  Caro- 
lina Universities.  The  latter  was  one  of  the 
few  such  chapters  which  survived  the  war. 
In  addition  to  the  parent,  chapters  at  Rut- 
gers, Harvard,  University  of  Pennsylvania, 
Union,  Cornell,  the  University  of  California, 
Magill  College,  Montreal,  the  L^niversity  of 
Toronto  and  Yale  are  exceptionally  pros- 
perous. The  fraternity  as  a  whole  is  a 
prominent  factor  in  the  college  secret  so- 
ciety world,  and  has  shown  more  of  a  spirit 
of  progress  within  the  last  fifteen  years  than, 
some  which  are  older.  The  present  mem- 
bership is  about  4,300.  Among  the  names 
of  its  prominent  alumni  are  those  of  Nelson 
Dingley,  Jr. ;  William  P.  Feppev,  Provost 
of  the  University  of  Pennsylvania;  Ben. 
T.  Cable,  ex-member  of  Congress  from 
Illinois;  Joseph  Nimmo,  Jr.,  ex-Chief  of 
the  Bureau  of  Statistics,  Treasury  Depart- 
ment; A.  D.  Hazen,  of  the  United  States 
Post-Office  Department;  Dr.  A.  L.  Loomis, 
and  Judges  Larremore  and  Van  Hoesen  of 
New  York;  Robert  Garrett  and  ex-United 
States  Senator  Charles  J.  Noyes  of  Massa- 
chusetts.    (See  College  Fraternities.) 


GRAND  ARMY  OF  THE  REPUBLIC 


365 


IX 


MILITARY  AI^D  AI^OESTRAL  ORDERS  AND  SOCIETIES 


Artvaiicc  Guard  of  America,  or  the 
OraiKl  Army  of  Progress. — An  orgtmiza- 
tion  of  soldiers  and  sailors  of  the  Civil 
War,  formed  in  Missouri  in  18G5.  Its 
membership  was  ultimately  absorbed  by  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Eepublic,  to  which 
order  it  is  believed  to  have  suggested  its 
name.     (See  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic.) 

Ancient  Order  of  Gophers. — See  Sons 
of  Veterans,  United  States  of  America. 

Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. — An 
organization  of  Union  soldiers  and  sailors 
of  the  AVar  of  the  Eebellion,  1861-1865, 
founded  : 

1.  To  preserve  and  strengthen  these  kind  and 
fraternal  feelings  wliich  bind  together  the  soldiers, 
sailors  and  marines  who  united  to  suppress  the  late 
Rebellion,  and  to  perpetuate  the  memory  and 
history  of  the  dead  ;  2.  To  assist  such  former  com- 
rades in  arms  as  need  help  and  protection,  and  to 
extend  needful  aid  to  the  widows  and  orphans  of 
tliose  who  have  fallen  ;  and  3.  To  maintain  true 
allegiance  to  the  United  States  of  America,  based 
upon  a  paramount  respect  for,  and  fidelity  to,  its 
Constitution  and  Laws;  to  discountenance  whatever 
tends  to  weaken  loyalty,  incites  to  insurrection, 
treason  or  rebellion,  or  in  any  manner  impairs  the 
efficiency  and  permanency  of  our  free  institutions; 
and  to  encourage  the  spread  of  universal  liberty, 
equal  rights  and  justice  to  all  men. 

The  first  of  such  societies,  the  Third 
Army  Corps  Union,  was  organized  during 
the  Rebellion,  March  16,  1862,  and  con- 
tinues, to  this  day,  to  hold  an  annual 
banquet  and  business  meeting  on  the 
evening  of  *  May  o.  The  second  is  the 
Army  of  the  Tennessee.  It  was  organ- 
ized in  the  Senate  Chamber  of  the  State 
Capitol  at  Raleigh,  N.  C,  April  14.  1865. 
Membership  is  restricted  to  officers  who 
served  with  the  *'old  Army  of  the  Tennes- 
see." On  the  list  of  presidents  of  the 
society  are    the   names    of   Major-General 


John  A.  Rawlins,  General  AV.  T.  Sherman, 
and  General  Grenville  M.  Dodge.  Its 
membership  is  524.  Tiic  Military  Order  of 
the  Loyal  Legion  was  founded  at  Pliihidel- 
phia,  April  15,  1865,  and  the  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic,  nearly  a  year  later,  at 
Decatur,  111.,  where  its  first  post  was  estab- 
lished on  April  6,  1866.  Two  years  later, 
on  February  16,  1868,  the  Society  of  the 
Army  of  the  Cumbei'land  was  organized  for 
the  benefit  of  officers  and  enlisted  men  who 
had  served  in  that  army.  Its  list  of  presi- 
dents includes  the  names  of  Major-General 
George  H.  Tiiomas,  General  W.  S.  Rose- 
crans,  and  General  Philip  II.  Sheridan,  and 
its  total  membership  is  about  700.  It  was 
in^  1868,  also,  on  July  5,  at  New  York 
city,  that  the  Society  of  the  Army  of  the 
Potomac  was  formed.  Officers  and  soldiers 
Avho  served  in  that  army,  and  in  the  Tenth 
and  Eighteenth  Army  Corps  of  the  Army 
of  the  James,  are  eligible  to  membersiiip. 
Lieutenant-General  P.  II.  Sheridan  was  its 
first  president,  and  among  liis  successors  are 
the  names  of  many  of  the  most  conspicuous 
Union  officers  in  the  Civil  War.  The  society 
holds  an  annual  meeting,  at  wiiich  those 
among  its  1,800  members  present  partake 
of  an  elaborate  dinner.  The  foregoing,  with 
the  Union  Veterans^  Legion,  founded  1884, 
and  the  Sons  of  Veterans,  1878  and'  1881, 
comprise  the  older  and  more  comprehensive 
societies  having  their  origin  in  the  war  of 
1861-1865.  Membership  in  those  designated 
by  names  of  particular  armies  natnrjilly 
carries  with  it  associations  and  memories 
of  only  a  part  of  the  war  ;  but  this  charac- 
terization does  not  apjily  to  the  Military 
Order  of  the  Loyal  Legion,  United  States 
of  America,  an  hereditary  order  to  which  all 
honorably  discharged  officers  of  the  United 


366 


GRAND   ARMY   OF   THE   REPUBLIC 


States  Army  and  Nav}^  in  the  War  of  the  Re- 
bellion and  their  eldest  male  successors  are 
eligible  ;  or  to  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Ee- 
public,  to  which  Union  soldiers  and  sailors 
of  tlie  Civil  War  are  eligible,  and  which 
hundreds  of  thousands  of  them  have  joined. 

To  Benjamin  Franklin  Stephenson  is 
given  the  honor  of  being  the  founder  of  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Eepublic.  He  was 
born  in  Wayne  County,  Illinois,  October  30, 
1822.  He  studied  medicine  with  his  brother 
at  Mount  Pleasant,  la.,  and  graduated  from 
Eush  Medical  College,  Chicago,  in  1850. 
He  married  Barbara  B.  Moore,  of  Spring- 
field, 111.,  in  1855,  and  began  practising 
his  profession  at  Petersburg  in  that  State. 
He  was  elected  surgeon  of  the  Fourteenth 
Illinois  Infantry  May  25,  1861,  but  was 
not  commissioned  until  April  7,  1862,  at 
Pittsburg  Landing.  Dr.  Stephenson  was 
mustered  out  June  24,  1864;  went  into  the 
drug  business  at  Springfield,  and  a  year 
later  formed  a  partnership  with  Dr.  G.  T. 
Allen  and  Dr.  James  Hamilton.  He  is 
described  in  Beath's  "  History  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Eepublic  "  as  a  poor  manager  in 
financial  affairs  and  lacking  in  some  of  the 
qualities  which  should  have  secured  him 
a  lucrative  practice.  He  is  said  to  have 
formed  strong  friendships,  to  have  been 
of  an  extremely  sanguine  temperament  and 
charitable  to  a  fault. 

It  was  while  Stephenson's  regiment 
formed  part  of  Sherman's  expedition  to 
Meridian,  in  February,  1864,  that  Eev. 
William  J.  Eutledge,  chaplain,  and  the 
"tent-mate  and  bosom  companion'^  of 
Surgeon  Stephenson,  suggested,  as  related 
in  Beath's  History,  "^'that  the  soldiers  so 
closely  allied  in  the  fellowship  of  suffering 
would,  when  mustered  out  of  the  service, 
naturally  desire  some  form  of  association 
that  would  preserve  the  friendship  and  the 
memories  of  their  common  trials  and  dan- 
gers.'" This  was  frequently  discussed,  and 
formed  a  subject  of  correspondence  between 
them  at  the  close  of  their  army  service. 
As  early   as    the   latter   part  of    1865    Dr. 


Stephenson  discussed  a  proposed  ritual  with 
various  j^ersons  in  Springfield,  and  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1866,  with  others,  obligated  some 
of  them  to  secrecy  in  order  to  secure  their 
cooperation.  In  March,  1866,  a  confer- 
ence was  held  at  Springfield  between  Dr. 
Stephenson,  Colonel  John  M.  Snyder,  Dr. 
James  Hamilton,  Major  Eobert  M.  Woods, 
Major  Eobert  Allen,  Chaplain  William  J. 
Eutledge,  Colonel  Martin  Flood,  Colonel 
Daniel  Grass,  Colonel  Edward  Prince,  Cap- 
tain John  S.  Phelps,  Captain  John  A. 
Lightfoot,  Captain  (since  Colonel)  B.  F. 
Smith,  Brevet  Major  A.  A.  North,  Captain 
Henry  E.  Howe,  and  Lieutenant  (since 
Colonel)  B.  F.  Hawkes,  "  which  finally 
resulted  in  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Eepub- 
lic,'' as  explained  in  the  history  of  the  or- 
ganization already  referred  to,  from  which 
many  of  these  data  have  been  obtained. 
Captain  Phelps  is  mentioned  as  having  been 
particularly  active  at  the  conference.  It 
was  he  who  subsequently  went  to  St.  Louis 
and  obtained  a  copy  of  the  ritual  of  the 
Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  League,  a  portion  of 
which  was  used  for  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Eepublic,  a  name,  by  the  way,  said  to  have 
been  suggested  by  '''The  Advance  Guard  of 
America,  or  the  Grand  Army  of  Progress,'* 
formed  in  Missouri  in  1865,  which,  like  the 
Soldiers'  and  Sailors'  League,  was  merely 
a  forerunner  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Eepublic,  and  was  ultimately  absorbed  by  it. 
Mary  H.  Stephenson,  daughter  of  Dr. 
B.  F.  Stephenson,  in  reply  to  an  in- 
quiry from  the  writer  of  this  sketch, 
wrote  from  Petersburg,  111.,  December 
24,  1894,  that  her  father  "  was  an  Odd 
Fellow  prior  to  the  founding  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Eepublic,"  which  she  "un- 
derstood was  the  only  secret'  society  ta 
which  he  belonged,  except  the  Grand  Army 
of  the  Eepublic."  While  the  founder  of  the 
Grand  Army  was,  as  stated,  a  member  of 
no  other  secret  society  except  the  Odd  Fel- 
lows, the  earlier  Grand  Army  ritual,  pro- 
duced by  the  joint  labors  and  suggestions 
of  more  than  a  dozen  gentlemen,  presents 


GRAND  ARMY   OF  THE  REPUBLIC 


367 


evidence  of  the  Masonic  affiliations  of  some 
of  them.  When  that  ritual  was  ready,  it  was 
taken  to  Decatur,  and,  at  the  suggestion  of 
Governor  Oglesby,  given  to  the  Decatur 
"Tribune"  to  publish  in  book  form  for 
the  use  of  tlie  Grand  Army,  after  the  pro- 
prietors and  compositors  of  the  paper  had 
been  obligated  to  secrecy.  In  this  way 
it  was  natural  that  the  first  post  was  or- 
ganized at  Decatur.  A  constitution  was 
adopted  early  in  May,  1866,  after  Post  2, 
at  Springfield,  had  been  organized.  The 
latter,  while  recorded  as  having  been  formed 
*'in  April,"  presents  no  formal  records 
until  July  10,  1866.  Dr.  Stephenson  gave 
up  almost  his  entire  time  to  the  newly 
organized  society,  often  sacrificing  profes- 
sional engagements  and  opportunities.  The 
preferment  of  another  for  the  highest 
honors  when  the  Dejiartment  of  Illinois 
was  organized  at  Springfield,  July  12,  1866, 
and  again  at  Indianapolis,  November  20, 
1866,  when  the  National  Encampment  was 
formed,  were  bitter  disappointments ;  but 
more  grievous  than  all  was  the  apparent 
extinction  of  the  Grand  Army,  a  year  or 
two  later,  in  his  own  and  neighboring 
States  while  still  enjoying  a  large  mem- 
bership further  East,  pointing  seemingly 
to  the  failure  of  efforts  of  himself  and 
friends.  Greatly  discouraged,  and  without 
financial  resources,  he  removed  with  his 
family  from  Springfield  to  his  old  home  in 
Petersburg.  He  died  at  Rock  Creek,  111., 
August  30,  1871,  where  he  was  buried. 
Eleven  years  later  his  remains  were  removed 
to  Petersburg  and  buried  in  Soldiers'  Plot 
at  Eose  Hill  Cemetery  with  Grand  Army 
services. 

The  work  of  organizing  new  posts  as 
at  first  conducted,  by  a  Department  staff, 
was  slow,  but  by  July  12,  1866,  the 
date  fixed  to  form  the  Department  of 
Illinois,  thirty-nine  posts  were  represented 
in  convention  at  Springfield.  Tho  first 
blow  to  Stephenson's  pride  came  in  the 
election  of  Major-General  John  M.  Palmer 
as    Department     Commander,    instead    of 


himself.  The  committee  decided  on 
Palmer,  the  popular  soldier,  as  calculated 
to  better  advance  the  interests  of  the  or- 
ganization, and  arranged  that  Ste])henson's 
intimate  friend,  Chaplain  RuLledge,  sliould 
second  Palmer's  nomination,  and  in  so  do- 
ing give  full  credit  to  Major  Stephenson 
as  the  ''organizer  of  the  Order."  The 
work  of  extending  the  Army  was  evidently 
rapid,  for  by  October,  1866,  Dejjartments 
had  been  formed  in  Illinois,  Wisconsin, 
Indiana,  Iowa,  and  Minnesota,  and  posts  in 
Ohio,  Missouri,  Kentucky,  Arkansas,  Dis- 
trict of  Columbia,  Massachusetts,  New 
York,  and  Pennsylvania.  At  the  Phila- 
delphia Encampment,  January  15,  1868, 
the  Union  League  of  America,  "a  secret 
political  association  "  (see  Ku  Klux  Klan), 
which  had  become  prominent  in  fighting 
"fire  with  fire  "in  its  antagonism  of  the 
Ku  Klux  Klan,  invited  a  conference  look- 
ing to  cooperation,  which  was  not  accepted. 
It  was  during  the  administration  of  Com- 
mander-in-Chief John  A.  Logan  that  Gen- 
eral Orders,  No.  11,  were  issued  from 
headquarters,  at  Washington,  D.C.,  May  5, 
1868,  for  the  first  time  designating  May 
30  as  Memorial  Day  for  the  purpose  of 
decorating  the  graves  of  comrades  who  died 
in  defence  of  their  country  during  the  late 
Rebellion.  In  them  was  expressed  thehoi)e 
that  the  observance  would  be  continued 
from  year  to  year,  "  while  a  survivor  of  the 
war  remains  to  honor  the  memory  of  his 
departed  Comrades."  Memorial  Day  is  now 
a  legal  holiday  in  thirty-five  States  and 
territories,  including  the  District  of  Co- 
lumbia. This  action  by  General  Logan  did 
much  to  cement  the  brotherhood  of  the 
Order  and  to  remove  prejudice  against  it. 
It  suffered  in  its  earlier  years  from  its 
])olitical  teiulencics. 

The  great  mass  of  the  soldier  vote  was 
Republican  in  1866,  but  there  were  many 
Democrats  among  them  and  a  considerable 
number  who  clianq)iont'd  the  cause  of  Presi- 
dent Johnson  against  his  party.  One  result 
was  the  efforts  of  politicians  to  catch  tiie 


368 


GRAND   ARMY   OF   THE    REPUBLIC 


soldier  vote.  President  Johnson  was  en- 
dorsed at  a  convention  of  Democratic  sol- 
diers held  at  Cleveland,  September  17, 
1866,  and  on  September  25,  a  week  later,  a 
soldiers*  and  sailors'  Eepublican  convention 
was  held  at  Pittsburg.  It  is  related  that 
the  Adjutant-General  of  the  Department  of 
Indiana  '^  was  exceedingly  active  during 
that  convention  in  interviewing  leading 
representatives  relative  to  the  Grand  Army 
of  the  Kepublic  and  in  urging  the  organi- 
zation of  Posts,  and  for  that  purpose  he 
*  obligated '  quite  a  number  from  the  East, 
instructed  them  in  the  '  work,^  and  gave 
them  copies  of  the  rules  and  ritual."  At 
this  convention  an  executive  committee  was 
appointed  to  act  with  representatives  from 
the  Grand  Army  of  the  Eepublic,  United 
States  Service  Club,  Maryland  Boys  in 
Blue,  Michigan  Boys  in  Blue,  and  the  Sol- 
diers' and  Sailors'  Union,  which  resul-ted  in  a 
national  organization  of  the  Boys  in  Blue 
for  the  presidential  campaign  of  1868,  the 
immediate  practical  value  of  which  was  to 
advance  the  political  interest  of  the  veteran 
as  opposed  to  that  of  the  civilian.  A  reason 
for  the  reference  to  this  phase  of  political 
life  of  thirty  years  ago  is  found  in  the  unex- 
l^ected  effects  of  the  formation  of  Boys  in 
Blue  clubs  on  the  fortunes  of  the  Grand 
Army.  There  had  been  no  ^^osts  of  the  lat- 
ter established  east  of  Ohio  prior  to  October, 
1866,  but  the  propagandism  developed,  at 
the  Pittsburg  convention,  the  fact  that 
Boys  in  Blue  clubs  were  made  up  of  men 
eligible  to  Join  the  Grand  Army,  and  the 
desirability  of  some  general  society  of  sol- 
diers and  sailors  naturally  resulted  in  Grand 
Army  posts  iDeing  formed,  ready  made,  as  it 
were,  from  clubs  of  Boys  in  Blue.  It  was 
only  natural,  then,  when  one  recalls  the 
troubled  state  of  politics  during  the  period 
of  attempted  reconstruction  at  the  South, 
that  the  public  should  fail  to  distinguish 
between  the  political  club  of  Boys  in  Blue 
and  Grand  Army  posts  made  up  of  and 
oflBcered  by  the  same  men,  for  which,  among 
other  reasons,  the  Grand  Army  was  identi- 


fied more  with  the  political  life  of  the  period 
than  it  deserved.  Distinctly  partisan  action 
by  some  posts  increased  the  i^ublic  distrust 
of  secret  society  political  methods,  and  many 
posts  died  or  gave  up  their  charters,  while 
in  some  localities  it  was  impossible  to  estab- 
lish new  ones.  During  that  period  the 
Grand  Army  suffered  in  numbers  and  pres- 
tige, few  appearing  to  recognize  the  cause 
of  the  trouble  in  the  exacting  and  unsettled 
political  conditions.  In  January,  1868,  the 
National  Encampment  declared  that  while 
it  was  the  purpose  of  the  Grand  Army  ''to 
secure  the  rights  of  these  defenders  of  their 
country  by  all  moral,  social,  and  political 
means  in  our  control,  .  .  .  yet  this  as- 
sociation does  not  design  to  make  nomi- 
nations for  office  or  to  use  its  influence  as  a 
secret  organization  for  partisan  purposes.  " 
The  following  was  added  to  the  rules  and 
regulations  in  1869:  ''No  officer  or  Com- 
rade of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic 
shall  in  any  manner  use  this  organization 
for  partisan  purposes,  and  no  discussion  of 
partisan  questions  shall  be  permitted  at  any 
of  its  meetings,  nor  shall  any  nominations 
for  political  office  be  made."  As  j^ointed 
out  by  Past  Commander-in-Chief  Robert 
B.  Beath,  the  Grand  Arm}^  under  the  influ- 
ence of  these  wise  regulations,  grew  in  num- 
bers and  in  public  esteem  until  it  ranks 
second  to  no  similar  society  in  its  influence 
for  public  good.  At  the  Cincinnati  National 
Encampment,  in  1869,  the  degreesof  Recruit, 
Soldier,  and  Veteran  were  proposed,  which 
provided  for  a  reorganization  of  the  Army. 
They  were  designed  to  draw  new  members 
and  hold  old  ones,  but  proved  so  unpopular 
that  after  two  years'  trial  they  were  abol- 
ished. Membership  decreased  from  240,000 
in  1869  to  less  than  25,000  in  1871,  though 
not  solely  because  of  the  innovation.  At  the 
National  Encampment  held  at  Washington, 
D.  C,  May,  1879,  the  membership  badge 
was  established  and  a  committee  was  named 
to  prepare  installation  and  burial  services. 
A  committee  was  also  appointed  to  consider 
the  advisability  of  an  auxiliary  organization 


MILITARY   AND   ANCESTRAL   ORDERS 


369 


of  the  wives  and  daughters  of  comrades  and 
the  widows  and  orphans  of  deceased  soldiers, 
Eadical  changes  in  the  ritual  went  into 
effect  in  1871,  which,  thougli  causing  tem- 
porary loss  in  membership,  placed  the  Army 
on  a  better  working  basis.  At  the  National 
Encampment  held  at  Dayton,  0.,  in  1880, 
committees  were  api)ointed  to  report  on  the 
auxiliary  organizations,  the  Women's  Na- 
tional Relief  Corps,  G.  A.  R.,  and  the  Sons 
of  Veterans.  These  societies  had  sprung 
up  without  action  ou  the  jiart  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Reimblic,  and  finally  became 
recognized  auxiliaries  of  wide  influence. 
More  extended  accounts  are  given  of  them 
under  the  proper  headings.  In  addition  to 
the  establishment  and  perpetuation  of  Me- 
morial Day  services,  the  Grand  Army  has 
actively  aided  the  War  Department  in  col- 
lecting data  calculated  to  be  of  use  to  the 
historian  of  the  future  in  writing  the  history 
of  the  War  of  the  Rebellion;  has  been  in- 
strumental in  securing  a  government  cen- 
sus of  soldiers  and  sailors;  in  maintaining 
veterans'  rights  both  in  and  out  of  Congress; 
in  erecting  lasting  monuments  to  members 
who  were  conspicuous  leaders  in  the  war  ; 
in  encouraging  the  construction  of  homes 
for  the  refuge  of  indigent  veterans  of  the 
Civil  War,  and  in  directing  attention  to 
alleged  inaccuracies  in  some  school  histories 
of  the  late  Rebellion.  Beginning  with  a 
few  veterans  in  18G6,  the  membership  of 
the  Grand  Army  ran  up  to  about  a  (juarter 
of  a  million  within  three  years,  but  declined 
to  less  than  25,000  by  1871,  during  the 
latter  portion  of  which  year  it  rose  to  30.- 
124.  The  next  seven  years  saw  a  struggle 
to  hold  members,  totals  ranging  from  '2S,- 
693  in  1872  down  to  20,809  in  1876,  and  up 
to  31,016  in  1878.  This  was  a  period  of 
extreme  depression  in  business,  following 
the  panic  of  1873,  and  the  Grand  Army 
membership  showed  some  of  the  effects  of 
it.  The  business  revival  in  1S79  brought 
an  increase  of  13,736  members,  and  from 
that  period  onward  the  growth  of  the  Order 
has  been  such  that  the  357,639  members  of 


1896,  although  cmly  1,631  more  than  were 
reported  in  1887,  nine  years  before,  consti- 
tute about  one-half  of  the  surviving  Union 
soldiers  and  sailors  of  the  War  of  the  Re- 
bellion. The  list  of  Commanders-in-Chief 
includes  B.  F.  Stephenson,  Illinois,  1866, 
provisional  ;  Stephen  A.  Hurlbut,  Illinois, 
18GG  ;  John  A.  Logan,  Illinois,  1868-1870; 
A.  E.  Burnside,  Rhode  Island,  1871-1872; 
Charles  Devens,  Jr.,  Massachusetts,  1873- 
1874;  John  F.  Hartranft,  1875-1876;  J.  C. 
Robinson,  New  York,  1877-1878;  William 
Earnshaw,  Ohio,  1879  ;  Louis  Wagner, 
Pennsylvania,  1880 ;  George  S.  Merrill, 
Massachusetts,  1881  ;  Paul  Van  Der  Voort, 
Nebraska,  1882  ;  Robert  B.  Beath,  Penn- 
sylvania, 1883;  John  S.  Kuntz,  Ohio,  1884; 
S.  S.  Burdette,  Washington,  1885  ;  Lucius 
Fairchild,  Wisconsin,  1886  ;  John  P.  Rea, 
Minnesota,  1887;  William  Warner,  Mis- 
souri, 1888  ;  Russell  A.  Alger,  Michigan, 
1889;  Wheelock  G.  Veazey,  Vermont,  1890; 
John  Palmer,  New  York,  1891;  A.  G.  Wies- 
sert,  Wisconsin,  1892  ;  John  G.  B.  Adams, 
Massachusetts,  1893  ;  Thomas  G.  Lawler, 
Illinois,  1894  ;  Ivan  N.  Walker,  Indiana, 
1895 ;  Thaddeus  S.  Clarkson,  Nebraska, 
1896 ;    John    P.   S.    Gobin,    Pennsylvania, 

1897,  and  James  A.  Sexton,  Illinois,  1898. 
The  total  sum  disbursed  by  the  Grand 
Army  for  the  relief  of  members,  their 
widows  and  orphans,  within  thirty  years, 
is  estimated  to  be  in  excess  of  §4,000,000. 

Ladies'  Aid  Society. — See  Sons  of  Vet- 
erans, United  States  of  America. 

Ladies*  Auxiliary,  U.  V.  L. — See  Union 
Veterans'  Legion. 

Loyal  Ladies'  League. — See  Ladies  of 
tlie  CI.  A.  R.,  to  which  title  it  was  changed 
in  1886;  also  Women's  Relief  Corps. 

Military  and  Ancestral  Orders. — The 
number  and  variety  of  so-called  orders  in 
the  United  States  is  suflicicnt  to  confuse  the 
ordinary  onlooker.  The  word,  as  commonly 
used,  refers  to  the  almost  innumerable  secret, 
charitable,  and  beneficiary  assessment  soci- 
eties, many  of  which  have  titles  beginning 
'•Order  of,"     "Independent   Order  of," 


370 


MILITARY  AND   ANCESTRAL   ORDERS 


''Ancient  Order  of,"  or  ''United  Order  of." 
There  are  other  secret  society  orders,  notably 
those  incorporated  in  or  appendant  to  the 
Masonic  Fraternity,  such  as  the  Order  of  the 
'i'eniple.  Order  of  Malta.  Order  of  the  Red 
Cross,  and  the  like,  reference  to  which  as 
orders,  by  others  than  members,  is  infre- 
quently heard.  In  fact,  the  enormous  total 
membership  of  the  various  assessment  bene- 
ficiary "orders"'  has  brought  them,  their 
purposes,  and  names  so  frequently  into  the 
conversation  of  the  general  public  that  the 
classification,  colloquially,  as  "  orders,"  has 
invested  the  word  with  a  new  meaning. 
There  are  also  several  mystical  non-bene- 
ficiary orders  other  than  those  groujjed 
with  Freemasonry  and  military  orders,  pat- 
terned after  European  models,  in  Avhich,  in 
some  instances,  membership)  is  inherited  by 
descendants  of  original  holders.  Finally, 
there  are  American  hereditary  ancestral 
orders  founded  on  the  services  of  ancestors 
of  members  to  the  American  colonies,  or  to 
the  United  States  in  securing  their  inde- 
pendence. Some  of  the  military  orders  are 
secret  societies,  but  this  is  not  true  of  the 
ancestral  orders.  The  patriotic  orders  form 
an  entirely  distinct  group,  and  are  referred  to 
ixnder  that  title.  Every  war  through  which 
the  country  has  passed  has  left  one  or  more 
military  orders  as  a  legacy.  All  except  a 
few  of  those  commemorating  the  Civil  War 
are  non-secret,  suggested  in  part  by  the  So- 
ciety of  the  Cincinnati,  which  was  founded 
May  10,  1783,  at  Temple  Hill,  near  New 
Windsor,  New  York,  at  the  last  cantonment 
of  the  American  Army,  five  years  prior  to 
the  adoption  of  the  Constitution  of  the 
United  States,  by  officers  of  the  Eevolution- 
ary  Army.     Its  records  state : 

To  perpetuate  as  well  the  remembrance  of  this 
great  event  as  the  mutual  friendships  which  have 
been  formed  under  tlie  pressure  of  common  dan- 
gers, and  in  numerous  instances  cemented  by  the 
blood  of  the  parties,  the  officers  of  the  American 
army  do  hereby,  in  the  most  solemn  manner,  asso- 
ciate, constitute  and  combine  themselves  into  one 
Society  of  Friends,  to  endure  while  they  shall  en- 
dure,  or  any  of  their  oldest    male   posterity  who 


may  be  judged  worthy  of  becoming  its  supporters 
and  members. 

The  first  meeting  was  j^resided  over  by 
Baron  Steuben  at  his  headquarters  at  Fish- 
kill-on-the-Hudson.  General  Washington 
was  its  first  president,  and  Major-General 
Knox,  secretary.  Alexander  Hamilton  suc- 
ceeded Washington  as  president,  at  which 
time  the  membership  included  represen- 
tatives from  the  thirteen  original  States. 
There  are  to-day  eleven  State  organizations 
of  the  society,  those  of  New  Hampshire 
and  Georgia  not  being  separately  repre- 
sented. Membership  is  limited  to  the  eldest 
male  posterity  of  the  original  members,  and 
in  case  of  the  extinction  of  the  direct  line 
to  the  next  in  order  of  descent,  if  found 
worthy.  In  some  State  societies  descend- 
ants in  the  female  line  are  admissible  when 
the  male  line  is  extinct.  It  is  worth  noting 
that  the  city  of  Cincinnati  received  its  name 
from  prominent  members  of  tlie  Society  of 
the  Cincinnati,  who  were  respectively  gov- 
ernor and  secretary  of  the  Northwestern  ter- 
ritory. Members  of  this  society,  in  whose 
veins  runs  the  blood  of  officers  who  took 
part  in  the  struggle  for  the  independence 
of  the  colonies,  meet  annually  to  revive  the 
memories  and  the  glories  of  the  War  of  the 
Revolution. 

In  its  earlier  years  the  society  was  strongly 
antagonized  on  account  of  its  j)lan  of  he- 
reditary membership,  and,  as  believed,  its 
exclusive  and  aristocratic  tendencies.  Prom- 
inent among  counter  demonstrations  were 
those  by  the  Sons  of  St.  Tamina,  or  Tam- 
many, from  which  the  Columbian  Order  or 
Tammany  Society  of  New  York  city  took  its 
origin.  This  feeling  of  opposition  has  long 
since  passed  away,  and  the  Society  of  the 
Cincinnati  remains  the  animating  spirit 
and  original  inspiration  of  many  other  mili- 
tary orders  which  perpetuate  the  memories, 
sacrifices,  and  associations  of  American 
wars. 

For  military  orders  commemorating  the 
War  of  the  Rebellion,  modelled  on  the  lines 
of  secret  societies,  see  the  Grand  Army  of 


MILITARY   AND   ANCESTRAL   ORDERS 


371 


the  Republic,  "Women's  Relief  Corps,  Ladies 
of  the  G.  A.  R.,  Military  Order  of  the 
Loyal  Legion,  Union  Veterans'  Legion, 
Sons  of  Veterans,  United  Confederate  Vet- 
erans, and  others. 

The  Military  Order  of  the  Foreign  Wars 
of  the  United  States,  instituted  in  1894, 
seeks  to  perpetuate  the  names  of  commis- 
sioned officers  in  either  branch  of  the  ser- 
vice in  the  War  of  the  Revolution,  war 
with  Tripoli,  War  of  1812,  and  war  with 
Mexico,  Members,  known  as  Companions, 
are  in  two  classes,  Veteran  and  Hereditary. 
Eligibility  to  Companionship  is  much  the 
same  as  that  in  the  Military  Order  of  the 
Loyal  Legion. 

The  Aztec  Club  of  1847  was  founded  at 
the  City  of  Mexico,  by  United  States  offi- 
cers, to  cherish  the  memories  and  traditions 
of  the  Mexican  War  and  of  the  officers 
taking  part  in  it.  Each  member  nominates, 
as  his  successor,  his  son  or  a  blood  relative, 
who  on  the  death  of  the  former  succeeds 
to  full  membership. 

Membership  in  the  General  Society  of 
the  War  of  1812  is  confined  to  veterans  of 
that  war,  lineal  descendants  of  the  same, 
or,  if  none,  to  one  collateral  representative, 
if  deemed  worthy. 

Membership  in  the  Naval  Order  of  the 
United  States  is  confined  to  officers  and 
descendants  of  officers  who  served  in  the 
navy  and  marine  corps  in  any  war  or  in 
any  battle  in  which  tlie  United  States  naval 
forces  have  participated. 

The  increase  in  the  number  of  Ameri- 
can ancestral  orders  in  the  United  States, 
almost  exclusively  within  a  decade,  has 
been  largely  stimulated  by  the  prominence 
achieved  by  the  original  military  orders. 
Many  of  the  former  are  chiefly  noteworthy 
for  the  interest  they  stimulate  in  the  gene- 
alogy of  American  families,  their  biographi- 
cal researches  and  records,  for  the  collec- 
tion of  data  which  have  escaped  the  histo- 
rian and  student  of  Americana,  for  mark- 
ing with  tablets  or  monuments  the  sites  of 
events  of  national  and  historic  interest,  and 


for  the  distinction  conferred  upon  and  so- 
cial opportunities  offered  members.  The 
characteristics  of  some  of  them  are  refen-ed 
to  below. 

Membership  in  the  Sons  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, New  York  city,  1875,  is  confined  to 
men  who  descended  from  an  official,  civil 
or  military  (army  or  navy),  in  any  of  the 
thirteen  original  colonies  or  States,  or  of 
National  Government,  who  assisted  between 
April  19,  1775,  and  April  19,  178:3,  in 
securing  American  independence. 

Eligibility  to  the  Sons  of  the  American 
Revolution,  New  York  city,  1889,  is  the 
same  as  that  to  the  Sons  of  the  Revolution, 
and  the  outlook  is  that  these  societies  will 
become  one  organization. 

Members  of  the  Order  of  Founders  and 
Patriots,  1607-57,  are  lineal  descendants 
(men  only)  from  either  parent  who  settled 
in  any  of  the  eight  original  colonies  between 
May  13,  1607,  and  May  13,  1657,  whose 
"intermediate  ancestors''  sided  with  the 
colonies  during  the  War  of  the  Revolution. 

Li  the  Order  of  Washington,  eligibility 
to  membership  is  nominally  confined  to  de- 
scendants of  those  who  held  ''some  official 
jiosition,"  civil  or  military  (army  and  navy), 
between  1750  and  1776. 

Daughters  of  the  Revolution  are  lineal  de- 
scendants of  any  officers^  soldiers,  or  sailors 
in  service  under  the  colonies  or  original 
States  or  the  Continental  Congress;  of 
signers  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence, 
members  of  the  Continental  Congress,  or  of 
any  State  or  Colonial  Congress  actually 
assisting  in  establishing  American  indepen- 
dence. 

Membership  in  the  Daughters  of  the 
American  Revolution  is  restricted  to  accept- 
able women  descendants  from  those  wlio 
rendered  material  aid  to  the  cause  of  Ameri- 
can independence. 

The  National  Society  of  Colonial  Dames 
of  America  is  composed  of  women  descend- 
ants of  worthy  ancestors  who  came  to 
America  prior  to  1750,  who,  or  their  de- 
scendants,   shall   have  rendered  service  in 


372 


MILITARY   ORDER   OF   THE    LOYAL   LEGION   OF   THE    UNITED   STATES 


founding  a  commonwealth  or  institution 
which  survived,  or  who  shall  have  held  an 
important  colonial  office,  or  by  distinguished 
services  shall  have  aided  in  founding  the 
United  States. 

AFembers  of  the  Society  of  Colouial  Dames 
of  America  are  women  descendants  of  an- 
cestors who  shall  have  come  to  America 
prior  to  1776  and  shall  have  been  of  effi- 
cient service  in  the  colonial  governments  or 
have  contributed  to  the  establishment  of  the 
independence  of  the  colonies. 

Members  of  the  Society  of  Colonial  Wars 
are  descended  in  either  the  male  or  female 
line  from  ancestors  who  served  as  military 
or  naval  officers  or  in  civil  capacities  in  the 
American  colonies  during  wars  against  sav- 
ages or  foreign  powers. 

Colonial  Order  of  the  Acorn  is  conferred 
only  on  male  descendants  of  those  who  re- 
sided in  the  American  colonies  prior  to  1776. 

Eligibility  to  membership  in  the  Daugh- 
ters of  the  Cincinnati  is  confined  to  descent 
from  a  member  of  the  Society  of  the  Cin- 
cinnati, or  from  an  officer  in  the  Revolution- 
ary army  or  navy  who  died  in  the  service, 
and  whose  offspring  were  eligible  to  mem- 
bership in  the  Society  of  the  Cincinnati. 
The  Daughters  of  the  Cincinnati  assumed 
the  name  without  the  approval  of  the  Soci- 
ety of  the  Cincinnati,  and  is  not  recognized 
by  the  latter. 

United  States  Daughters  are  descended 
from  ancestors  who  in  any  way  aided  the 
American  cause,  either  in  the  War  of  the 
Revolution  or  the  War  of  1812. 

Descendants  of  the  Pilgrims  who  landed 
at  Plymouth  Rock,  December,  1620,  have 
organized  the  Society  of  Mayflower  De- 
scendants. 

The  Aryan  Order  of  St.  George  of  the 
Holy  Roman  Empire  in  the  Colonies  of 
America  was  instituted  1892,  and  is  con- 
ferred upon  acceptable  men  and  women  of 
illustrious  family,  colonial  or  noble,  "of 
the  Aryan  race,"  and  may  be  inherited  by 
their  children.  It  compiles  and  preserves 
genealogical  and  biographical  records,  seeks 


"  to  promote  social  virtues,"  and  "  to  repro- 
bate fashionable  vices  and  follies." 

Military  Order  of  the  Loyal  Legion 
of  the  United  States. — Founded  at  Phila- 
delphia, April  15,  1865,  the  day  following 
the  death  of  Abraham  Lincoln,  by  Lieuten- 
ant-Colonel S.  B.  W.  Mitchell,  Captain 
P.  D.  Keyser,  and  Lieutenant-Colonel 
T.  El  wood  Zell,  at  a  meeting  to  arrange 
for  the  funeral  of  the  President.  There 
had  been  a  movement  among  officers  of  the 
Union  Army  looking  to  the  organization  of 
the  Military  Order  of  the  Loyal  Legion, 
which  the  shock  caused  by  the  assassination 
of  the  President  brought  to  a  head.  The 
revelation  of  a  plot  to  murder  the  Cabinet, 
and  rumors  of  a  conspiracy  with  which  offi- 
cers as  well  as  members  of  the  rank  and  file 
of  the  Union  Army  were  identified,  were 
well  calculated  to  try  the  souls  of  loyal  men. 
It  was  at  such  a  time  that  the  Military  Order 
of  the  Loyal  Legion  was  born,  when  shock 
and  grief  at  the  death  of  the  President  gave 
place  temporarily  to  the  supreme  efEort  of 
strong  and  loyal  men  to  maintain  and  pro- 
tect the  federal  government.  The  organi- 
zation is  designed  to  cherish  the  memories 
and  associations  of  the  Civil  War;  strengthen 
the  ties  of  fraternal  fellowship  between  com- 
panions-in-arms;  advance  the  interests  of 
soldiers  and  sailors  of  the  United  States, 
"  especially  those  associated  as  companions 
of  the  Order;  "  relieve  the  necessities  of 
their  widows  and  children;  foster  the  culti- 
vation of  military  and  naval  science;  "en- 
force unqualified  allegiance  to  the  general 
government;  protect  the  rights  and  liberties 
of  American  citizenship,  and  maintain  Na- 
tional honor,  union,  and  independence." 
It  is  composed  of  Companions  of  three 
classes:  First,  commissioned  officers  of  the 
Army  and  Navy  of  the  War  of  the  Rebel- 
lion and  the  eldest  lineal  male  descendants 
of  Original  Companions  of  the  First  Class, 
according  to  the  rules  of  primogeniture; 
second,  eldest  sons  of  living  Original  Com- 
panions of  the  First  Class  who  shall  have 
attained  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  and 


MILITARY   ORDER   OF  THE   LOYAL   LEGION   OF   THE   UNITED   STATES 


373 


who,  upon  the  deaths  of  their  fathers,  bIuiII 
become  Companions  of  the  First  Class;  and, 
third,  gentlemen  who  in  civil  life  were  dis- 
tinguished for  loyalty  to  the  government, 
and  active  in  maintaining  the  supremacy  of 
the  same,  but  the  number  of  Companions 
in  this  class  shall  not  exceed  the  ratio  of 
one  to  thirty-three  of  those  in  the  First 
Class.  Xo  additions  have  been  made  to 
this  class  since  April  15,  1890,  and,  as  none 
are  likely  to  be,  it  jiromises  to  become  ex- 
tinct, and  membershiiT  in  the  Order  to  con- 
sist exclusively  of  officers  who  served  in  the 
Union  Army  and  Navy  in  the  War  of  the 
Rebellion  and  their  eldest  male  successors. 
The  Society  of  the  Cincinnati,  founded 
by  Washington,  Knox,  Steuben,  and  other 
officers  of  the  American  Army  in  the  Revo- 
lutionary War,  May  13,  1783,  at  Steuben's 
headquarters  on  the  Hudson,  membership 
in  which  descends  by  inheritance  from  father 
to  son  according  to  the  laws  of  primogeni- 
ture, was  manifestly  the  pattern  after  which 
the  ^Military  Order  of  the  Loyal  Legion  of 
the  United  States  was  modelled.  Together 
they  are,  necessarily  and  for  obvious  reasons, 
the  most  conservative  and  rigid  in  questions 
involving  membership  among  American  pa- 
triotic and  military  orders.  There  are 
nearly  10,000  members  of  the  Loyal  Legion, 
91  per  cent,  of  them  being  Comi)anions  of 
the  First  Class,  about  8  per  cent,  in  the 
Second,  and  less  than  1  per  cent,  in  the 
Third  Class.  The  Order  has  never  2)er- 
mitted  its  name  to  be  linked  with  pension 
or  other  Congressional  appropriations.  Its 
fundamental  principles  are  ''a  firm  belief 
and  trust  in  Almighty  God,  extolling  Ilim 
under  whose  beneficent  guidance  the  sover- 
eignty and  integrity  of  the  Union  have  been 
maintained,  the  honor  of  the  flag  vindi- 
cated, and  the  blessings  of  civil  liberty 
secured,  established,  and  enlarged,"  and 
"True  allegiance  to  the  United  States  of 
America,  based  upon  paramount  respect  for 
and  fidelity  to  the  National  Constitution 
and  Laws,  manifested  by  discountenancing 
whatever  mav  tend  to  Aveaken  lovaltv.  incite 


insurrection,  treason,  or  rebellion,  or  impair 
in  any  manner  the  efficiency  and  perma- 
nency of  our  free  institutions."  The  in- 
signia of  the  Order  consists  of  a  blue  Mal- 
tese cross  of  eight  points,  cantoned  with 
gold  rays  to  form  a  star,  charged  with  a 
smaller  white  cross,  displaying  at  the  centre 
a  national  eagle  in  gold,  and  the  motto, 
"  Lex  Regit  Arma  Tuentur."  On  the  re- 
verse, at  the  centre,  are  a  i)air  of  crossed 
swords,  a  fasces  ensigned  with  the  Phrygian 
cap,  thirteen  stars,  and  a  wreath  of  laurel, 
and  the  legend,  M.  0.  Loyal  Legion,  U.  S. 
— MDCCCLXV.  There  are  twenty  State 
Commanderies,  the  parent  Commandery  at 
Philadelphia  having  been  instituted  April 
15,  1805;  and  the  youngest,  that  of  Ver- 
mont, at  Burlington,  October  14,  1891. 
The  Commandery  of  the  State  of  Xew  York 
was  instituted  at  New  York  city,  January 
17,  18GG,  and  that  of  Maine  at  Portland,  on 
April  25,  18(!G;  that  of  Massachusetts  at 
Boston,  March  4,  l.SGS;  California  at  San 
Francisco,  April  12,  1871;  Wisconsin  at 
Milwaukee,  May  15,  1874;  Illinois  at  Chi- 
cago, May  8,  1879;  District  of  Columbia 
at  Washington,  February  1,  1882;  Ohio  at 
Cincinnati,  May  3,  1882;  Michigan  at  De- 
troit, February  4,  1885;  Minnesota  at  St. 
Paul,  May  G,  1885;  Oregon  at  Portland, 
^lay  G,  1885;  Missouri  at  St.  Louis,  Octo- 
ber 21,  1885;  Nebraska  at  Omaha,  October 
21,  1885,  on  which  date,  also,  was  insti- 
tuted the  Commandery-in-chief,  with  head- 
(juartersat  Philailel})hia;  Kansas  at  Leaven- 
worth, April  22,  188G;  Iowa  at  Des  ^Moines, 
October  20,  18SG;  Colorado  at  Denver,  June 
1,  1887;  Indiana  at  Indianapolis,  October 
17,  1888,  aTid  the  State  of  Washington  at 
Tacoma,  January  14,  1891.  TheComnnind- 
ery-in-chief  meets  once  a  year,  and  once  in 
four  years  a  congress  is  held,  com})osed  of 
the  Commander-in-chief,  the  Recorder-in- 
chief,  and  three  representatives  from  each 
State  Commandery.  The  following  is  a  list 
of  tlie  Commanders-in-chief  during  the  past 
thirty-two  years:  Major-General  George 
Cadwalader,   Major-General  Winfield  Scott 


374 


NATIONAL   ORDER,   LADIES   OF   THE   G.  A.  R. 


Hancock,  General  Philip  H.  Sheridan,  Ma- 
jor-Geueral  Rutherford  B.  Hayes,  Briga- 
dier-General Lucius  Fairchild,  Major-Geu- 
eral  John  Gibbon,  and  Eear  Admiral  Ban- 
croft Gherardi.  The  Loyal  Legion  is  stated 
by  Eecorder-in-chief  Lieu  tenant- Colonel 
John  P.  Nicholson,  in  a  letter  to  the  writer, 
to  ''antedate  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Ee- 
jjublic  by  more  than  a  year,"  as  shown  by 
the  fact  that  "  a  portion  of  the  constitution  " 
(of  the  G.  A.  E.)  and  also  the  preamble  to 
the  constitution  were  taken  from  the  first 
constitution  of  the  Loyal  Legion,  published 
in  September,  1865. 

National  Oi"der,  Ladies  of  the  G.  A.  R. 
— Organized  as  the  Loyal  Ladies'  League, 
auxiliary  to  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Eepub- 
lic.  Department  of  New  Jersey,  December 
15,  1881,  from  various  Grand  Army  of  the 
Eepublic  aid  societies  which  sent  delegates 
to  Trenton  to  form  a  State  organization  in 
response  to  a  request  from  the  Commander 
of  the  Department  of  New  Jersey.  The 
first  president  was  Mrs.  Carrie  M.  Burge 
of  Vineland.  A  distinctive  badge,  rules, 
etc.,  were  adopted  at  the  Trenton  Conven- 
tion, in  which  eight  subordinate  leagues 
were  represented.  Only  mothers,  wives, 
sisters,  and  daughters  of  honorably  dis- 
charged Union  veterans  of  the  War  of  the 
Eebellion  were  eligible  to  membership,  and 
its  objects  were  to  encourage  loyalty,  "  love 
for  each  other,"  and  "the  precepts  of  true 
fraternity;"  "to  perpetuate  and  keep  for- 
ever sacred  Memorial  Day ; ' '  to  assist  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Eepublic  in  its  work, 
and  to  relieve  members  and  other  soldiers 
and  sailors  in  sickness  and  distress.  In 
1883,  after  the  League  had  spread  into 
Pennsylvania,  the  meeting  of  women's  aux- 
iliary societies  was  held  at  Denver  to  unite 
them  all  if  possible  in  one  body.  (See 
Women's  Eelief  Corps.)  As  the  New  Jer- 
sey delegates,  Mrs.  S.  D.  Hugg  and  Mrs. 
Laura  McNeir,  declined  to  agree  to  ^he  plan 
to  make  all  loyal  women  eligible  to  member- 
ship and  insisted  on  confining  membership 
to  women  relatives  of  veterans,  the  Women's 


Eelief  Corps,  auxiliary  to  the  G.  A.  E.,  was 
founded  without  New  Jersey,  and.  the  action 
of  its  own  delegates  was  endorsed  by  the  New 
Jersey  Loyal  Ladies'  League.  Three  years 
later  the  League  had  branches  in  Kansas, 
California,  Ohio,  Delaware,  and  W^est  Vir- 
ginia, in  addition  to  those  in  New  Jersey 
and  Pennsylvania,  representatives  from 
which  met  in  convention  at  Chicago,  No- 
vember 18,  1886,  where  the  Loyal  Ladies' 
League  united  with  a  local  Grand  Army 
aid  society  known  as  the  Ladies  of  the 
G.  A.  E.  under  the  title  National  Order, 
Ladies  of  the  G.  A.  E.,  with  Mrs.  Laura 
McNeir,  of  Camden,  N.  J.,  as  National 
President.  The  total  membershii^  in  eiglit 
States,  when  last  reported,  was  about  3,000. 
The  badge  of  the  Order  resembles  that  of 
the  Grand  Army  itself,  except  that  the  name, 
Ladies  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Eepublic 
— 1886,  encircles  the  design  in  the  centre 
of  the  five-joointed  star. 

Soldiers  and  Sailors'  League. — A 
secret  organization  of  soldiers  and  sailors 
of  the  War  of  the  Eebellion,  with  head- 
quarters at  St.  Louis,  which  was  a  fore- 
runner of  and  ultimately  was  absorbed  by 
the  Grand  Army  of  the  Eej)ublic.  (See 
the  latter.) 

Sons  of  Veterans,  U.  S.  A. — Organized 
by  Major  A.  P.  Davis,  at  Pittsburg,  Pa., 
under  this  title,  from  existing  Cadet  Corps 
attached  to  posts  of  the  Grand  Army  of 
the  Eepublic.  The  earliest  similar  Corps 
organized  was  by  a  committee  appointed 
by  Anna  M.  Eoss  Post,  No.  94,  G.  A.  E., 
Philadelphia,  August  27,  1878,  which  on 
September  29  called  itself  Camp  No.  1  of 
Philadelphia,  Order  of  Sons  of  Veterans. 
Other  Grand  Army  posts  in  Philadelphia 
and  elsewhere  throughout  Pennsylvania 
organized  Cadet  Corps,  and  in  July,  1880, 
as  related  by  Beath  in  his  historical  sketch 
of  the  society,  a  division  or  State  organ- 
ization was  com])leted  with  Conrad  Linder 
as  Colonel.  The  latter  was  succeeded  by 
James  H.  Classen,  and  by  1881  the  or- 
der, as  it  was  called,  had  spread  to  New 


UNION   VETERANS'   LEGION 


375 


Jersey,  Delaware,  and  New  York.  In  the  lat- 
ter year  a  national  organization  was  effected 
with  Alfred  Cope  as  Commander.  In  1883 
thirty-three  Camps  of  the  Pennsylvania 
division  withdrew  and  joined  the  Sons  of 
Veterans,  United  States  of  America,  first 
referred  to,  organized  by  Major  Davis. 
This  left  only  three  Camps  of  the  older 
Order  of  Sons  of  Veterans,  which  in  1886 
united  with  the  Sons  of  Veterans,  United 
States  of  America.  In  1888  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Eepublic  in  National  Encamp- 
ment at  Columbus,  0.,  formally  endorsed 
the  objects  and  purposes  of  the  Sons  of  Vet- 
erans, United  States  of  America,  and  offi- 
cially recognized  it  and  recommended  the 
institution  of  camps  of  the  same.  The  Or- 
der is  essentially  military  in  character  and 
ceremonial  work.  Section  1  of  its  consti- 
tution says: 

All  male  descendants,  not  less  than  eighteen 
years  of  age,  of  deceased  or  honorably  discharged 
soldiers,  sailors,  or  marines  who  served  in  the 
Union  Army  or  Navy  during  the  Civil  War  of 
1861-65,  shall  be  eligible  to  membership,  provided 
that  no  person  shall  be  eligible  who  has  ever  been 
convicted  of  any  infamous  crime,  or  who  has,  or 
whose  father  has  ever  borne  arms  against  the  Gov- 
ernment of  the  United  States  of  America. 

The  objects  of  Sons  of  Veterans  in  thus 
banding  themselves  together  are  : 

1.  To  keep  green  the  memories  of  our  fathers, 
and  their  sacrifices  for  tlie  maintenance  of  the 
Union  ;  2.  to  aid  the  members  of  the  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic  and  all  honorably  discharged  Union 
soldiers,  sailors,  and  marines  in  the  caring  for 
their  helpless  and  disabled  veterans  ;  to  extend  aid 
and  protection  to  their  widows  and  orphans  ;  to 
perpetuate  the  memory  and  history  of  their  heroic 
dead,  and  the  proper  observance  of  Memorial  Day 
and  Union  Defenders'  Day  ;  3.  to  aid  and  assist 
worthy  and  needy  members  of  our  Order,  and,  4. 
to  inculcate  patriotism  and  love  of  country,  not 
only  among  our  membership,  but  among  all  the 
people  of  our  land,  and  to  spread  and  sustain  the 
doctrine  of  equal  rights,  universal  liberty,  and 
justice  to  all. 

The  Order  of  the  Sons  of  Veterans, 
United  States  of  America,  is  clearly  of 
Grand  Army  and  Masonic  origin.  Its 
growth    since   being    formally    recognized 


by  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic 
has  been  rapid,  extending  to  nearly  every 
State  in  the  Union.  Its  membership 
is  about  100,000.  The  Ladies'  Aid  So- 
ciety auxiliary  to  tiie  Sons  of  Veterans 
numbers  a  few  thousand  members  and 
seeks  to  i)erform  a  service  similar  to  that 
rendered  the  Grand  Army  by  the  Women's 
Relief  Corps  and  the  Ladies  of  the  G.  A.  R. 
The  Sons  of  Veterans  indulge  in  tiie  luxury 
of  a  supplementary  order,  or  degree,  known 
to  tlie  i)rofane  as  the  A.  0.  G.  None  but 
Veterans  and  Sons  of  Veterans  are  eligible 
to  unite  with  conclaves  of  the  Ancient 
Order  of  Gophers.  "When  these  conclaves 
are  in  session,  it  is  inferred  that  something 
of  a  recreative  nature  is  indulged  in,  so  far 
as  some  of  those  present  are  concerned. 

Union  Veterans*  Legrion. — Organized 
at  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  March,  18.S4,  by  A.  B. 
Ho}^  David  Lowry,  Samuel  Harper,  N.  W. 
Tyson,  and  A.  L.  Pearson,  among  whom  Mr. 
Harper  was  a  Freemason  and  the  rest  were 
members  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Repub- 
lic. It  has  about  150  encampments,  as  its 
subordinate  bodies  are  called,  in  the  prin- 
cipal States,  from  which  Federal  troops  were 
drawn  during  the  Rebellion.  Only  surviv- 
ing Union  officers,  soldiers,  sailors,  aiul 
marines  of  the  Civil  "War  may  become  mem- 
bers, those  who  volunteered  prior  to  July 
1,  18G3,  for  a  term  of  three  years  and  were 
honorably  discharged  for  any  cause  after  a 
service  of  at  least  two  continuous  years,  or 
were  at  any  time  discharged  by  reason  of 
wounds  received  in  line  of  duty;  also,  those 
who  volunteered  for  a  term  of  two  years 
prior  to  July  22,  1861,  and  served  their  full 
term  of  enlistment,  unless  discharged  for 
wounds  received  in  line  of  duty;  but  no 
drafted  person  or  substitute,  nor  any  one 
who  has  at  any  time  borne  arms  against  the 
United  States,  is  eligible.  These  conditions 
of  eligibility  differ  radically  from  those  in 
the  Grand  Army  of  tlie  Republic,  whicli 
any  honorably  discharged  ex-soldier  or  sailor 
of  the  Civil  War  may  join,  if  elected, 
whether  he  ever  participated  in  a  battle  or 


376 


UNITED   CONFEDERATE   VETERANS 


not,,  whether  going  as  a  substitute  or  not, 
and  irrespective  of  term  of  service.  They 
also  differ  from  tlie  requisites  for  admission 
to  the  First  Class  in  the  Loyal  Legion, 
which  ex-officers  of  the  Union  Army  and 
Navy  in  the  late  war  may  join  irrespective 
of  length  of  term  of  actual  service.  Loyalty 
to  the  United  States  Government ;  the 
moral,  social,  and  intellectual  improvement 
of  members;  their  relief  and  that  of  their 
widows  and  orphans;  the  preservation  of 
"  fraternity,  charity,  and  patriotism,"  and, 
"all  other  things  being  equal,"  the  prefer- 
ence of  members  in  business  are  among  the 
objects  of  the  Legion.  Its  ''work"  differs 
frotvi  that  of  other  military  orders,  but,  like 
them,  preserves  a  strictly  military  muster- 
iug-in  service,  or  initiatory  ceremony.  The 
organization  is  non-partisan  in  character, 
and  partisan  questions  are  not  discussed 
at  meetings.  Its  "recruiting  ground"  is 
the  Grand  Army  of  the  Eepublic  and  the 
Military  Order  of  the  Loyal  Legion.  The 
total  membership  in  1896  w%as  20,000.  The 
Ladies'  Auxiliary  of  the  Union  Veterans' 
Legion,  organized  to  perform  a  similar  ser- 
vice to  that  rendered  the  Grand  Army  of 
the  Eepublic  by  the  Women's  Relief  Corps, 
and  by  the  Ladies  of  the  G.  A.  R.,  numbers 
about  2,500  members.  The  badge  of  tlie 
Legion  is  a  shield  containing  a  monogram 
formed  of  the  letters  U.  V.  L. ;  the  words, 
"  Three  years  we  have  served,"  and  tlie 
dates  1861  and  1865. 

United  Coufederate  Veterans. — A 
federation  of  ex-Confederate  soldiers,  first 
suggested  and  advocated  by  Captain  J.  F. 
Shipp,  C.  S.  A.,  at  a  banquet  on  the  an- 
niversary of  Stonewall  Jackson's  birthday, 
January  21,  1889,  by  the  Louisiana  Division 
of  the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia.  At 
that  time  there  were  four  organizations 
of  ex-Confederate  soldiers  in  New  Orleans, 
the  Army  of  Northern  Virginia,  Louisiana 
Division  ;  Army  of  Tennessee,  Louisiana 
Division  ;  Washington  Light  Artillery 
Association,  and  the  Confederate  Cavalry 
Association,  all  but  the  latter  being  local 


organizations.  The  members  maintained 
cemeteries  and  provided  for  widows  and 
orphans  of  fallen  comrades.  The  Confed- 
erate Cavalry  Association  had  been  formed 
at  a  meeting  at  New  Orleans  called  by 
General  W.  H.  Jackson,  C.  S.  A.,  who  was 
its  first  and  only  Commander,  and  was 
still  officiating  when  the  Association  was 
merged  into  the  United  Confederate  Vet- 
erans. It  was  about  the  time  that  the 
Army  of  the  Cumberland  was  advocating 
the  purchase  of  the  Chickamauga  battle- 
field for  a  national  jjark.  The  Confederates 
unorganized  were  not  able  to  be  of  assist- 
ance, "though  the  park  was  desired  by 
both  Confederates  and  Federals  to  perpetu- 
ate the  valor  of  both  upon  the  bloody  field." 
The  United  Confederate  Veterans'  Associa- 
tion was  organized  at  New  Orleans,  June 
10,  1889,  about  fifty  camps  and  associations 
of  ex-Confederate  soldiers  being  repre- 
sented. General  John  B.  Gordon,  the 
Confederate  hero  of  the  battle  of  Sharps- 
burg,  was  elected  first  Commander.  Tlie 
first  reunion  of  ex-Confederate  Veterans 
was  held  at  Chattanooga,  July  3,  4,  and  5, 
1890,  and  so  large  was  the  attendance  and  so 
great  the  enthusiasm  that  a  strong  impetus 
was  given  the  newly  formed  association. 
Reunions  were  held  at  Jackson,  Mississippi, 
in  June,  1891  ;  at  New  Orleans  in  April, 
1892  ;  Houston,  Texas,  in  May,  1895  ;  Rich- 
mond, Va.,  in  June,  1896,  and  at  Nashville 
in  June,  1897,  where  Commander  Gordon, the 
first  and  therefore  the  only  Commander,  was 
again  reelected.  Among  its  projects  were 
the  location  of  the  proposed  Battle  Abbey 
for  the  preservation  of  Southern  relics  of 
the  war,  and  the  erection  of  a  monument  at 
Richmond,  Va.,  to  Jefferson  Davis.  The 
latest  list  of  camps  numbers  1,006,  divided 
among  the  States  as  follows  :  Texas,  223  ; 
South  Carolina,  95  ;  Alabama,  91;  Missouri, 
73 ;  Georgia,  72  ;  Arkansas,  67 ;  Missis- 
sippi. 66  ;  Tennessee,  59  ;  Louisiana,  53  ; 
Kentucky,  45  ;  North  Carolina,  38  ;  Vir- 
ginia, 38  ;  Florida,  30  ;  West  Virginia,  17; 
Indian  Territory,  15  ;  Maryland,  7  :   Okla 


WOMEN'S  RELIEF  CORPS 


377 


homa,  7  ;  New  Mexico,  3  ;  Illinois,  2  ;  Mon- 
tana, 2;  California,  1  ;  District  of  (Columbia, 
1,  and  Indianii,  1.  Its  pnrposos  are  social, 
literary,  historical,  and  benevolent.  Its 
constitution  says : 

It  will  endeavor  to  unite  in  a  general  federation 
all  associations  of  Confederate  velenins,  soldiers 
and  sailoi's,  now  in  existence  or  hereafter  to  be 
formed  ;  to  gather  authentic  data  for  an  impartial 
history  of  the  war  between  the  States  ;  to  preserve 
relics  or  mementos  of  tlie  same  ;  to  cherish  the 
ties  of  friendship  that  should  exist  among  men  who 
have  shared  common  dangers,  common  sufferings, 
and  ))rivations  ;  to  care  for  the  disabled  and  extend 
a  helping  hand  to  the  needy;  to  protect  the  widows 
and  the  orphans,  and  to  make  and  preserve  a  record 
of  the  resources  of  every  member,  and,  as  far  as 
possible,  of  those  of  our  conn'ades  who  have  preceded 
us  in  eternity. 

Local  bodies  are  called  Camps  and  State 
organizations.  Divisions.  The  headquarters 
of  the  association  are  at  New  Orleans.  The 
total  membership  is  about  50,000. 

Women's  Relief  Corps. — An  auxiliary 
to  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  founded 
by  Boswortli  Relief  Corps,  auxiliary  to  Bos- 
worth  Post,  G.  A.  R.,  Portland,  Me.,  in 
1869.  The  title,  Women's  Relief  Corps, 
appeared  when  the  first  State  organization 
of  these  societies  was  formed  at  Fitcli- 
burg,  Mass.,  in  April,  1879.  Several  Na- 
tional Encampments  of  the  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic  were  asked  to  officially 
endorse  or  adopt  these  Women's  Auxiliary 
Corps,  and  while  the  replies  were  encourag- 
ing, nothing  was  done  until  1881,  when,  on 
the  report  of  Chaplain-in-chief  Rev.  Joseph 
F.  Lovering,  the  National  Encampment 
approved  the  work  of  the  Women's  Relief 
Corps  and  authorized  tliem  to  add  to  their 
title  '•  Auxiliary  to  the  Grand  Army  of  the 
Republic."  As  pointed  out  by  Grand  Army 
historian  Beath,  ''all  existing  ladies' aux- 
iliaries "  were  invited  to  send  representatives 
to  Denver,  when  the  National  Encampment 


met  there  in  1883  to  form  one  Women's 
Auxiliary  to  the  Grand  Army  out  of  several 
which  existed  without  a  national  organiza- 
tion. The  ladies  responded  and  were  a 
unit  as  to  the  advisability  of  union,  but 
could  not  agree  as  to  what  women  should 
be  eligible  for  admission  as  members,  the 
majority  favoring  the  Massachusetts  eligi- 
bility clause,  admitting  all  loyal  women 
whether  related  to  veterans  or  not,  and  the 
minority,  the  New  Jersey  delegates,  advo- 
cating restriction  of  membership  to  women 
relatives  of  Union  veterans.  The  newly 
formed  Women's  Relief  Corps  was  then  re- 
organized on  the  same  lines  as  the  Grand 
Army  and  cordially  welcomed  by  the  latter 
in  national  convention.  The  New  Jersey 
delegates  declined  to  join  the  new  organiza- 
tion. (See  Ladies  of  the  G.  A.  R.)  The 
objects  of  the  W^omen's  Relief  Corps  are 
'•  to  specially  aid  and  assist  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Rei^ublic  and  to  perpetuate 
the  memory  of  their  heroic  dead  ;  to  a-ssist 
such  L^nion  veterans  as  need  jirotection 
and  to  extend  needful  aid  to  their  widows 
and  orphans  ;  to  find  them  homes  and  em- 
ployment and  assure  them  of  sympathy  and 
friends  ;  to  cherish  and  emulate  the  deeds 
of  our  army  nurses  and  of  all  loyal  women 
who  rendered  loving  service  to  their  country 
in  her  hour  of  peril  ;  to  inculcate  lessons  of 
patriotism  and  love  of  country  among  our 
children  and  in  the  communities  in  which 
we  live;  to  maintain  true  allegiance  to  the 
United  States  of  America  :  to  discourage 
whatever  tends  to  weaken  loyalty,  and  to 
encourage  the  spread  of  universal  liberty 
and  equal  rights  to  all  men."  The  growth 
of  this  organization  was  from  10,085 
in  1884  to  17,854  in  1885,  to  3G,G32  in 
188G,  49,590  in  1887,  63,214  in  1888,  and 
to  140.305  in  1895.  The  total  amount 
expended  for  relief  has  been  nearly 
$1,500,000. 


378 


AGRICULTURAL  WHEEL 


X 

LABOE  A]^D  EAILWAY   BROTHEEHOODS  AND 
COOPEEATIVE  FEATEEJN'ITIES 


Agricultural  Wheel. — An  early  off- 
shoot of  the  Order  of  Patrons  of  Hus- 
bandry in  the  Southern  States.  It  was 
afterwards  absorbed  by  the  National  Farm- 
ers' Alliance.     (See  both  societies.) 

Agriculturists'  Xatioual  Protective 
Association. — The  title  given  to  a  secret 
organization  of  farmers,  1895-OG,  said  to  have 
originated  with  and  to  have  been  controlled 
by  members  of  the  National  Farmers'  Alli- 
ance, to  enhance  the  price  of  wheat  by  with- 
holding it  from  consumption.  (See  Na- 
tional Farmers'  Alliance.) 

Amalgaiiiatetl  Association  of  Iron 
and  Steel  Workers  of  the  United  States. 
— Founded  by  Joseph  Bishop  of  Pittsburg, 
Pa.;  John  Jarrettof  Sharon,  Pa.,  and  David 
A.  Plant  of  Columbus,  0.,  in  187G.  It 
became,  within  a  decade,  one  of  the  most 
influential  trades  unions.  Its  meetings  are 
secret,  and  its  members  have  secret  means 
of  making  themselves  known  to  each  other. 
Fifteen  years  ago  not  even  the  Knights  of 
Labor,  although  having  a  much  larger  mem- 
bership, wielded  a  greater  influence  in  its 
own  sphere  than  the  Amalgamated  Associa- 
tion of  Iron  and  Steel  Workers.  The  latter 
was  born  almost  at  the  low  ebb  of  the  trade 
depression  following  the  panic  of  1873,  and 
after  a  few  years  of  conservative  growth 
found  itself  in  an  enviable  position  by  rea- 
son of  the  boom  in  iron  and  steel  which  be- 
gan in  1879  and  continued  well  into  the 
following  decade.  Centred  in  and  about 
Pittsburg,  with  branches  throughout  west- 
ern Pennsylvania  and  a  few  at  more  remote 
points,  this  Association  practically  deter- 
mined the  rates  of  wages  and  hours  of  labor 
for  its  members  for  a  period  of  years,  and 
carried  abroad  the  reputations  of  such  of  its 


leaders  as  John  Jarrett,  William  Weihe, 
and  M.  M.  Garland.  During  late  years  its 
membership  has  declined  and  its  influence 
is  felt  less,  though  it  still  ranks  among  the 
best  managed  and  most  efficient  secret  trades 
unions  in  the  country.  In  1895  its  total 
membership  was  about  10,000,  and  was  not 
far  from  that  two  years  later.  It  pays  no 
sick  or  death  benefits,  but  a  defence  fund 
is  accumulated  by  means  of  monthly  assess- 
ments, from  which  $4  weekly  is  paid  to 
members  in  good  standing  who  are  on  strike 
or  locked  out.  Each  candidate  initiated 
pledges  himself  on  his  word  of  honor  to 
maintain  the  laws,  rules,  and  rates  of  wages 
adopted  by  the  Association.  In  1893  a 
number  of  the  rollers,  heaters,  roughers, 
and  catchers  in  the  Amalgamated  Associa- 
tion became  dissatisfied,  seceded,  and  organ- 
ized the  National  Union  of  Iron  and  Steel 
Workers  as  a  rival  society,  but  it  never  rose 
to  the  prominence  or  influence  of  the  parent 
organization.  (See  National  Union  of  Iron 
and  Steel  Workers.) 

American  Flint  Glass  "Workers' 
Union. — A  trades  union  formed  on  the 
lodge  system,  with  a  ritual  and  other  appur- 
tenances of  the  conventional  secret  society. 
It  was  founded  in  1878,  with  headquarters 
at  Pittsburg,  and,  oddly  enough,  is  affiliated 
with  the  non-secret  confederation  of  trades 
unions,  the  American  Federation  of  Labor, 
notwithstanding  various  features  of  its  secret 
work  and  ceremonial  point  to  its  having 
been  the  creation  of  Knights  of  Labor, 
which  is  a  secret  brotherhood  made  up  of 
representatives  of  almost  all  lines  of  indus- 
trial activity.  The  Glass  Workers'  Union 
pays  sick  and  death  benefits,  and  during  its 
existence  of  nearly  twenty  years  has  paid 


AMERICAN   RAILWAY   UNION 


379 


more  than  $1,000,000  to  sick  arul  distreesed 
members  and  to  relatives  of  those  deceased. 
It  has  about  10,000  members. 

American  Railway  Union. — Founded 
at  Chicago,  in  1893,  by  Eugene  V.  Debs  of 
the  Brotherhood  of  Locomotive  Engineers, 
a  resident  of  Terre  Haute,  Ind.,  with  whom 
were  associated  George  W.  Howard,  Clii- 
cago,  of  the  Order  of  Eailway  Conductors; 
Sylvester  Keliher,  Minneapolis,  of  the 
Brotherhood  of  Eailway  Carmen,  and  L.W. 
Rogers,  Chicago,  of  the  Brotherhood  of 
Railway  Trainmen,  as  a  secret  fraternity  of 
railway  employes.  At  first  it  was  an  open 
trades  union,  and  as  such  begun  and  man- 
aged the  sympathetic  strike  of  railway  em- 
ployes at  and  near  Chicago  in  aid  of  the 
strike  at  Pullman,  111.,  in  1894,  which  ended 
in  Debs  and  Howard  being  imprisoned  for 
contempt  of  the  Federal  court.  After  a 
brief  incarceration  the  leaders  named,  with 
remaining  membei's  of  the  American  Rail- 
way Union,  reorganized  the  latter  as  a  secret 
society  on  the  plan  of  the  Knights  of  Labor, 
with  the  design  of  forming  a  strong  central 
authority  to  control  all  branches  of  railway 
employes,  in  opposition  to  the  several  sejoa- 
rate  and  independent  secret  brotherhoods 
and  orders  of  railway  employes.  Prior  to 
his  connection  with  the  Engineers,  Debs 
was  for  fourteen  years  secretary  of  the  Fire- 
men's Brotherhood,  and  had  for  years  been 
actively  at  work  to  unite  the  secret  railway 
labor  organizations.  In  arguing  for  his  plan 
Mr.  Debs  referred  to  the  "  perfect  machine  " 
formed  by  the  railway  managers,  who,  he 
said,  have  "reduced  the  number  of  railway 
managements  from  357  to  only  fifteen  con- 
trolling bodies,"  which,  he  adds,  are  ce- 
mented into  a  single  union  ••])y  the  Gen- 
eral Managers'  Association."  The  argu- 
ment is,  naturally,  that  to  successfully 
combat  the  infliience  of  practically  a  single 
railway  employer  there  must  be  a  strong 
secret  federation  of  all  employes. 

In  a  speech  at  Philadeljihia,  in  1895, 
Debs  said:  ''  The  American  Railway  Union 
showed  its  organization  on  the  Great  North- 


ern in  1S94,  when  every  man  in  its  employ, 
engineers,  firemen,  conductors,  brakemen, 
laborers,  shop  mechanics,  and  even  clerks 
and  janitors,  went  out  and  won  the  battle. 
The  great  strike  of  1894,  at  Chicago,  was 
won,  not  by  the  railroad,  but  by  the  Federal 
courts  and  United  States  troops."  In  1894 
and  1895  the  membership  of  most  of  the ' 
half  dozen  railway  brotherhoods  and  orders 
decreased  heavily,  in  jjart  due  to  the  ''  hard 
times"  and  in  part  as  a  result  of  the  con- 
tinued antagonism  of  the  American  Railwuy 
Union  and  the  defeat  sustained  in  the  strike 
at  Chicago  in  1894.  The  Firemen  were  de- 
clared by  the  St.  Louis  "  Globe  Democrat  " 
at  the  close  of  1894  to  have  lost  more  than 
4,000  members  within  a  year,  the  Switch- 
men's Association  to  have  become  little 
more  than  a  nominal  organization,  and  the 
Carmen's  Brotherhood  to  have  "gone  to 
pieces."  A  similar  story  was  told  of  the 
Order  of  Railway  Telegraphers.  The  Loco- 
motive Engineers  were  reported  to  have  lost 
8,000  members,  the  Trainmen  4,000,  and 
the  Conductors  a  large  number.  ^Eean- 
Avhile  the  American  Railway  L^nion  forged 
slowly  ahead,  districted  the  country  and 
formed  new  secret  unions.  Fears  of  l^lack- 
listing  by  railway  companies  prevent  the 
L^nion  from  publishing  the  names  of  its 
members,  so  its  leaders,  while  claiming  a 
large  membership,  declined  to  furnish  tlie 
approximate  total.  One  of  the  four  organ- 
izers wrote,  December  8,  1894,  that  both 
men  and  women  are  eligible  to  join  the 
organization  and  that  there  were  140,000 
names  on  the  rolls.  The  L^'nion  had  prob- 
ably fewer  members  in  189G  than  in  1895, 
but  constituted  a  factor  in  the  world  of 
transjiortation  which  was  not  overlooked. 
The  independent  railway  brotherhoods  and 
orders  which  suffered  a  loss  of  membership 
in  1894  and  1895  have  revived,  and  most  of 
them  are  prosperous.  In  total  membership, 
available  relief  funds,  and  other  evidences 
of  progress,  the  Locomotive  Engineers,  Fire- 
men, Conductors,  and  others  present  statis- 
tics rivalling  the  most  favorable  heretofore 


380 


BRICKLAYERS   AND   MASONS'   INTERNATIONAL   UNION   OF   AMERICA 


exhibited  by  them.  The  American  Railway 
Union  in  189G  bore  a  relation  to  them  sim- 
ilar to  that  between  the  Knights  of  Labor 
and  the  American  Federation  of  Labor. 
(See  Brotherhood  of  Locomotive  Engineers.) 
In  June,  1897,  the  American  Railway  Union, 
in  session  at  Chicago,  was  formally  dissolved 
to  make  way  for  the  new  cooiierative  pro- 
ject of  the  L'nion  leaders,  entitled  the  Social 
Democracy  of  America;  and  in  Jnly,  1897, 
the  Brotherhood  of  Locomotive  Engineers, 
Brotherhood  of  Railway  Trainmen,  Order 
of  Railway  Conductors,  Brotherhood  of 
Locomotive  Firemen,  and  Order  of  Railway 
Telegraphers  "formed  a  coalition  and 
pledged  themselves  to  stand  ready  to  help 
each  other."'  In  the  future  "the  unions 
wall  work  as  a  unit  ...  to  resent  any  at- 
tack on  its  members  or  any  attempt  to  en- 
act legislation  detrimental  to  the  interests 
of  labor  in  general." 

Bricklayers  and  Masons'  Interna- 
tional Union  of  America. — This  is  one 
of  the  comparatively  few  labor  unions  of 
international  importance  which  have  been 
formed  on  the  lines  of  secret  societies,  with 
rather  more  than  a  mere  means  of  recogni- 
tion, which  constitutes  joractically  the  only 
secrecy  of  the  ordinary  labor  union.  Citi- 
zens of  the  United  States  and  Canada,  or 
those  who  declare  their  intention  of  becom- 
ing such,  are  eligible  for  membership.  The 
society  was  formed  in  Baltimore  in  1865, 
but  the  organization  was  not  perfected  until 
at  a  meeting  in  PJiiladelphia  in  1866.  John 
A.  White  of  Baltimoi*e  was  its  first  presi- 
dent. The  Union  held  its  thirty-third  an- 
nual convention  at  Hartford  in  1899.  Its 
objects  are  to  unite  in  one  body,  for  mutual 
protection  and  benefit,  all  members  of  the 
mason  craft,  or  who  work  at  the  same. 
There  is  no  restriction  as  to  creed  or  color, 
the  endeavor  being  to  maintain  a  "just 
scale  of  wages  "  and  the  so-called  eight-hour 
day,  which  has  been  adopted  at  almost  all 
leading  cities  throughout  the  country.  The 
Union  numbers  about  45,000  members  in  the 
United  States  and  5,000  in  the  Dominion  of 


Canada.  It  does  not  include  the  plasterers 
and  stone-cutters,  which  have  unions  of 
their  own,  although  the  former  are  admitted 
to  the  Bricklayers  and  Masons'  Union  where 
there  are  no  jilasterers'  unions.  Death, 
accident,  and  sick  benefits  are  paid  by  sub- 
ordinate unions ;  death  benefits,  which  range 
from  150  to  1500,  by  assessment;  and  acci- 
dent and  sick  benefits,  ranging  from  |10  to 
125,  are  met  by  dues.  This  Union  is  not 
affiliated  with  any  other  labor  organization. 
It  encourages  strikes  only  as  a  last  resort 
and  after  all  peaceful  means  for  settlement 
of  disputes  have  failed.  It  is  a  firm  be- 
liever in  the  desirability  of  arbitration,  and 
congratulates  itself  on  not  having  had  a 
strike  for  nearly  a  decade. 

Brotlierliood  of  Locomotive  Engi- 
neers.— Founded  by  W.  D.  Robinson  of 
Marshall,  Mich. ;  Charles  Steele,  Xorwalk, 
0.;  J.  P.  Fox,  Chicago;  J.  T.  Johnson, 
Lafayette,  Ind. ;  Francis  Wheeler,  Adrian, 
Mich.,  and  William  Dempster  of  Chicago,  in 
1863,  as  a  secret,  fraternal,  mutual  benefit 
labor  organization.  It  is  the  oldest  and  has 
continued  first  as  to  conservative  and  suc- 
cessful management  among  the  various  secret 
societies  of  railway  employes  in  the  United 
States.  It  forms  a  type  of  fraternities  of 
this  class,  and  has  been  more  or  less  success- 
fully imitated  by  the  Order  of  Railway  Con- 
ductors, founded  in  1868;  the  Brotherhoods 
of  Railway  Locomotive  Firemen,  1873 ;  Rail- 
way Trainmen,  1883;  Railway  Carmen  of 
America,  1890,  and  by  the  Switchmen's 
Union  of  North  America,  organized  in 
1894,  The  Brotherhood  of  Telegraphers, 
formed  by  operators  in  the  employ  of  rail- 
way companies  nearly  a  score  of  years  ago, 
was  modelled  after  the  same  pattern.  The 
reasons  which  induced  the  founders  of  the 
Locomotive  Engineers'  Brotherhood  to 
adopt  the  secret  society  system  for  attain- 
ing their  ends  are  not  made  public  by  their 
successors,  but  when  the  Brotherhood  was 
organized,  there  were  only  a  few  widespread 
secret  fraternities  in  the  country  compared 
with   the  number  now  in  existence.     The 


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382 


BROTHERHOOD  OF  LOCOMOTIVE  ENGINEERS 


more  conspicuous  of  those  Avbicli  crossed 
State  lines  at  the  outbreak  of  the  war  were 
the  Freemasons,  Odd  Fellows,  Improved 
Order  of  Red  Men,  Ancient  Order  of  Hiber- 
nians, Ancient  Order  of  Druids,  the  Senior 
and  Junior  Orders  of  United  American  Me- 
chanics ;  Patriotic  Order,  Sons  of  America ; 
the  Rechabites,  Good  Templars,  Sons  of 
Temperance,  and  the  older  Greek-letter  fra- 
ternities scattered  through  leading  colleges. 
None  of  the  several  hundred-and-one  mu- 
tual assessment,  life  insurance,  secret  soci- 
eties which  have  since  become  so  prominent 
had  been  born,  those  named  which  now 
present  that  feature  having  incorporated  it 
since  1863.  The  Brotherhood  of  Locomo- 
tive Engineers  itself  did  not  adopt  a  plan 
for  the  payment  of  benefits  at  the  death  of 
members  until  it  had  perfected  its  machin- 
ery for  acting  as  an  intermediary  between 
railway  companies  and  locomotive  engineer 
employes  looking  to  the  receipt  by  the  lat- 
ter of  the  highest  wages  consistent  with  a 
like  efficiency.  There  is  very  little  likeli- 
hood that  the  engineers  framed  a  ritual 
and  ceremonial  and  ado^^ted  signs,  of  recog- 
nition, ]3asswords,  and  the  like,  similar  to 
the  "  work  "of  the  college  fraternities,  the 
temperance  societies,  the  patriotic  organiza- 
tions, the  Druids,  or  the  Hibernians,  Nearly 
all  of  these  directly  or  otherwise  drew  their 
plans  on  Masonic  models,  which,  in  view 
of  the  visible  evidences  of  the  symbolism 
and  general  organization  of  the  Brother- 
hood, leads  to  the  conclusion  that  its  found- 
ers, or  some  of  their  successors  among  its 
leaders,  were  affiliated  with  the  mother  of 
nearly  all  modern  secret  societies  of  good 
repute.  P.  M.  Arthur  of  Cleveland,  0., 
for  many  years  Grand  Master  of  the  Brother- 
hood, has  an  international  reputation  for 
having  placed  the  organization  in  the  first 
rank  among  labor  unions.  He  began  life  as 
a  wiper  and  was  promoted  successively  to 
be  fireman  and  engineer.  He  differs  from 
some  leaders  of  organized  labor  through 
having  a  broader  and  better  education  and 
a  keen  perception  of  what  is  due  to  em- 


ployer as  well  as  to  employe  in  discussions 
involving  mutual  interests,  in  which  he  has 
always  given  evidence  of  a  desire  and  inten- 
tion to  be  just.  He  counsels  his  followers 
to  shun  saloons  and  gambling  dens,  and  de- 
clares that  where  the  Brotherhood  has  failed 
to  give  adequate  protection  it  was  because 
of  the  treachery  of  the  members  themselves. 
The  Brotherhood  rightfully  claims  to  be  in- 
ternational in  extent,  as  it  includes  many 
locomotive  engineers  on  Canadian  and  Mexi- 
can railways.  Its  total  membership  numbers 
about  35,000,  and  represents  one  section 
of  the  clearest-headed,  most  progressive, 
and  intelligent  skilled  labor  in  America. 
The  organization  pays  sick  and  death  bene- 
fits by  means  of  mutual  assessments,  and 
the  total  sum  so  appropriated  amounts  to 
nearly  $7,000,000.  There  is  also  an  aux- 
iliary organization  for  women  relatives  of 
members  of  the  Brotherhood.  The  career 
of  the  Brotherhood  has  been  marked  by 
fewer  strikes  than  similar  organizations  in 
proportion  to  the  number  of  years  it  has 
been  in  existence,  its  policy  being  to  dis- 
countenance them  except  as  a  last  resort, 
and  after  all  other  proper  remedies  have 
been  exhausted.  It  has  found  itself  antag- 
onized several  times  by  engineers  attached 
to  the  Knights  of  Labor,  and  once  by  the 
American  Railway  Union  in  the  strike  of 
1894  at  Chicago.  After  each  of  these  strug- 
gles it  invariably  became  stronger  than  be- 
fore. In  1895  a  federation  was  formed  of 
the  Brotherhoods  of  Locomotive  Engineers 
and  Firemen  and  the  Orders  of  Railway 
Conductors,  Trainmen,  and  Telegraphers, 
an  offensive  and  defensive  alliance,  for  co- 
operation in  the  settlement  of  controversies 
with  railway  companies.  A  large  number 
of  members  of  the  orders  named  attended 
preliminary  meetings  held  at  Indianapolis, 
Chicago,  and  Denver,  leading  representa- 
tives at  the  city  first  named  being  P.  M. 
Arthur,  Chief  of  the  Brotherhood  of  Loco- 
motive Engineers;  Chief  Frank  P.  Sargent 
of  the  Brotherhood  of  Locomotive  Firemen; 
Chief  E.  E.  Clark  of  the  Order  of  Railway 


BROTHERHOOD   OF   RAILWAY   TRAINMEN 


383 


Conductors;  Chief  P.  II.  Morrison  of  the 
Order  of  liaihvay  Trainmen,  and  Chief 
K.  R.  Austin  of  the  Order  of  Railway 
Telegraphers.  At  the  Chicago  convention 
resolutions  were  adopted  favoring  the  right 
of  trial  by  Jury  for  every  man,  ajipeal  from 
the  unreasonable  decision  of  any  Federal 
judge  in  ease  of  punishment  for  contempt 
of  court,  and  the  principle  of  arbitration 
for  the  adjustment  of  differences  between 
the  employed  and  the  employer.  This  fed- 
eration was  formed  apjiarently  in  opposition 
to  a  union  of  railway  employes  in  one  secret 
organization  under  the  title  American  Rail- 
way Union,  formed  in  1893  by  Eugene  V. 
Debs.  The  latter  still  lives,  but  little  is 
known  of  its  numerical  strength.  There 
has  been  no  occasion  for  a  demonstration  of 
the  efficiency  of  the  Federation  of  Railway 
Brotherhoods  and  Orders  since  its  forma- 
tion, and  the  amount  of  vitality  remaining 
in  it  must  be  conjectured.  An  evidence  of 
the  business-like  methods  of  the  Brother- 
hood of  Locomotive  Engineers  is  found  in 
contracts  between  it  and  more  than  one 
hundred  railway  companies,  by  which  tlie 
nature  of  services  to  be  rendered  by  engi- 
neers and  the  compensation  to  be  paid  by  rail- 
way companies  are  placed  beyond  dispute. 
In  July,  1897,  an  offensive  and  defensive 
alliance  to  protect  their  mutual  interests 
was  formed  between  the  railway  engineers, 
firemen,  trainmen,  and  telegraphers. 

Brotlierliood  of  L/ocoiuotive  Fire- 
men.— Founded  by  Joshua  A.  Leach  of 
Port  Jervis,  X.  Y.,  as  a  railway  employes' 
union,  similar  in  jiurpose  to  the  Brotherhood 
of  Locomotive  Engineers  formed  ten  years 
before.  It  numbers  more  than  25,000  loco- 
motive firemen  on  Canadian,  Mexican,  and 
American  railways,  i)ays  sick  benefits  at  the 
option  of  local  lodges,  and  death  benefits 
by  means  of  mutual  assessments  throughout 
the  Brotherhood.  There  is  a  women's  aux- 
iliary for  women  only.  Mr.  F.  P.  Sargent, 
who  has  for  many  years  been  Grand  Master 
of  the  organization,  is  among  the  highly  re- 
spected and  the  better  known  labor  lead- 


ers in  the  United  States.  Though  it  suffered 
losses  in  consequence  of  the  inroads  made 
upon  it  by  the  American  Railway  Union  in 
the  years  1893-95,  the  past  year  or  two  have 
brought  a  large  increase  in  membership  and 
material  prosperity.  Since  1880,  when  the 
life  and  disability  feature  was  adopted,  the 
Brotherhood  of  Locomotive  Firemen  has 
paid  nearly  §4:,000,000  in  benefits.  The 
teachings  of  its  ceremonial  of  initiation  are 
charity,  industry,  sobriety,  and  protection. 
(See  Brotherhood  of  Locomotive  Engineers 
and  the  American  Railway  L'nion.) 

Brotlierliood  of  KaiUvay  Carmen  of 
America. — Founded  in  1890  by  W.  II. 
Ronemus  of  Cedar  Rapids,  la. ;  S.  Keliher, 
]\Iinneai:)olis ;  W.  S.  Missimer,  St.  Josejih, 
Mo.;  F.  L.  Ronemus,  Estherville,  Mo.,  and 
X.  B.  Chambers  of  Fairbury,  Neb.,  as  a 
railway  employes'  secret  trades  union.  It 
was  suggested  by  the  success  of  similar  rail- 
way employes'  societies  among  the  engi- 
neers, firemen,  conductors,  and  trainmen. 
Among  the  founders  were  several  Knights 
of  Labor  and  one  Odd  Fellow,  but  the  ritual 
of  the  Brotherhood  suggests  the  Masonic  in- 
fluence which  dominated  those  who  prepared 
rituals  for  the  societies  after  whicii  this  was 
modelled.  Its  membership  in  1895  num- 
bered more  than  -4,000,  about  300  members 
being  on  Canadian  and  Mexican  railways. 
Local  lodges  pay  sick  and  disability  bene- 
fits if  they  wish.  Those  who  desire  may 
insure  their  lives  in  an  auxiliary  mutual  aid 
society.  The  motto  of  the  Brotherhood  is 
"  Friendship,  Unity,  and  True  Brotherly 
Love."  The  business  depression  of  1S95 
reduced  its  total  membershiii,  so  that  for  a 
time  it  had  only  a  nominal  existence,  but 
it  has  since  shown  signs  of  life  and  growth. 
(See  Brotherhood  of  Locomotive  Engineers 
and  the  American  Railway  Union.) 

Brotherhood  of  Railway  Trainmen. 
•^A  railway  employes'  trades  union,  organ- 
ized on  the  basis  of  a  secret  society.  It  was 
founded  in  1883,  being  the  natural  out- 
growth of  similar  societies  among  locomo- 
tive   engineers    and    firemen    and    railway 


384 


BROTHERHOOD   OF   UNITED   LABOR 


conductors,  and,  like  them,  including 
among  its  25,000  members  many  employes 
on  railways  in  the  Canadian  Dominion  and 
in  Mexico  as  well  as  in  the  United  States. 
Subordinate  lodges  pay  sick  benefits  at 
their  edition,  and  the  Brotherhood  at  large, 
by  means  of  assessments,  pays  death  and 
total  disability  benefits  of  11,200  each.  Ex- 
cluding sick  benefits,  the  total  sum  paid 
as  described  amounts  to  about  l?3,000,000. 
The  secret  ceremonial  is  based  on  the  work 
and  duties  of  railway  em^^loyes  in  train  ser- 
vice and  is  modelled  after  that  in  use  in 
the  other  organizations  referred  to.  The 
Brotherhood  suffered  from  a  deci'ease  in 
membership  after  the  great  railway  strike 
at  Chicago  in  1894,  but  within  the  past  two 
years  has  grown  and  prospered.  The  chief 
emblem  of  the  organization  displays  railway 
signal  flags  and  a  lantern.  Much  of  its 
success  is  attributed  to  the  prudent  man- 
agement of  Grand  Master  S.  E.  Wilkinson 
of  Galesburg,  111.  (See  Brotherhood  of  Lo- 
comotive Engineers  and  the  American  Eail- 
way  Union.)  In  July,  1897,  the  trainmen 
united  with  the  railway  engineers,  firemen, 
conductors,  and  telegraphers  in  a  coalition 
to  protect  their  mutual  interests. 

Brotlierliood  of  United  Labor. — 
Formed  about  twelve  years  ago  by  members 
of  the  Order  of  Knights  of  Labor.  It  pat- 
terned closely  after  its  parent,  but  did  not 
live  long.     (See  Order  of  Knights  of  Labor.) 

Coiniiionwealtli  of  Jesus. — Official  ad- 
dress, San  Francisco,  Cal.  It  teaclies  organ- 
ized Christian  cooperation  in  order  to  attain 
the  highest  development  of  the  spiritual, 
mental,  and  j)hysical  interests  of  humanity. 

Crowned  Republic. — The  title  of  a  pro- 
jected fraternit}'  the  would-be  founders  of 
which  claim  to  have  solved .  the  problem  of 
social  reorganization  and  that  "it  is  pocsible 
to  secure  personal  freedom,  social  unity,  and 
universal  wealth.''  The  plan  was  published 
in  Boston  in  1860  and  elaborated  in  1879. 

Daughters  of  St.  Crispin. — Women's 
trades  union  auxiliary  to  Knights  of  St. 
Crispin.     (See  the  latter.) 


Improved  Order  of  Advanced  Knights 
of  Labor. — A  short-lived,  schismatic  branch 
of  the  Order  of  Knights  of  Labor,  organized 
at  Baltimore  in  1883.  (See  Order  of  Knights 
of  Labor.) 

Independent  Knights  of  Labor. — Or- 
ganized by  seceding  members  of  the  Order 
of  Knights  of  Labor,  at  Binghamton,  K. 
Y.,  late  in  1883.  It  lived  less  than  one 
year.     (See  Order  of  Knights  of  Labor.) 

Independent  Order  of  Knights  of  La- 
bor.— Organized  at  Columbus,  0.,  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1895,  by  prominent  members  of  the 
Order  of  Knights  of  Labor,  brass  workers, 
glass  workers,  and  coal  miners,  who  were 
dissatisfied  with  the  management  of  ilie 
parent  society.  For  a  short  time  it  gave 
promise  of  seriously  rivalling  the  older  bod}^, 
but  for  two  years  maintained  little  more 
than  a  nominal  existence.  It  was  absorbed 
by  the  Knights  of  Labor  in  the  spring  of 
1897.     (See  Order  of  Knights  of  Labor.) 

International  Association  of  Machin- 
ists.— Founded  in  1888  with  headquarters 
at  Richmond,  Va.  It  is  one  of  the  larger 
though  younger  trades  unions  established 
on  the  lodge  system,  having  signs  for  the 
identification  of  members  known  only  to 
the  initiated.  It  disclaims,  through  lead- 
ing officials,  direct  descent  from  any  of  the 
older  secret  trades  unions,  yet  it  possesses 
characteristics  of  all  of  them,  and  is,  in  fact, 
a  legitimate  descendant  of  such  organiza- 
tions as  the  Amalgamated  Association  of 
Iron  and  Steel  Workers,  National  Union  of 
Iron  and  Steel  Workers,  American  Flint 
Glass  Workers'  Union,  and  others. .  The 
Association  of  Machinists  reports  more  than 
500  lodges  in  the  United  States,  the  Domin- 
ion of  Canada,  and  Mexico,  with  a  total 
membership  of  about  33,000.  Its  objects 
are  to  secure  as  members  every  active,  com- 
jietent  machinist  who  has  worked  at  his 
trade  four  years  or  more;  an  effective  j^lan 
to  keep  its  members  employed  and  the  legal 
establishment  of  an  apprenticeship  sj'-stem 
of  four  years;  to  induce  emplo5^ers  to  pay 
full  current  wages,  and  give  preference,  in 


NATIONAL  FARMERS'    ALLIANCE 


385 


hiring,  to  union  men;  to  have  all  disputes 
between  employer  and  employe  settled  by 
arbitration,  "when  possible,"  and  to  have 
a  day's  labor  shortened  to  eight  hours.  Its 
monthly  magazine  contains  trade  news  from 
the  countries  named,  and  articles  on  the 
construction  of  machinery  and  other  topics 
of  interest  to  the  craft.  Although  its 
monthly  dues  are  small,  yet  subordinate 
lodges  pay  sick  and  disability  benefits,  and 
display  an  activity  at  building  up  the  fra- 
ternity which  is  more  conspicuous  than  in 
some  more  pretentious  organizations.  Its 
emblem,  like  those  of  almost  all  other  secret 
and  non-secret  trades  unions,  consists  of 
some  of  the  better  known  implements  used 
by  its  members,  the  callipers  and  square  in- 
terlaced upon  a  flywheel.  The  ritual,  which 
is  short,  is  based  on  the  every-day  shop  life 
of  machinists,  and  seeks  to  teach  the  strength 
and  importance  of  friendship  and  justice  as 
ennobling  influences.  The  seventh  conven- 
tion of  the  Association  was  held  at  Kansas 
City,  in  May,  1897,  aiul  included  eighty- 
five  delegates  from  various  parts  of  the 
United  States,  Mexico,  and  Canada.  The 
address  of  the  Grand  Master  embraced  the 
prohibiting  of  members  working  on  more 
than  one  machine;  opposition  to  blacklist- 
ing; the  discouragement  of  the  ]nece-work 
system;  the  restriction  of  cheap  foreign 
labor;  the  introduction  of  civil  service  re- 
form in  government  machine  shops,  and  the 
establishment  of  an  eight-hour  day. 

luternatioiial  Association  of  "Work- 
ingineii. — An  international  secret  society 
of  workingmen,  organized  at  London  in 
18G4  by  Messrs.  Tolain  and  Fribourg,  two 
French  delegates  to  the  London  Interna- 
tional Exposition  of  18(32,  who  were  much 
impressed  by  the  influence  of  English  trades 
unions,  and  sought,  by  means  of  the  new  so- 
ciety, to  form  a  secret,  cooperative  federa- 
tion of  workingmen's  unions  throughout  the 
Avorld.  The  Association  became  popularly 
known  as  "the  International,"  sjiread  to 
various  European  countries,  and  in  1870 
to  the  United  States.     Uriah  S.  Stephens, 


the  founder  of  the  Order  of  Knights  of  La- 
bor at  Philadelphia  in  18G9,  is  said  to  have 
been  influenced  to  some  extent  in  his  lean- 
ings toward  socialism  by  his  acquaintance 
with  Eccarius,  one  of  the  General  Council 
of  "the  International"  in  London.  In 
1871-72  the  Association  fell  under  the  in- 
fluence of  the  extreme  socialists  at  Paris  and 
elsewhere  in  Europe,  whicli  resulted  in  its 
disruption.  Mention  is  made  from  time  to 
time  of  the  continued  existence  of  "  Inter- 
nationals "  in  the  L'nited  States,  but  noth- 
ing in  the  nature  of  the  original  Interna- 
tional Association  is  known  to  exist  here 
to-day.     (See  Order  of  Knights  of  Labor.) 

Kiiljifhts  of  St.  Crispin. — Fouiided  in 
the  L^nited  States  as  an  international  trade 
organization  in  18C9.  The  local  unions 
were  called  lodges,  and  united  in  forming 
State  and  provincial  Grand  Lodges,  which 
sent  representatives  to  the  International 
Grand  Lodge,  the  supreme  authority.  A 
separate  branch  composed  of  women  was 
called  the  Daughters  of  St.  Crispin.  The 
order  was  strongest  among  the  boot  and 
shoe  makers;  in  fact,  became  identified  with 
them;  but  the  crisis  of  1873  brought  its  de- 
cline, and  internal  dissension  within  a  few 
j'ears  led  to  its  extinction. 

National  Aid  Degree. — The  mutual 
assessment,  beneficiary,  or  insurance  de- 
partment of  the  Xational  Farmers'  Alli- 
ance. Its  government  is  distinct  from  that 
of  the  Alliance,  and  mcmbershiii  in  it  is 
optional. 

National  Farmers'  Alliance. — Organ- 
ized by  Milton  George,  James  W.Wilson,  and 
David  Ward  Wood  of  Chicago,  and  August 
Post  of  Moulton.  la.,  at  St.  TiOnis,  Mo.,  in 
1880,  as  a  non-sectarian,  political  organiza- 
tion of  farmers  and  their  wives,  to  "promote 
the  interests  of  agriculture"  and  the  agricul- 
turist. It  closely  parallels  the  Patrons  of 
Husbandry,  of  which  society  it  is  an  out- 
growth. (See  the  latter.)  It  differs  in  that 
it  utilizes  the  machinery  of  a  secret  society 
to  build  up  a  ]iolitical  party.  The  Alliance 
was  started  as  a  non-secret  organization,  but 


3SG 


NATIONAL   FARMERS'   ALLIANCE 


found  something  was  lacking.  As  many  of 
its  earlier  members  were  drawn  from  the 
Patrons  of  Husbandry,  it  was  easy  to  make 
optional  with  State  and  subordinate  lodges 
the  adoption  of  a  secret  ritual  and  method 
of  initiation  and  so  change  the  character  of 
the  organization.  The  ritual  and  initiatory 
ceremony  of  the  Alliance  are  calculated  to 
impress  the  candidate  Avith  the  duties, 
rights,  and  privileges  of  the  agriculturist 
and  suggest  their  Order-of-Patrons-of-Hus- 
bandry  origin.  The  principal  emblem  of 
the  latter,  the  sheaf  of  wheat,  is  also  used, 
in  conjunction  with  the  plough  and  the 
letters  N.  F.  A.,  as  the  badge  of  Alliance 
membership. 

While  the  Patrons  of  Husbandry  seek  by 
inquiry,  discussion,  and  study  to  fit  them- 
selves to  grapple  intelligently  with  eco- 
nomic questions,  within  the  organizations  to 
which  its  members  belong,  the  Alliance  early 
constituted  itself  a  political  party.  The 
society  grew  slowly  for  a  few  years,  after 
which  the  energy  and  executive  ability  of 
the  late  L.  L.  Polk  of  North  Carolina  in 
organizing  and  extending  it  at  the  South 
gave  it  a  prominence  which  its  founders  had 
hardly  anticipated.  Polk  Avas  its  National 
President  for  several  terms,  during  which 
he  established  the  society's  headquarters  at 
Washington  and  published  a  j)aper  in  its 
interest.  By  1887  it  had  a  very  large  mem- 
bership, some  claim  as  many  as  240,000. 
It  was  strong  at  the  South  and  AVest,  and 
its  leaders  were  not  slow  to  perceive  its  util- 
ity as  a  price-making  and  political  machine. 

The  depression  in  the  price  of  wheat  be- 
tween 1890  and  189G,  inclusive,  intensified 
the  financial  stringency  among  farmers  and 
was  largely  responsible  for  several  attempts 
made  to  artificially  force  the  price  up. 
Whether  or  not  the  Alliance  was  solely  re- 
sponsible for  the  method  adopted  is  best 
known  to  those  most  concerned.  All  that 
the  writer  knows  on  this  point  is  that  the 
proprietor  of  a  reputed  Alliance  publication 
circulated  in  the  Northwestern  spring  wheat 
States   is  responsible  for  the  assertion  that 


the  Alliance  Avheat  growers,  a  list  of  whose 
names  he  claimed  to  possess,  had  solemnly 
bound  themselves  to  hold  back  their  wheat 
in  order  to  advance  its  price.  This  was  the 
first  of  the  several  attempts  on  the  part  of 
growers  in  recent  years  to  put  up  the  price 
of  wheat  in  a  similar  way.  The  details  were 
communicated  and  subsequent  events  made 
it  plain  that  the  effort  was  as  sincere  as  it 
was  fruitless.  In  189G  evidence  was  pub- 
lished of  what  was  called  "a  secret  con- 
spiracy" among  "3-40,000  farmers,"  in 
Minnesota  and  the  two  Dakotas,  to  corner 
wheat  and  force  up  prices.  The  circular 
sent  out  was  dated  at  "Triple  Alliance 
Headquarters,  Minneapolis."  It  explained 
that  over  90,000  farmers  had  taken  a  pledge 
to  hold  their  wheat  for  II  per  bushel,  and 
others  were  taking  it  "as  rapidly  as  one 
hundred  and  thirty  agents  can  administer 
oaths  to  them."  In  1896,  what  was  called 
the  Agriculturists'  National  Protective  As- 
sociation, an  oath-bound  organization  of 
farmers  of  the  central  Western  and  other 
States,  planned  to  put  up  prices  of  wheat 
by  storing  it  in  corporation  warehouses,  in 
order  "to  compel  people  to  import  their 
farm  products."  It  is  hardly  necessary  to 
add  that  none  of  these  hold-your-wheat 
projects  were  successful.  Buying  for  cash 
through  Alliance  agencies  and  selling  to 
members  at  a  slight  advance  had  been  the 
principal  feature  of  the  organization  up  to 
1887,  but  through  mismanagement  or  for 
other  reasons  the  project  Avas  abandoned. 

The  insurance  feature  under  the  title  Na- 
tional Aid  Degree  is  still  retained.  (See  the 
latter.)  Merchants  and  professional  men 
were  not  and  never  have  been  eligible  to 
membership,  and  such  of  them,  "even  min- 
isters of  the  Gospel,"  as  opposed  the  Alli- 
ance in  any  wa}^  were  frequently  boycotted. 
At  various  times  it  practically  controlled  the 
legislatures  of  Tennessee,  Arkansas,  Mis- 
sissippi, Georgia,  North  and  South  Carolina, 
and  such  men  as  Northen  of  Georgia,  Hogg 
of  Texas,  Tillman  of  South  Carolina,  and 
Buchanan  of  Tennessee  became  governors. 


NATIONAL   FARMERS'   ALLIANCE 


387 


through  its  support.  Various  labor  parties 
have  vied  in  strength  with  the  Alliance  and 
with  Patrons  of  Husbandry  at  the  West  and 
Northwest.  Delegates  from  all  of  them 
came  together  at  Cincinnati,  May  16,  1888, 
looking  to  consolidation  for  j^olitical  pur- 
poses, but  being  unable  to  agree,  two  con- 
ventions were  held.  The  first,  dominated 
by  the  agricultural  element,  was  called  the 
Union  Labor  party,  and  nominated  Andrew 
J.  Streator  of  Illinois  for  President,  on  a 
platform  which  favored  government  owner- 
ship of  railroads,  free  silver,  the  issue  of 
legal  tender  notes  direct  to  the  people,  gov- 
ernment loans  on  land,  postal  savings-banks, 
and  an  income  tax.  The  second,  in  which 
representatives  of  labor  unions  and  railway 
employes  predominated,  called  itself  the 
United  Labor  party,  and  nominated  Robert 
H.  Cowdrey  of  Illinois  for  President,  on  a 
platform  favoring  government  ownership  of 
railroads  and  telegraph  lines,  a  direct  tax 
on  land,  government  inspection  of  work- 
shops, fewer  hours  of  labor  daily,  and  the 
Australian  ballot  system.  The  strength  of 
the  organized,  political,  agricultural  interest 
is  shown  by  Streator's  receiving  a  total  of 
140,836  votes.  During  these  years  the  Alli- 
ance continued  to  increase  in  membershiji. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  Kansas  Alliance  in 
March,  1800,  a  platform  was  adojjted  Avhich 
is  sufficiently  characterized  by  its  first  plank : 
''We  demand  legislative  enactment  appor- 
tioning the  shrinkage  of  farm  values  that 
are  under  mortgage  obligations  by  reason  of 
contraction  of  circulating  medium  or  other 
unjust  legislation  between  the  mortgagor 
and  mortgagee,  in  iu-oportion  to  their  re- 
spective interests  at  time  mortgage  was 
drawn."  Out  of  this  and  the  remaining 
planks  grew  the  principles  with  which  the 
organization  was  identified  in  later  years. 
The  first  national  convention  of  the  Alli- 
ance was  held  December,  1890,  at  Ocala,  Fla., 
following  a  period  when  the  growth  of  the 
society  in  the  Central  Mississippi  River  val- 
ley was  marked.  At  political  gatherings  of 
the  Alliance  in  the  fall  of  that  year  the  enthu- 


siasm rivalled  that  of  the  "  hard-cider  "  cam- 
paign of  1840,  one  of  the  features  being  tlie 
singing  of  i)olitical  songs  with  the  refrain, 
"  Good-by,  my  party,  good-by,"  indicating 
that  the  singers  had  found  new  political 
principles  and  formed  new  ])arty  ties.  Se- 
cret society  machinery  having  political  ends 
in  view  was  still  in  full  operation,  and  after 
the  campaign,  the  East  awoke  to  find  that 
a  third  party,  the  Alliance,  had  secured  con- 
trol of  legislatures  which  were  to  elect  sena- 
tors, had  elected  State  officers  and  Congress- 
men in  a  number  of  States,  and  had  carried 
off  bodily  the  Dakotas,  Kansas,  and  Ne- 
braska. It  was  at  the  Ocala  convention  that 
the  Alliance  ajiproved  what  has  since  been 
known  as  ''the  Ocala  platform,"  which  de- 
manded that  the  government  establish  ware- 
houses all  over  the  country,  and  lend  money 
to  farmers  on  their  crops  to  be  stored  in 
those  warehouses.  This  step  brought  the 
more  radical  theorists  throughout  the  coun- 
try into  sympathy  with  the  political  move- 
ment Avhich  was  even  then  not  at  its  full 
height,  and  in  this  manner  the  way  was 
paved  by  delegates  from  the  Alliance  and 
other  societies  for  the  organization  of  the 
National  People's  party  at  Omaha  in  1892. 
The  preamble  to  its  platform  read,  in  part, 
as  follows: 

We  meet  ....  a  nation  brought  to  the 
verge  of  moral,  political,  and  material  ruin.  Cor- 
ruption dominates  the  ballot-box,  the  legislatures, 
the  Congress,  and  touches  even  the  ermine  of  the 
bench.  The  urban  workmen  are  denied  the  right 
of  organization  for  self-protection  ;  imported  pau- 
perized labor  beats  down  their  wages  ;  a  hireling 
standing  army,  unrecognized  by  our  laws,  is  estab- 
lished to  shoot  them  down.  The  fruits  of  the  toil 
of  the  millions  are  boldly  stolen  to  build  up  colossal 
fortunes  for  a  few.  A  vast  conspiracy  against  man- 
kind has  been  organized  on  two  continents  and  it 
is  rapidly  taking  possession  of  the  world. 

Both  the  Republican  and  the  Democratic 
parties  were  denounced,  and  an  endorsement 
given  the  Alliance  Sub-Treasury  plan,  the 
free  coinage  of  silver  at  tiie  ratio  of  16  to  1, 
the  increase  of  the  circulating  medium  to 
$50  per  capita,  an  income  tax,  government 


388 


NATIONAL   UNION   OF  IRON  AND   STEEL   WORKERS 


ownership  of  railroads,  telegraphs,  and  tele- 
phones, and  the  reclamation  of  land  owned 
by  aliens.  James  E.  Weaver  of  Iowa  was 
nominated  for  President  and  received 
1,043,531  votes,  about  one  in  every  twelve 
cast,  the  largest  total  vote  ever  given  to  a 
third-2)arty  candidate.  He  received  twenty- 
two  electoral  votes,  those  of  Kansas,  Colo- 
rado, Nevada,  and  Idaho,  and  one  each  in 
North  Dakota  and  Oregon. 

The  Alliance  as  a  political  secret  society 
was  well-nigh  exhausted  after  giving  birth 
to  the  People's  party  in  1802,  but  in  1895 
it  still  retained  an  organization  and  num- 
bered probably  100,000  members.  At 
Chicago,  January  21  and  25,  1893,  it  de- 
clared that  '•  its  methods  are  non-partisan," 
and  that  its  object  is  merely  ''  to  secure 
unity  of  action,  after  full  and  intelligent  dis- 
cussion, for  the  promotion  of  such  reforms 
as  may  be  necessary  to  the  bettering  of  the 
farmer's  condition."  By  1897  little  ap- 
peared to  survive  of  the  National  Farmers' 
Alliance.  But  it  had  evidently  done  its 
work,  for  it  was  the  National  People's  party, 
the  offspring  of  the  National  Farmers'  Alli- 
ance, the  child  of  the  Patrons  of  Husbandry, 
which  secured  control  of  the"  machinery  of 
the  National  Democratic  party  in  National 
Convention  at  Chicago  in  1896,  and  polled 
6,502,685  votes  for  William  J.  Bryan,  its 
candidate  for  President  of  the  United  States, 
out  of  a  grand  total  of  13,923,643  votes. 

National  Union  of  Iron  and  Steel 
TVorker.s. — Formed  at  Pittsburg,  Pa., 
October  29,  1892,  by  rollers,  heaters,  rough- 
ers,  and  catchers,  members  of  four  of  the 
skilled  crafts  employed  in  the  finishing  de- 
partments of  the  rolling  mills  of  that  city. 
Nearly  all  of  them  had  been  members  of  the 
Amalgamated  Association  of  Iron  and  Steel 
Workers,  but  becoming  dissatisfied,  they 
organized  a  rival  society  on  similar  lines. 
The  latter  was  formed  ' '  to  maintain  uni- 
formity of  wages  for  work  of  the  same  kind 
throughout  the  United  States,"  and  soon 
spread  to  other  Western  Pennsylvania  iron 
and  steel  centres;  to  Cleveland,  Youngstown, 


and  Massillon,  0.;  Muncie,  Ind.,  and  other 
points  in  the  central  Western  States.  It 
did  not,  however,  become  a  serious  rival  to 
its  parent,  the  Amalgamated  Association. 
Its  emblem  is  a  hand  holding  the  scales  of 
justice,  and  its  ritual  teaches  the  importance 
of  unity  of  action  and  that  the  laborer  is 
worthy  of  his  hire.  The  headquarters  of 
the  society  are  at  Youngstown,  0.,  a  com- 
munication from  which  places  the  total 
membership  at  about  2,000.  (See  Amal- 
gamated Association  of  Iron  and  Steel 
Workers.) 

New  Order  of  Builders.  —  Founded 
by  William  H.  Von  Swartworst,  at  New 
York  city,  September  29,  1879,  on  primi- 
tive socialistic  lines.  It  drew  inspiration 
from  Rom.  v.  18.  :  '"'By  the  righteousness 
of  one  the  free  gift  came  uj)on  all  men." 
Membership  carried  with  it  membership  in 
the  New  Commonwealth,  Colombia,  and 
proposed  to  regenerate  society  through  the 
application  of  the  2:)rinciples  of  "  the  new 
i^olitical  economy."  By  these,  members, 
after  performing  public  service  six  hours  a 
day  (five  days  a  week,  twenty  days  in  a 
month,  and  ten  months  in  a  year)  for 
twenty-nine  years,  or  between  the  ages  of 
twenty-one  and  fifty,  are  permitted  the  en- 
joyment of  life,  liberty,  culture,  and  hap- 
piness thereafter  "  without  money  and 
without  price." 

Noble  and  Holy  Order  of  Kniglits  of 
Labor  of  America. — One  of  the  earlier 
titles  of  the  Order  of  Knights  of  Labor. 
•(See  Order  of  Knights  of  Labor.) 

Noble  Order  of  Knights  of  Labor  of 
America. — Original  title  of  the  Order  of 
Kniglits  of  Labor.  (See  Order  of  Knights 
of  Labor.) 

Order  of  Commercial  Telegraphers. 
— Formed  in  1897,  auxiliary  to  the  Order 
of  Railway  Telegraphers.     (See  the  latter.) 

Order    of   Knights    of  Labor.*— The 

*  For  some  of  the  particulars  given,  the  writer  is 
indebted  to  "  An  Historical  Sketch  of  the  Knights 
of  Labor,"  by  Carroll  D.  Wright,  published  in  tlie 
Quartei-ly  Journal   of  Economics,    January,    1887 


ORDER  OF  KNIGHTS  OF  LABOR 


389 


most  important  and  by  far  tlie  largest  se- 
cret society  in  the  United  States  organized 
in  tlio  interest  of  industrial  workers.  It 
seeks  to  amalgamate  all  trades  into  one 
great  fraternity  for  the  amelioration  of  the 
material  condition  of  the  laborer,  the  me- 
clianic,  and  the  artisan.  In  that  i  t  stands  for 
the  opposite  of  the  trades  union  ;  and,  while 
it  may  not  have  been,  it  probably  was  sug- 
gested in  part  by  the  International  Asso- 
ciation of  Workingmen,  better  known  as 
''the  International,"  organized  in  London 
in  1864  by  two  French  artisans  who  went 
there  in  18G2  to  visit  the  International 
Exhibition  and  were  impressed  by  the  in- 
fluence of  English  labor  unions.  "The 
International"  has  been  characterized  as 
the  principal  instance  of  a  labor  organi- 
zation which  sought  to  harmonize  indi- 
vidual interests  in  the  interest  of  the  whole. 
♦  For  a  time  it  grew  rapidly,  and  by  1870 
had  spread  to  the  continent  of  Europe 
and  to  the  United  States,  numbering  nearly 
100,000  members.  But  by  1871  the  French 
and  other  continental  sections  were  so  con- 
trolled by  the  radical  socialists  of  Europe 
that  the  society  went  to  pieces. 

The  original,  underlying  idea  of  "the 
International"  was  given  renewed  life  at 
Philadelphia,  Pa.,  on  Thanksgiving  Day, 
18G9,  when  Uriah  S.  Stephens  founded  the 
second  great  secret  society  in  which  all 
trades  were  to  be  recognized,  the  Noble 
Order  of  Knights  of  Labor  of  America. 
Mr.  Stephens  belonged  to  the  Garment 
Cutters'  Union  of  Philadelphia,  an  organi- 
zation which  had  proved  unsatisfactory  as 
a  means  to  sustain  the  rate  of  wages,  and 
had,  for  several  years,  planned  a  society  to 
embrace  "all  brandies  of  honorable  toil," 
which,  through  education,  cooperation,  and 
an  intelligent  use  of  the  ballot,  "  sliould 

(George  II.  Ellis,  Boston)  ;  for  others,  to  John  W. 
Hayes,  General  Secretary-Treasurer  of  the  Order  of 
Knights  of  Labor  ;  and  to  the  sketch  of  Uriah  S. 
Stephens,  published  in  The  People  (tlie  organ  of 
the  Socialist  Labor  party),  New  York,  November 
11.  1894. 


gradually  abolish  the  present  wages  sys- 
tem." lie  was  born  August  3,  1821,  in 
Cape  May  County,  New  Jersey.  II is 
grandfather  was  killed  fighting  for  the 
independence  of  the  colonies  in  the  War 
of  the  Revolution,  but  his  mother's  people 
were  Xew  Jersey  Quakers.  After  a  brief 
attendance  at  a  Baptist  theological  semi- 
nary he  was  compelled  by  the  business  re- 
verses of  1836  to  1840  to  learn  a  trade  and 
engage  in  mercantile  pursuits,  after  which 
he  taught  school.  In  1845  he  removed  to 
Philadelphia.  Between  1853  and  1858  he 
travelled  in  Mexico,  California,  Central 
America,  the  West  Indies,  England,  Ger- 
many, and  Belgium.  In  London  he  be- 
came intimate  with  the  tailor  Eccarius, 
who  ten  years  later  was  a  member  of  the 
General  Council  of  "the  International." 
On  his  return  to  Philadelphia  he  found 
the  "  labor  question  *'  still  prominent,  and 
endeavored,  although  unsuccessfully,  to  in- 
duce capitalists  to  make  industrial  invest- 
ments in  South  and  Central  America  and 
other  sparsely  settled  countries,  in  order 
to  colonize  surplus  American  labor.  His 
efforts  to  secure  Northern  capital  to  build 
tip  manufacturing  enterprises  in  the  South- 
ern States  and  to  relieve  congested  labor 
markets  at  the  North,  were  likewise  fruit- 
less, but  they  stamp  hiuj  as  a  true  projihet 
who  was  only  one  generation  ahead  of 
the  march  of  events.  In  j^olitics  he  was 
an  abolitionist,  and  though  he  took  the 
stump  for  Fremont,  and  again  for  Lincoln, 
he  was  never  a  seeker  of  public  otiice.  He 
was  a  })rominent  worker  in  the  greenback 
movement  twenty-five  years  ago.  and  is 
declared  to  have  been  responsible  for  the 
incorporation  of  the  word  labor  in  the 
name  of  the  political  party  to  which  that 
movement  gave  birth.  His  unsuccessful 
candidacy  for  Congress,  in  1878,  was  forced 
upon  him  by  the  Greenback  Labor  party. 
It  was  about  ten  years  prior  to  his  nomina- 
tion for  Congress  that  his  attention  was 
particularly  drawn  to  the  need,  on  the  part 
of  labor,  of  something  better  than  the  mere 


890 


ORDER  OF  KXIGHTS  OF  LABOR 


trades  iniiou,  aud  in  1867-68  he  received 
considerable  literature  on  sociological 
questions  from  his  London  acquaintance, 
Eccarius  the  tailor,  who  had  since  risen 
high  in  the  councils  of  "  the  International," 
aud  among  the  works  sent  him  was  a  copy 
of  the  communist  manifesto  by  Marx  and 
Engels.  The  increase  of  corporate  enter- 
prises, the  progress  of  cooi^eration,  as 
shown  in  the  growth  of  building  and  loan 
societies,  together  with  the  practically  un- 
improved condition  of  labor,  even  Avith  its 
system  of  trades  unions,  evidently  made  a 
strong  imi^ression  upon  him.  The  Gar- 
ment Cutters'  Union,  to  Avhicli  he  belonged, 
finally  disbanded  late  in  1869,  and,  on  in- 
vitation, a  few  of  its  members  met  at  his 
house,  November  25  of  that  year,  where 
he  unfolded  his  plan  of  an  organization  to 
be  known  as  "  The  Noble  and  Holy  Order 
of  the  Knights  of  Labor."  Except  for  the 
sentiment  which  underlaid  it  in  common 
with  "the  International,'"  the  projected 
order  was  a  new  and  radical  departure. 
Stephens  held,  first,  that  surplus  labor 
always  keej)s  wages  down,  and,  second, 
that  nothing  can  remedy  this  evil  but  a 
purely  and  deeply  secret  organization, 
based  upon  a  plan  that  shall  teach,  or 
rather  inculcate,  organization,  and  at  the 
same  time  educate. its  membership  to  one 
set  of  ideas  ultimately  subversive  of  the 
present  wage  system. 

The  six  other  Philadelphia  garment  cut- 
ters who  met  with  Stephens  to  form  a 
secret  society  were  James  L.  Wright,  Eob- 
ert  C.  Macauley,  Joseph  S.  Kennedy,  Will- 
iam Cook,  Robert  W.  Keene,  and  James 
M.  Hilsee,  and  at  a  meeting  held  Decem- 
ber 28,  1869,  obligations  and  a  ritual 
were  adopted  and  the  title  abbreviated  to 
Knights  of  Labor.  The  society  began  as 
one  of  the  most  secret  in  character,  mem- 
bers being  bound  not  to  mention  its  name 
outside  of  the  assemblies.  In  circulars, 
rej)orts,  and  in  referring  verbally  to  the 
Order,  *****  or  five  stars  were  nsed. 
In  the  historical  sketch  of  the  Order,  by 


Carroll  D.  Wright,  he  states  :  "  Mr.  Ste- 
jjliens  brought  into  the  ritual  of  the  new 
Order  many  of  the  features  of  speculative 
Masonry,  especially  in  the  forms  and  cere- 
monies observed."  In  a  sketch  of  the  life 
of  Stephens,  published  in  1894,  it  said  : 
"  Stephens  drew  up  the  secret  work  and 
constitution  of  the  Order  of  the  Knights  of 
Labor.  This  was  done  in  the  external  form 
of  the  secret  societies  of  Freemasons,  but 
upon  the  i^hilosophic  principles  of  social- 
ism.'"' Some  of  the  accounts  mention  Will- 
iam H,  Phillips  and  David  Wescott  among 
the  original  members,  making  nine  instead 
of  seven.  The  first  to  be  admitted  among 
them  were  William  Fennimore  and  Henry 
L.  Sinexon.  The  motto  adopted  was  the  one, 
now  well  known,  "  That  is  the  most  per- 
fect government  in  which  an  injury  to  one 
is  the  concern  of  all."  An  equilateral  tri- 
angle within  a  circle  was  selected  as  the  * 
principal  emblem,  the  meaning  of  which  is 
confided  to  members  only.  Whether  it 
conveys  anything  more  than  is  taught  in 
Freemasonry  is  not  likely  to  be  known 
except  to  Freemasons  Avho  are  Knights  of 
Labor.  The  design  as  a  whole,  the  triangle 
within  the  circle,  and  ''A.  K.  the  9th," 
the  whole  inscribed  in  a  pentagon  in  a 
circle  within  a  hexagon  within  another 
circle,  resting  upon  an  inverted  five-pointed 
star,  suggests  excursions  by  the  founders  of 
the  Order  into  the  symbolism  employed  in 
some  of  the  higher  degrees  of  Scottish  Rite 
Freemasonr}'.  At  the  outset,  physicians 
were  not  eligible  as  members,  because  pro- 
fessional confidence  might  force  the  so- 
ciety's secrets  into  unfriendly  ears,  but 
this  rule  was  repealed  in  1881.  Profes- 
sional politicians  were  likewise  excluded, 
but  they  are  eligible  now.  Lawyers,  liquor 
sellers,  and  professional  gamblers  were  and 
still  are  denied  the  privilege  of  member- 
ship. The  secrecy  thrown  about  the  Order 
at  the  beginning  was  so  profound  that  its 
growth  was  slow,  the  total  membership  six 
months  after  it  was  founded  being  only 
forty-three,   all   garment    cutters.     It    was 


ORDER  OF  KNIGHTS  OF  LABOR 


391 


not  until  October  20,  1870,  that  a  member 
was  elected  from  any  other  trade,  after 
which  progress  was  more  rajiid. 

When  a  member  found  a  man  who  was 
considered  worthy  of  admission,  he  ques- 
tioned him  as  to  his  oi)inions  concerning  the 
elevation  of  labor,  and  if  his  sentiments 
were  found  in  accord  Avith  the  objects  of 
the  Order,  his  name  was  brought  before  a 
meeting  of  the  organization  and  a  commit- 
tee was  a])pointed  to  investigate  his  qualifi- 
cations. The  member  who  proposed  the 
candidate  was  not  allowed  to  act  on  the 
committee.  When  the  committee  reported, 
the  candidate  was  balloted  for,  and  if  re- 
jected no  further  mention  was  made  of  the 
matter  to  any  one.  The  candidate  was 
kept  in  ignorance  of  what  had  transpired, 
and  the  members,  even  those  who  had  voted 
against  his  admission,  would  treat  him  with 
the  same  consideration  in  the  workshop  as 
before.  If  the  candidate  was  elected,  the 
friend  who  proposed  him  would  on  some 
pretext  invite  him  to  a  meeting,  a  party 
or  ball,  or  a  gathering  of  some  kind,  and 
manage  to  secure  his  presence  at  the  regular 
meeting  place  of  the  assembly  on  the  night 
of  initiation,  and  when  the  candidate  for 
the  first  time  learned  that  he  was  to  join  a 
society,  he  was  at  the  same  time  led  to  be- 
lieve that  his  friend  had  also  been  invited 
there  for  the  same  pur])Ose,  so  that  in  case 
of  failure  to  initiate,  the  elected  one  would 
not  even  then  know  that  his  friend  was 
connected  with  the  society.  This  method 
of  securing  members  was  kept  up  for  several 
j'ears,  and  is  now  practised  by  many  of  the 
assemblies.  The  reason  for  this  was  be- 
cause public  associations  had,  after  centuries 
of  struggle,  proved  failures.  It  was  also 
claimed  that  if  the  Order  worked  openly,  so 
that  its  members  might  be  known  to  the 
public,  it  would  expose  them  to  the  scru- 
tiny, and  in  time  to  the  wrath,  of  their  em- 
ployers, so  it  was  deemed  best  to  work  in 
such  a  way  as  to  avoid  comment  and 
scrutiny.  The  troubles  which  were  at  that 
time  attracting  attention  toward  the  coal- 


fields,* from  which  Philadelphia  received 
its  principal  supply  of  fuel,  also  influenced 
the  members  of  the  new  Order,  because 
through  open  and  })ublic  association  the 
miners  of  the  coal-fields  had  allowed  des- 
perate men  to  gain  admission  to  their  so- 
cieties. The  veil  of  secrecy  was  necessary, 
therefore,  to  shield  members  from  perse- 
cution. 

Mr.  Stej^hens  and  his  co-laborers  sought 
to  u2)hold  the  dignity  of  labor.  Every 
lawful  and  honorable  means  was  to  be 
resorted  to,  to  procure  and  retain  em- 
ployment for  one  another,  and  it  mattered 
not  to  what  country,  color,  or  creed  the 
member  belonged,  if  misfortune  befell  liim 
he  was  to  receive  the  aid  and  comfort  of  his 
fellow  members.  Strikes  were  discounte- 
nanced, but  when  it  became  justly  necessary 
to  make  use  of  that  weapon  it  was  intended 
to  aid  such  members  as  might  suffer  loss  ; 
in  short,  it  was  the  intention  to  extend  a 
helping  hand  to  every  branch  of  trade 
which  made  a  part  of  the  vast  industrial 
forces  of  the  country.  The  members  were 
not  taught  that  idleness  was  to  be  respected 
in  any  one,  and  the  newly  initiated  soon 
realized  that  those  who  surrounded  him 
were  not  there  to  spend  their  time  in  idle 
amusement.  It  was  not  until  July,  1872, 
that  Assembly  No.  3  was  organized,  but 
in  1873  over  eighty  assemblies  of  various 
trades  and  occupations  had  been  formed. 
In  1873  the  Order  spread  rapidly  in  Phila- 
delphia, no  less  than  twenty  local  assem- 
blies being  formed  with  representatives  of 
as  many  lines  of  trade.  It  spread  to  Xew 
York  a  year  later,  where  local  Assembly 
No.  28  was  organized  by  the  goldbeaters. 
By  1875  fifty-two  local  assemblies  had 
been  formed  in  Philadelphia,  with  252 
scattered  throughout  the  mining  regiuiis  of 
Pennsylvania,  in  West  Virginia,  Indiana, 
and  Illinois.  The  first  District  Assembly 
was  formally  established  at  Philadelphia, 
December  25,  1873,  but  the  Order  had  no 

*See  Molly  Muguiros. 


392 


ORDER  OF  KNIGHTS  OF  LABOR 


expressed  declaration  of  principles  or  pre- 
amble beyond  those  referred  to  until  Janu- 
ar}',  1878,  when  delegates  from  the  scattered 
assemblies  met  in  general  convention  at 
Reading,  Pa.,  and  organized  the  General 
Assembly,  or  national  governing  body,  to 
wliicli  District  Assemblies,  formed  of  rep- 
resentatives of  local  assemblies,  were  sub- 
ordinate. Mr.  Stejihens,  the  founder  of 
the  Order,  was  the  first  Master  Workman  of 
local  Assembly  No.  1  ;  first  District  Mas- 
ter Workman  of  District  Assembly  No.  1, 
and  first  Grand  Master  Workman  of  the 
General  Assembly. 

At  the  Reading  Convention  seventeen 
trades  were  represented  from  seven  States, 
and  among  the  delegates  was  Terence  V. 
Powderly,  afterwards  Grand  Master  Work- 
man of  the  Order.  Up  to  this  period, 
for  nine  years,  the  strictest  secrecy  had 
been  maintained  respecting  the  Order,  its 
name,  membership,  and  purposes,  which, 
as  claimed,  tended  to  restrict  its  growth. 
This  seems,  in  part,  Avell  founded,  for 
despite  exaggerated  reports  at  the  time,  the 
total  membership  was  probably  not  in  ex- 
cess of  10,000.  It  was  not  until  1883  that 
so  many  as  50,000  were  enrolled.  During 
1877-78,  two  factions  appeared,  one  headed 
by  Stephens,  desirous  of  maintaining  the 
extremely  secret  character  of  the  Order, 
with  its  solemn  oaths  or  obligations  taken 
on  the  Bible,  and  the  other  made  up  of  the 
Roman  Catholic  members  and  the  influence 
of  that  Church  against  secret  societies  in 
general,  and,  at  that  time,  the  Knights  of 
Labor.  At  a  special  session  of  the  General 
Assembly,  June,  1878,  resolutions  to  make 
public  the  name  of  the  Order,  omit  from 
the  ritual  scriptural  quotations,  and  modify 
the  initiatory  ceremonies  "  so  as  to  remove 
the  opposition  coming  from  the  Church," 
were  submitted  to  the  vote  of  the  local  and 
District  Assemblies,  and  through  the  influ- 
ence of  these  some  of  the  changes  referred 
to  were  made,  so  that  the  prejudice  against 
the  Knights  of  Labor  on  account  of  Catho- 
lic opposition  gradually  disappeared.     The 


Order  then  took  on  new  strength,  until,  in 
1879,  there  were  twenty-three  District  As- 
semblies and  about  1,300  local  assemblies 
in  the  United  States. 

The  action  of  the  Order  in  nominally 
removing  the  veil  of  secrecy  from  much 
that  had  been  hidden  was  a  great  blow  to 
Stephens.  He  fought  the  change,  and  suc- 
ceeded in  delaying  it  for  a  time.  In  Jan- 
uary, 1879,  he  was  reelected  Grand  Master 
Workman,  but  unable  to  overcome  the  pres- 
sure in  favor  of  the  ncAV  plan,  he  resigned 
his  office,  and  was  succeeded  in  September, 
1879,  by  T.  V.  Powderly.  Mr.  Stephens 
remained  an  active  member  of  his  local 
assembly  until  his  death,  due  to  heart  fail- 
ure, in  1883.  His  memory  is  revered  by 
all  Knights  of  Labor,  and  at  the  conven- 
tion of  the  Order  at  Richmond,  in  1886, 
$10,000  was  appropriated  for  the  erection 
of  a  home  for  his  family.  Official  reports 
of  the  growth  of  the  Order  placed  the  total 
membership  at  52,000  in  1883,  71,000  in 
1884,  111,000  in  1885,  and  711,000  in  1886, 
a  remarkable  increase.  In  1 881  women  were 
made  eligible  to  membership,  and  many 
have  availed  themselves  of  the  privilege. 
There  had  been  14,000  local  assemblies 
chartered  by  January  1,  1897,  18  State  As- 
semblies, 21  national  or  local  trade  Dis- 
trict Assemblies,  260  District  Assemblies, 
and  one  National  Assembly,  that  in  New 
Zealand.  The  Order  may  well  be  described 
as  international  in  scope,  as  assemblies 
have  also  been  established  in  Great  Britain 
and  France,  where  there  were  reported  to  l)e 
100,000  members  in  1896  ;  Belgium,  Aus- 
tralia, South  Africa,  and  Hawaii.  It  favors 
the  initiative  and  referendum  in  the  enact- 
ment of  laws  ;  the  establishment  of  bureaus 
of  labor  statistics  ;  making  "  gambling  in 
the  necessaries  of  life  "  a  felony  ;  the  abro- 
gation of  laws  that  do  not  bear  equally  on 
capital  and  labor ;  the  adoption  of  laws 
providing  for  the  health  and  safety  of  those 
engaged  in  mining,  manufacturing,  and 
building  industi'ies ;  and  indemnification 
for  injury  received  through  lack  of  neces- 


ORDER   OF   KNIGHTS   OF   LABOR 


393 


sary  safeguards  ;  compelling  corporations 
to  pay  their  employes  weekly  in  lawful 
money  ;  the  enactment  of  laws  providing 
for  arbitration  between  employers  and  em- 
ployes ;  the  prohibition  of  the  employment 
of  children  nnder  lifteen  years  of  age  ;  com- 
pulsory education,  and  the  furnishing  of 
free  text  books  at  the  expense  of  the  State  ; 
a  graduated  tax  on  incomes  and  inherit- 
ances ;  the  prohibition  of  the  hiring  of  con- 
vict labor  ;  the  establishment  of  a  iiational 
monetary  system,  in  which  a  circulating 
medium  in  necessary  quantity  shall  issue 
directly  to  the  jieople,  without  the  inter- 
vention of  banks  ;  a  law  that  the  national 
issue  shall  be  full  legal  tender  in  payment 
of  all  debts,  public  and  private  ;  that  the 
government  shall  not  guarantee  or  rec- 
ognize any  private  banks,  or  create  any 
banking  corporations ;  that  interest-bear- 
ing bonds,  bills  of  credit,  or  notes  shall 
never  be  issued  by  the  government,  but 
that,  when  need  arises,  the  emergency  shall 
be  met  by  issue  of  legal-tender,  non-inter- 
est-bearing money ;  the  prohibition  of  the 
importation  of  foreign  labor  under  con- 
tract ;  the  establishment  of  postal  savings 
banks,  and  compelling  all  other  banks  to 
give  approved  security  in  twice  the  amount 
of  all  deposits  received  by  tliem  ;  govern- 
ment control  of  the  trans^iortation  of  pas- 
sengers, intelligence,  and  freight;  the 
establishment  of  cooperative  institutions 
wherever  possible  to  supersede  the  wage 
S3'stem  and  ecjual  rights  for  both  sexes. 

Foreign  jurisdictions  have  the  right  to  so 
amend  the  preamble  of  the  Order  "  as  to 
them  may  seem  most  likely  to  secure  the 
just  demands  of  labor  in  their  respective 
countries,"  subject  to  the  approval  of  the 
General  Assembly  or  the  General  Executive 
Board,  No  regard  is  paid  by  tlie  Knights 
to  sex,  color,  creed,  or  nationality  in  its 
requirements  for  membership,  beyond  the 
fact  that  a  candidate  must  be  eighteen 
years  of  age.  Dues  are  regulated  by  local 
assemblies.  An  entrance  fee  and  a  monthly 
rate    are    charged,    besides   a   per    capita 


assessment  of  two  cents  per  month  for  the 
General  Assembly,  Local  assemblies  can 
proclaim  a  boycott  of  men  or  of  goods  in 
their  own  districts,  A  strike  may  be  or- 
dered by  a  local  assembly,  but  to  draw 
support  from  the  Order  outside  the  region 
of  the  local  assembly,  the  strike  must  be 
legalized  by  the  District  Assembly,  and  in 
case  further  aid  is  necessary,  a  general  as- 
sessment may  be  ordered  by  the  General 
Assembly, 

There  have  been  several  schisms  in  the 
Order,  none  of  which  has  survived  or  ex- 
ercised any  appreciable  influence  on  the 
parent  society.  In  1883  trouble  in  the 
organization  at  Baltimore  led  to  the  forma- 
tion of  the  Improved  Order  of  Advanced 
Knights  of  Labor,  which  lasted  long  enough 
to  formulate  a  ritual.  Soon  after,  a  split 
at  Binghamton  resulted  in  another  Order, 
called  Independent  Knights  of  Labor, 
which  died  in  the  spring  of  1884,  In  1887 
a  Provisional  Order  was  started  by  members 
of  the  International  Workingmen's  Associa- 
tion, and  tluit  was  followed  Ijy  the  Brother- 
hood of  L'nited  Labor.  But  the  most 
formidable  secession  was  that  at  Columbus, 
0.,  in  February,  1895,  which  resulted  in 
the  formation  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
the  Knights  of  Labor  by  William  B.  Wilson 
of  Pennsylvania,  a  miner;  Charles  R.Martin, 
who  was  a  candidate  for  Secretary  of  State 
in  Ohio,  on  the  Populist  ticket  in  1894,  and 
otherSjWith  an  alleged  membership  of  20,000 
glass  workers,  brass  workers  and  coal  miners. 
As  an  excuse  for  this  action  the  founders 
of  the  Independent  Order  charged  arbitrary 
management  by  the  officers  of  the  General 
Assembly,  Knights  of  Labor  and  misman- 
agement of  the  finances.  One  difference 
bet\veen  the  constitution  of  the  old  and  the 
new  Knights  was  that,  whereas  the  Com- 
mittee on  Credentials  is  appointed  by  the 
general  officers  sixty  days  before  the  annual 
convention  in  the  old  Order,  in  the  new 
this  committee  was  to  be  elected  by  the 
delegates  at  the  convention.  The  new 
Order  also  made  a  chancre  in  the  method  of 


394 


ORDER   OF   RAILWAY   CONDUCTORS   OF  AMERICA 


voting,  adopting  the  American  Federation 
of  Labor  plan,  by  which  each  1,000  mem- 
bers of  any  organized  trade  are  entitled  to 
one  delegate.  After  a  colorless  existence  of 
two  years  this  organization  was  absorbed  by 
the  Knights  of  Labor. 

The  American  Federation  of  Labor  is  a 
non-secret  confederation  of  trades  unions, 
of  which  Grand  Master  Workman  Sovereign 
of  the  Knights  of  Labor  declared  in  1896 
that  it  had  proved  too  loose  in  its  organized 
capacity  and  too  weak  in  its  test  of  mem- 
bership to  resist  the  onslaughts  of  capital. 
For  a  while  the  Independent  Order  of  the 
Knights  of  Labor  a^jpeared  likely  to  disrupt 
the  older  organization,  but  it  did  not,  and 
gradually  disappeared  from  public  view.  Mr. 
Powderly  was  succeeded  as  Grand  Master 
Workman  in  1893  by  James  E.  Sovereign, 
who  identified  the  Knights  with  the  fight 
for  the  free  coinage  of  silver  in  the  jiresi- 
dential  campaign  of  1896.  He  also  signal- 
ized his  accession  to  office  by  advocating  an 
entirely  new  secret  work  for  the  Order, 
*'with  stronger  obligations, ''  a  degree 
known  as  the  "  Minute  Men,"  and,  as  far  as 
possible,  "  a  return  to  our  former  system  of 
working  in  absolute  secrecy."'  In  this  he 
sought  to  reverse  the  policy  which  ushered 
in  and  maintained  Mr.  Powderly  in  office 
for  fourteen  years,  aild  signalized  a  tendency 
to  return  to  the  position  of  the  founder  of 
the  Order.  These  points  lend  color  to  tlie 
charge  that  the  members  of  the  Xew  York 
city  secret  society,  The  Triangle,  have 
greater  influence  among  the  Knights  than 
they  had  a  few  years  ago.  The  Triangle  is 
the  name  of  an  extremely  secret  organiza- 
tion of  New  York  city  socialists,  members 
of  the  Knights.  The  latter,  as  may  be  in- 
ferred, represent  the  Stephens  side  of.  the 
dissension  in  the  Order  in  1878-1879  which 
resulted  in  Powderly's  election  after  the 
founder  of  the  Order  had  resigned  as  Grand 
Master  Workman.  That  they  favor  a 
closely  guarded  secret  organization  goes 
without  saying.  They  stand  for  the  triumph 
of    socialism   and    are    prominent    in   the 


Socialistic  Labor  Party  in  New  York  city. 
(See  The  Triangle. )  The  Order  of  Knights 
of  Labor's  largest  total  membership  is  stated 
by  General  Secretary-Treasurer  John  W. 
Hayes  to  have  been  729,677,  in  July,  1886. 
In  June,  1894,  the  total  was  235,000,  and 
early  in  1897  it  was  about  175,000. 

Order  of  Railway  Conductors  of 
America. — A  secret  trades  union  founded 
by  James  Packard  and  William  Wier  of 
Amboy,  111.,  and  E.  A.  Sadd  of  Chicago,  in 
1868.  It  pays  total  disability  and  death  ben- 
efits. Beneficiary  membership  is  obligatory, 
and  tlie  Order  has  paid  more  than  $2,000,- 
000  to  relatives  of  deceased  members.  More 
than  20,000  conductors  on  railways  in  the 
Unitecl  States,  Mexico,  and  the  Canadian 
Dominion  belong  to  this  Order,  which  in  its 
ceremonials  and  ritual  suggests  Masonic  in- 
fluence. Local  bodies  pay  sick  benefits,  and 
the  Order  at  large  is  assessed  to  meet  death 
benefits,  which  range  from  $1,000  to  $5,000. 
The  Ladies'  Auxiliary  of  the  Order  of 
Railway  Conductors  is  separately  organized. 
The  organization  of  the  Conductors'  Order 
Avas  naturally  suggested  by  the  Brotherhood 
of  Locomotive  Engineers  formed  five  years 
before,  in  1863.  Tlie  only  serious  check  to 
the  growth  of  the  Order  was  \n  1894  and 
1895,  which  has  since  been  overcome.  Its 
chief  emblem  is  characteristic  of  the  em- 
ployment of  the  members,  and  to  the  stu- 
dent of  secret  societies  is  sufficiently  sug- 
gestive. (See  Brotherhood  of  Locomotive 
Engineers  and  the  American  Railway 
Union.)  In  July,  1897,  a  coalition  was 
formed  between  the  conductors,  engineers, 
firemen,  trainmen,  and  telegraphers,  for 
the  protection  of  joint  interests. 

Order  of  Railway  Telegraphers. — 
Formed  by  twelve  railway  telegraph  oper- 
ators at  Cedar  Rapids,  Iowa,  in  1886,  nom- 
inally with  weekly  sick  and  disability  ben- 
efit features.  It  became  a  secret  trades 
union.  In  earlier  days  its  power  to  enforce 
its  demands  or  position  was  relatively 
greater  than  of  late  years,  owing  to  the  enor- 
mous increase  in  the  number  of  available 


ORDER   OF   PATRONS   OF   HUSBANDRY 


395 


operators  tlirougliout  tlie  country.  In 
a  number  of  struggles  witli  niilway  and 
telegrapli  companies  the  Order  was  success- 
ful, but  the  comparative  ease  with  which 
non-union  operators  may  be  secured  had 
much  to  do  with  the.  decline  of  the  Order. 
In  1895  its  membership  did  not  exceed 
2,500,  although  it  had  been  more  than  four 
times  that  total.  It  was  organized  three 
years  after  the  Brotherhood  of  Railway 
Trainmen  appeared,  and  may  be  classed 
among  the  various  railway  brotherhoods 
and  orders  with  which  it  has  cooperated. 
The  American  Railway  Union  claimed  to 
have  sedured  many  railway  telegraphers  in 
its  efforts  to  federate  railway  employes  in 
one  imposing  secret  organization,  but  no 
statistics  are  given  of  the  number  en- 
rolled. 

The  telegraphers'  Order  took  on  a  new 
lease  of  life  early  in  1896  and  has  grown 
rapidly  ever  since,  numbering  about  12,000 
at  the  time  of  the  Peoria  convention  in 
1897.  An  auxiliary  body  was  organized 
at  the  Peoria  convention  to  be  known  as 
the  Order  of  Commercial  Telegraphers,  the 
object  of  which  is  to  unite  in  one  body 
telegraphers  of  the  Western  Union  and 
the  Postal  Telegraph  companies.  The  new 
Order  is  to  be  managed  by  the  Order  of 
Railway  Telegraphers  until  3,000  members 
have  been  secured,  when  the  former  is  to 
take  charge  of  its  own  affairs.  A  peculiarity 
of  the  new  Order  is  that  it  is  to  have  no 
subordinate  lodges.  A  ladies'  auxiliary 
of  the  Order  of  Railway  Telegraphers  was 
also  an  outcome  of  the  Peoria  meeting, 
which  will  seek  to  parallel  the  work  done 
for  other  railway  orders  by  women  relatives 
of  members  of  the  same. 

In  July,  1897,  the  telegraphers  entered 
into  an  alliance  with  the  railway  engineers, 
firemen,  conductors,  and  similar  orders. 

Order  of  the  Grand  Orient. — Recently 
constructed  from  existing  rites  to  teach  the 
true  fraternity  and  equality  of  all  men,  ele- 
vate them  socially,  and  "  to  germinate 
thouEjht  and  gather  reason  for  svmbolism." 


Records  at  hand  state  that  it  is  conferred 
*'  in  nearly  all  large  cities." 

Order  of  the  Mystie  Brotherhood 

A  secret,  oath-bound  body  of  Kansas  voters, 
who  declare  that  the  prohibition  laws  of 
that  State  do  not  prohibit,  and  demand  that 
the  liquor  clause  in  the  State  Constitution 
be  re-submitted  to  the  people.  It  is  an  out- 
growth of  the  old  Anti-prohibition  League, 
formed  in  1882,  '*  to  secure  the  election  of 
a  re-submission  governor  ;  was  organized  in 
1894,  and  seeks  to  secure  the  election  of  the 
necessary  number  of  State  legislators  to  re- 
submit the  prohibitory  statutes.  Its  leaders 
claimed  80,000  members  in  1890.  In  form 
it  is  a  regular  secret  society  with  an  initiatory 
ceremony,  signs,  symbols,  obligations,  etc., 
and  among  its  leaders  are  found  ])rominent 
members  of  the  Republican,  Democratic, 
and  Populist  jiarties. 

Order  of  Patrons  of  Husbandry. — 
The  National  Grange  or  governing  body  of 
this  Order  was  founded  December  4,  18C7, 
by  0.  n.  Kelley,  a  Freemason,  and  William 
Saunders  of  the  Agricultural  Bureau  at 
Washington,  John  R.  Thompson,  John 
Trimble,  F.  M.  McDowell,  William  M.  Ire- 
land, and  Rev.  A.  B.  Grosch  of  that  Bureau 
and  of  the  Treasury  and  Post  Office  De])art- 
ments,  and  Caroline  A.  Ilall  of  Boston,  a 
niece  of  ^Ir.  Kelley,  exclusively  for  men  and 
women  representatives  of  the  agricultural 
population.  It  opposes  the  "single  tax" 
theory;  seeks  to  bring  producers  and  con- 
sumers into  direct  and  friendly  relations;  to 
eliminate,  so  far  as  possible,  the  rti  ddleman; 
to  encourage  and  increase  cheap  tiansj^orta- 
tion;  opposes  excessive  rates  of  interest  and 
exorbitant  profits;  favors  agricultural  and 
industrial  colleges  and  all  the  arts  that  adorn 
the  home,  and  prohibits  the  discussion  of 
sectarian  and  i)artisan  questions  at  meetings. 
While  purely  a  farmers'  institution,  it  is  an 
agricultural  brotherhood  which  "recognizes 
no  North,  no  South,  no  p]ast,  no  West." 
Professional  men,  artisans,  laborers,  mer- 
chants, and  manufacturers  are  excluded, 
"because    thev   have   not    sufficient   direct 


39G 


ORDER  OF  PATRONS  OF  HUSBANDRY 


interest  in  tilling  the  soil,  or  may  have  some 
interest  in  conflict  with  our  purposes,"  yet 
it  hails  "  the  general  desire  for  fraternal 
harmony,  equitable  compromise,  and  earnest 
cooperation."  Among  specified  objects  are 
"to  buy  less  and  2)roduce  more;"  "  to  di- 
versify our  crops  and  crop  no  more  than  we 
can  cultivate;"  "to  condense  the  weight 
of  our  exports,  selling  less  in  the  bushel  and 
more  on  hoof  and  in  fleece,"  "less  in  lint 
and  more  in  Avarp  and  woof;"  "to  dis- 
countenance the  credit  "  and  "  every  other 
system  tending  to  bankruptcy,"  and  "  to 
avoid  litigation"  by  "arbitration  in  the 
Grange. "  In  an  account  of  the  twenty-fifth 
anniversary  of  the  organization  of  the  "  first 
Grange  in  the  world,"  that  established  at 
Fredonia,  Chautauqua  County,  X.  Y.,  April 
20  and  21,  1868,  appears  the  following  ex- 
planation of  the  inspiration  of  the  secret 
work  of  the  Order: 

The  Order  of  Free  and  Accepted  Masons  is  the 
surviving  result  of  organization  among  artisan 
laborers,  entered  into  first  at  the  building  of  Solo- 
mon's Temple  and  the  pyramids  centui'ies  ago. 
Agricultural  labor  has  been  unorganized  through 
all  the  ages  and  in  consequence  has  been  kept  under 
foot  at  the  mercy  of  the  trades  and  professions, 
dishonored  and  despised,  as  the  slaveliolder  despises 
the  slave,  from  the  very  fact  that  lie  will  permit 
himself  to  remain  a  slave.  .  .  .  The  Order  of 
Patrons  of  Husbandry  .  .  .  Avas  the  first  at- 
tempt to  introduce  the  benefits  of  thorough  organi- 
zation among  agricultural  laborers  along  the  same 
lines  that  have  made  the  Masonic  Order  so  wide- 
spread and  powerful  for  many  centuries  of  the 
world's  history. 

After  the  close  of  the  Civil  War,  after 
Grant  had  said  of  the  Confederate  soldiers, 
"'  Let  these  men  keep  their  horses;  the}'  will 
need  them  to  put  in  their  crops,"  President 
Johnson,  through  the  Commissioner  of  Agri- 
culture, sent  a  representative  South  among 
the  farmers  and  planters  to  see  what  could 
be  done  to  place  that  section  agriculturally 
on  its  feet.  The  man  selected  for  this  mis- 
sion was  0.  H.  Kelley,  of  Boston  birth  and 
American  ancestry,  who  went  to  Minnesota 
to  farm  in  1849.  He  Avent  South  in  1866, 
and  during  the  several  months  spent  there 


became  imjiressed  Avith  the  importance  of 
organization  among  the  farmers,  something 
"above  and  beyond  sectional  and  party 
lines,"  or,  as  he  put  it,  something  that 
Avould  unite  by  the  ' '  strong  ties  of  agricul- 
ture." From  this  o^cial  trip  came  the 
suggestion  of  the  Grange,  Avhich  has  done 
much  for  a  higher  education,  enlarging  so- 
cial life,  and  enhancing  material  prosperity 
in  the  agricultural  community.  On  his  re- 
turn to  Washington,  Mr.  Kelley  unfolded 
his  plan  to  William  Saunders,  who  Avas  at 
the  head  of  the  government  experiment  gar- 
dens and  grounds,  and  to  others  named,  by 
Avhom  it  Avas  Avarmly  Avelcomed.  » It  was 
Miss  Hall,  among  the  founders,  Avho  pro- 
j)Osed  the  admission  of  women  and  that 
they  be  entitled  to  the  same  rights  and  privi- 
leges as  the  men,  thus  making  the  Patrons 
of  Husbandry  "  the  first  organization  of  its 
kind  to  admit  Avomen  to  full  membership." 
Among  the  founders,  Messrs.  McDowell,  for 
twenty  years  treasurer  of  the  National 
Grange;  Thompson,  author  of  much  of  the 
ceremonial  and  degree  Avork,  and  Ireland 
and  Grosch  are  dead.  After  the  establish- 
ment of  the  first  Grange  at  Fredonia,  IST.  Y., 
in  1868,  the  work  of  building  wp  the  Order 
Avas  sloAV.  The  first  State  Grange  was 
formed  in  Minnesota  a  year  later,  and  two 
years  afterAvard  the  State  Grange  of  Iowa 
was  organized.  Only  10  dispensations  for 
granges  Avere  granted  in  1868,  36  in  the  sec- 
ond year,  and  134  in  the  third,  but  at  the 
end  of  1872  there  were  1,005  granges. 
During  1873,  1874,  and  1875,  Avhen  the 
effects  of  the  panic  Avere  felt,  the  movement 
Avas  at  its  height  and  the  farming  commu- 
nity fairly  flocked  into  the  Order.  In  the 
first  quarter  of  1874  there  were  6,000  new 
granges  established,  and  on  two  jDarticular 
days  330  applications  for  dispensations  were 
received.  More  than  13,000  granges  AA^ere 
organized  in  1873.  Some  of  the  Southern 
granges  fell  away  during  the  "Granger" 
excitement  of  from  1873  to  1877,  became 
local  in  character,  and  Avith  changes  in  work 
and  ritual  became  knoAvn  as  the  Agricultural 


ORDER  OF  PATRONS  OF  HUSBANDRY 


397 


Wheel.  In  1880  the  Farmers'  Alliance  was 
born,  a  secret  political  organization  of 
farmers  and  planters,  which  swallowed  the 
Agricultural  Wheel  and  drew  heavily  upon 
more  restless  spirits  among  the  Patrons  of 
Husband r}'.  It  was  a  child  of  the  Grange, 
being  the  natural  overflow  of  impatience 
and  impetuousness  which  had  been  dammed 
np  among  the  husbandmen  who  had  en- 
listed in  an  army  of  peace  and  education. 
!N^otwithstanding  these  diversions  the  Pat- 
rons of  Husbandry  continued  to  grow,  at 
one  time  extending  to  thirty-five  States,  the 
Dominion  of  Canada,  England,  France, 
Germany,  and  Australia.  Its  grand  total 
membership  in  this  country  in  1896  was 
162,000,  and  there  were  no  Granges 
abroad,  except  in  the  Dominion  of  Cauada. 
Since  its  organization  more  than  27,000 
Oranges  have  been  instituted  and  more 
than  1,200,000  members  initiated.  When 
its  membership  was  largest,  the  Order  at- 
temjDted  several  methods  of  materially  aid- 
ing its  members,  among  them  cooperative 
projects,  the  owning  of  elevators  and  steam- 
boats, and  the  establishment  of  mammoth 
"buying  and  selling  agencies,  all  of  Avhich 
proved  conspicuous  failures.  But  suj3cess- 
ful  efforts  have  been  made  at  cooperation 
in  fire  insurance  and  in  buying  supplies  in 
quantities  from  first  hands,  particularly  by 
State  Granges  in  Texas.  Xew  York,  New 
Jersey,  and  New  England.  The  Order,  like 
Scottish  Kite  Freemasonry,  is  governed  from 
the  top,  the  National  Grange,  as  stated, 
having  been  the  first  body  organized.  The 
use  of  the  word  "  Granger,"  as  synonymous 
with  '"countryman"  (see  Standard  Dic- 
tionary), is  the  outgrowth  of  indiscrimi- 
nate reference  to  farmers  as  grangers  by  the 
newspaper  press  between  1873  and  1880. 
At  that  period  ''the  farmer  was,''  as  the 
"Nation"  said,  ''the  spoiled  child  of  poli- 
tics," and  the  most  conspicuous  farmers' 
organization  was  the  Order  of  Patrons  of 
Husbandry,  the  governing  body  of  which 
was  called  the  National  Grange.  State  or- 
ganizations were  controlled  bv  State  Granires, 


while  subordinate  bodies,  corresponding  to 
lodges,  were  called  granges,  and  members 
thereof,  grangers.  It  is  a  matter  of  easy 
recollection  that  for  years  following  the  war 
enormous  sums  of  money  were  spent  and 
empires  of  prairie  land  given  away  in  ex- 
tending, develo])ing,  and  paralleling  railway 
systems  to  meet  the  wants  of  the  rapidly  in- 
ci'easing  population  in  Western  and  North- 
western States;  that  railway  building  was 
jiushed  beyond  immediate  requirements,  and 
that  the  panic  of  1873  and  succeeding  years 
of  trade  depression  found  railroad  compa- 
nies as  well  as  the  farming  population  seri- 
ously in  debt,  with  declining  denuind,  greatly 
reduced  prices,  and  relatively  smaller  reduc- 
tions in  trausi^ortatiou  rates.  Compara- 
tively high  rates  for  carrying  farm  products 
to  market,  or  what  appeared  to  the  farmer 
to  be  such,  together  with  the  ownership  of 
the  roads  being  at  the  East,  where  the  shares 
of  most  of  them  were  favorites  with  specu- 
lators, lent  color  to  the  then  rapidly  growing 
opinion  that  the  interest  of  the  railway  com- 
pany Avas  opposed  to  that  of  the  agricultur- 
ist. Out  of  this  state  of  affairs  arose  what 
was  called  the  '"granger  movement,"  in 
which  the  Patrons  of  Husbandry  as  such 
did  not  take  part,  and  for  which  the  Order 
is  not  to  be  held  responsible  or  given  credit. 
The  declaration  of  principles  by  the  Na- 
tional Grange  repeatedly  announced  that 
the  organization  was  not  an  enemy  of  the 
railroads,  and  whei'e,  in  a  few  instances,  in- 
dividual granges  took  part  in  political  move- 
ments looking  to  the  coercion  of  railway 
companies,  establishing  rates  of  transporta- 
tion, etc.,  they  were  disci])lined  for  it  and 
their  action  disavowed  by  the  Order.  This 
was  the  period  in  which  the  "  granger  move- 
ment"* resulted  in  "  granger  legislation  " 
and  granger  cases  which  attracted  the 
attention  of  the  entire  country  aiul  sent  the 
average  i)olitician  scurrying  to  the  beck  and 

*  For  an  outline  of  the  "granger  movement" 
anil  its  results  see  papers  by  Charles  W.  Pierson  in 
the  Popular  Science  Monthly  for  December,  1887, 
and  January,  1888. 


398 


OKDER  OF  PATRONS  OF  HUSBANDRY 


call  of  a  farmer  constituency.     Pierson  re- 
lates that: 

In  those  days  lawyers,  doctors,  and  merchants 
discovered  in  themselves  a  marvelous  interest  in 
agricultural  pursuits  and  joined  the  grange.  As  a 
granger  remarked,  they  were  interested  in  agricul- 
ture as  the  hawk  is  interested  in  the  sparrow. 
Two  granges  were  organized  in  New  York  city  ; 
one,  the  "  Manhattan,"  on  Broadway,  with  a  mem- 
bership of  forty-five  wholesale  dealers,  sewing- 
machine  manufacturers,  etc.,  representing  a  capital 
of  as  many  millions;  the  other,  the  "Knicker- 
bocker, ''  one  of  whose  first  official  acts  was  to  present 
the  National  Grange  with  a  handsome  copy  of  the 
Scriptures — a  gift  causing  some  embarrassment.  A 
similar  one  was  organized  in  Boston,  which  made 
great  trouble  before  it  could  be  expelled,  and  one 
was  founded  in  Jersey  City,  with  a  general  of  the 
army  as  its  master,  a  stone  mason  as  secretary,  and 
the  owner  of  a  grain  elevator  as  its  chaplain. 

The  growth  of  "the  Grange"  in  1873, 
1874,  and  1875,  as  already  indicated,  was 
unprecedented,  extending  to  every  State  in 
the  Union  except  Ehode  Island.  Although 
it  numbered  about  880,000  members,  yet 
as  an  organization  it  kept  out  of  politics. 
Many  of  its  members,  as  representatives 
of  the  thousands  of  farmers'  clubs  which 
dotted  the  West,  were,  no  doubt,  active  in 
the  fight  against  the  railroads  and  news- 
papers, seeing  only  one  great  national  or- 
ganization of  farmers,  naturally  insisted  on 
calling  the  uprising  a  "  granger  movement;" 
the  anti-railway  laws,  ''granger  legisla- 
tion," and  legal  appeals  on  questions  of 
constitutionality  of  some  of  the  laws,  "  gran- 
ger cases."  From  this  state  of  affairs  it 
was  but  a  step  for  the  casual  chronicler  to 
classify  all  Western  farmers  as  "grangers," 
and  the  word,  with  that  meaning,  has 
thus  secured  a  place  in  the  language  from 
which  it  is  not  likely  to  be  dislodged. 

The  ritual  of  the  Order  is  of  an  elabo- 
rate and  impressive  character.  Four  degrees 
are  conferred  in  subordinate  granges. 
In  the  first  the  man  and  woman  noviti- 
ates typify,  respectively.  Labor  and  Maid; 
in  the  second.  Cultivator  and  Shepherd- 
ess; in  the  third,  Harvester  and  Gleaner,  and 
in  the  fourth.  Husbandman   and  Matron. 


District  or  County  Granges  are  established 
in  the  fifth,  or  Pomona  degree,  which  have 
charge  of  the  education  and  business  inter- 
ests of  the  Order.  They  are  composed  of 
Masters  and  Past  Masters  of  subordinate 
granges  ;  their  wives,  who  are  Matrons,  and 
other  fourth  degree  members  who  may  be  rec- 
ommended by  subordinate  granges.  State 
Granges  confer  the  fifth,  or  Pomona  degree 
— that  of  Faith — and  consist  of  Masters  and 
Past  Masters  of  subordinate  granges  ;  their 
wives,  who  are  Matrons,  and  fourth  degree 
members  who  shall  be  elected  representa- 
tives. State  Granges  may  also  confer  the 
sixUi,  or  Flora  degree — that  of  Hope — on 
members  who  have  attained  the  degree  of 
Pomona.  The  National  Grange  works  in 
the  sixth  degree,  and  is  composed  of  Masters 
and  Past  Masters  of  State  Granges  and  their 
wives  who  have  taken  the  Pomona  degree 
and  the  members  of  the  Executive  Commit- 
tee of  the  National  Grange.  The  seventh 
degree,  Ceres — or  that  of  Charity — is  con- 
ferred in  the  National  Grange,  and  carries 
with  it  honorary  membership  in  that  body. 
This  degree  "  has  charge  of  the  secret  work 
of  the  Order,"  and  is  the  court  of  impeach- 
ment of  officers  of  the  National  Grange. 
"  The  ancients  worshipped  Ceres,  the  god- 
dess of  agriculture,"  says  the  Grange  man- 
ual, "but  we,  in  a  more  enlightened  age, 
give  her  the  honored  position,  ...  to  show 
our  respect  for  women."  The  seventh,  or 
highest  degree,  represents  the  Ceres  of  to- 
day, the  mother  surrounded  by  her  family 
on  a  modern  farm  in  contrast  with  the  an- 
cient goddess.  The  mysteries  performed  in 
the  ancient  temple  erected  in  honor  of  Ceres 
are  confronted  in  this  degree  with  the  work 
and  civilizing  influences  of  modern  farm- 
ing implements,  railroads,  telegraphs,  tele- 
phones, factories,  churches,  grange  halls, 
and  schoolhouses.  Typifying  the  products 
of  the  farm,  Pomona,  Flora,  and  Ceres  find 
prominent  places  in  the  ritual.  The  princi- 
pal emblem,  the  sheaf  of  wheat,  is  described 
as  "  many  grains  to  each  ear  and  all  the  ears 
united  in  one  sheaf  by  a  common  band;" 


SWITCHMEN'S   UNION   OF   NORTH   AMERICA 


399 


this,  typical  of  the  Order  itself,  requires  no 
exiilaiiatioii.  1'he  seal  of  the  society  is  a 
heptagon  containing  the  names  of  the  seven 
founders,  a  wreath  of  myrtle,  and  a  mono- 
gram made  of  the  letters  K  and  0,  said  to 
be  -'  familiar  to  all  "  who  have  received  the 
degree  of  Ceres.  The  color  of  the  fourth 
degree  is  blue;  of  the  fifth,  Pomona,  green; 
of  the  sixth,  Flora,  pink,  and  of  the  sev- 
enth, Ceres,  corn-color.  Among  the  re- 
galia and  emblems  of  the  Order  are  found 
the  pouch  and  sash  and  the  spade,  pruning 
hook  and  shepherd's  crook.  In  an  address 
a  few  years  ago  at  Kochester,  Vt.,  the  Grand 
Lecturer  of  the  Order  declared  that  twelve 
years  previously  farmers,  as  a  rule,  had  com- 
paratively little  knowledge  of  the  great 
economic  questions  involving  immigration, 
transportation,  finance,  and  the  tariff,  and 
that  it  had  been  by  discussion  and  study  of 
the  problems  that  the  Order  had  been  able 
to  act  with  wisdom  in  their  settlement; 
and,  he  added,  it  is  through  the  direct  in- 
fluence of  the  Grange  that  the  farmer  has 
been  invading  legislative  halls  to  grapple 
with  questions  of  pure  food,  good  roads,  edu- 
cation, cooperation,  and  corporate  fran- 
chise. 

Patrons  of  Industry. — Organized  by  the 
Rev.  F.  AV.  Vertican,  D.  AV.  Campbell, 
F.  II.  Krause,  and  others,  at  Port  Huron, 
!Mich.,  in  the  spring  of  1885,  as  a  secret, 
social,  and  educational  organization  for  men 
and  women.  It  draws  its  membership 
largely  from  the  agricultural  community, 
and  though  dormant  in  many  States,  is  alive 
in  Michigan  and  in  Canada,  with  a  total 
membership  of  about  50,000.  At  one  time 
it  had  quite  a  vogue,  but,  having  fallen  into 
the  hands  of  office-seekers  and  others,  its 
usefulness  was  restricted.  It  is  largely  in- 
terested to-day  in  discussing  economic  ques- 
tions and  practically  in  experimenting  with 
cooperation,  in  which  respect  it  parallels  in 
some  ways  the  active  work  of  the  Patrons 
of  Husbandry,  with  which,  however,  it  has 
no  conTiection.  The  headquarters  of  the 
organization  remain  where  it  was  founded. 


In  1800  it  favored  international  bimetallism, 
protection  against  imported  farm  produce 
and  stock,  encouragement  of  the  sugar  in- 
dustry, more  stringent  laws  against  hog  but- 
ter and  all  adulterations,  and  retaliation 
against  nations  that  unjustly  discriminate 
against  American  meats  and  other  produce. 

Provisi<mal  Order,  Knights  of  Labor. 
— One  among  live  secessions  from  the  Order 
of  the  Knights  of  Labor.  It  is  stated  that 
surviving  members  of  "  the  International  " 
were  prominent  in  instigating  this  schism. 
It  Avas  organized  in  1887,  but  soon  disap- 
peared.    (See  Order  of  Knights  of  Labor.) 

Sovereigns  of  Industry. — Extinct. 
(See  Patrons  of  Industry.) 

S^tclimen's  Mutual  Aid  Association. 
— ^^A  secret  society  among  switchmen  at  the 
more  important  railway  centres,  organized 
in  188G,  three  years  after  the  founding  of 
the  Brotherhood  of  Railway  Trainmen.  It 
paid  death  as  well  as  sick  and  disability  bene- 
fits, and  was  quite  successful  until  July, 
1894,  when  it  was  discovered  that  the  chief 
fiduciary  officer  of  the  society  was  short  in 
his  accounts  to  a  large  amount.  The  im- 
mediate effect  of  this  was  to  disband  the 
Association.  Three  months  later  it  was  re- 
vived as  the  Switchmen's  Union  of  North 
America  formed  at  Kansas  City.  (Seethe 
latter. ) 

Switclinien's  Union  of  Xorth  Amer- 
ica.— Successor  to  the  Switchmen's  ^Mutual 
Aid  Association,  which  was  organized  in 
1880,  and  went  to  pieces  in  July,  1894. 
The  latter  was  a  secret,  mutual  assessment, 
beneficiary  trades  union.  The  immediate 
cause  of  its  dissolution  is  said  to  have  been 
a  shortage  in  the  accounts  of  the  Grand  Sec- 
retary and  Treasurer.  Three  months  later 
the  Switchmen's  Union  of  North  America 
was  organized  by  D.  D.  Sweeny  of  Jersey 
City,  who  became  Grand  ^faster;  John 
Dougherty,  Kansas  City,  who  was  made 
Grand  Secretary  and  Treasurer  ;  M.  K. 
Conlin.  Kansas  City,  and  others.  It  pays  no 
death  benefits.  Lodges  have  the  option  of 
arranging  to  pay  sick  and  disability  benefits 


iOO 


THE    BROTHERHOOD 


or  not,  as  they  choose.  Founders  of  the 
Switchmen's  Union  were  members  of  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  Ancient  Order  of 
United  Workmen,  and  the  Order  of  United 
Friends,  but  there  is  no  resemblance  be- 
tween it  and  any  of  the  latter.  The  total 
membership  is  about  5,000.  No  particular 
point  is  made  as  to  ritual  or  ceremonies,  the 
object  of  the  organization  being  to  encour- 
age benevolence,  hope,  and  protection  and 
to  famish  a  means  of  cooperation  and  mu- 
tual assistance.  The  Switchmen  first  or- 
ganized in  secret  assembly  in  1886,  three 
years  after  the  formation  of  the  Brotherhood 
of  Eailway  Trainmen.  (See  Brotherhood  of 
Locomotive  Engineers,  the  American  Eail- 
way Union,  and  the  Switchmen's  Mutual 
Aid  Association.) 

The  Brotherliood. — The  title  applied 
by  members  of  the  non-secret  International 
Typographical  Union  to  the  secret  organi- 
zation, or  "brotherhood,"  composed  exclu- 
sively of  members  of  the  Typographical 
Union.  The  Brotherhood  is  a  fraternity  of 
compositors,  a  secret  trades  union  modelled 
after  the  fraternity  of  Freemasons,  designed 
to  relieve  brethren  in  sickness  and  distress, 
and  provide  work  for  those  in  need  of  it. 
Particulars  concerning  it  are  difficult  to  ob- 
tain, as  its  very  existence  is  kept  more  or 
less  secret  by  members.  The  fact  that  mem- 
bers are  drawn  from  the  International  Tyjw- 
graphical  Union  has,  from  time  to  time, 
excited  the  jealousy  or  opposition  of  the 
latter,  owing  to  a  fear  that  the  secret  society 
might  seek  to  control  its  offices  and  shape 
its  policy.  A  few  years  ago  it  Avas  reported 
that  the  Brotherhood  was  dead,  but  it  was 
evidently  only  dormant,  for  at  a  meeting  of 
the  International  Typographical  Union  at 
Colorado  Springs,  Colo.,  in  189G,  a  New 
York  city  delegate  declared  that  "he  had 
positive  proof"  that  there  was  in  existence 
in  the  Union  a  secret  body  known  as  the 
"  Wanetas,"  which  was  "  the  old  Brother- 
hood revived."  This  announcement  was 
deemed  of  so  much  importance  that  a  reso- 
lution was  adopted  requiring  every  delegate 


"and  ex-delegate"  present  to  take  "an 
iron-clad  oath"  that  "from  that  time 
forth  "  he  would  not  belong  to  any  body 
which  sought  to  control  the  legislation  of 
the  Union,  and  that  he  would  use  all  his 
power  to  break  up  any  such  league.  All 
the  delegates  and  ex-delegates  present  took 
that  oath  and  then  enacted  the  requirement 
into  a  law  applying  to  members  of  the  Union. 
The  Brotherhood,  or  the  "  AVanetas,"  is,  like 
the  Triangle  Club,  composed  of  Knights  of 
Labor,  in  that  it  is  a  secret  society  within 
another  organization;  but  it  difPers  i n  that  its 
members  are  or  have  been  found  in  all  parts 
of  the  country,  that  it  draws  its  members  from 
a  non-secret  society,  and  that  it  is  not  known 
to  be  established  to  dictate  the  policy  of  an- 
other society.  On  the  contrary,  it  is  pre- 
sumed to  be  a  purely  charitable  and  bene- 
ficiary organization,  members  of  which  have 
secret  methods  of  making  themselves  known 
to  each  other.  The  National  Typographical 
Union  dates  back  to  1850,  but  permanent 
organization  was  effected  at  Cincinnati  in 
1852.  The  name  was  changed  to  Inter- 
national Typographical  Union  at  Albany, 
N.  Y.,  in  1869,  Unions  having  been  estab- 
lished in  the  Canadian  Dominion  and  the 
Hawaiian  Islands.  The  Brotherhood  of 
Locomotive  Engineers,  the  Order  of  Rail- 
w^ay  Conductors,  the  Ancient  Order  of 
L'nited  Workmen,  the  Knights  of  Pythias, 
"the  International,"  and  the  Knights  of 
Labor  were  all  founded  during  or  within  a 
few  years  following  the  Civil  War,  and  it 
was  this,  doubtless,  which  suggested  to 
Union  printers  the  desirability  of  a  secret 
brotherhood  of  chosen  members  of  their 
craft.  The  rise  of  scores  of  mutual  benefit 
secret  societies  and  the  opposition  of  the 
majority  of  Union  comjoositors  have  united 
to  check  the  growth  and  activity  of  the 
Brotherhood  in  late  years. 

"  The  International." — The  popular 
name  given  the  International  Workingraen's 
Association,  a  secret  and  ultimately  socialistic 
society  of  workingmen,  Avhich  had  branches 
throughout  Europe  and  in  the  United  States. 


THE    "WANETAS 


401 


It  is  practically  extinct.     (See  International 
Workingmen's  Association.) 

Tlie  Triangle. — Sometimes  called  Trian- 
gle Club,  a  society  of  an  exceptionally  secret 
character,  made  ui>  of  Englisli-speaking 
members  of  the  Socialistic  Labor  party  in 
New  York  city,  who  are  also  members  of 
the  Order  of  Knights  of  Labor  and  of  the 
Central  Labor  Federation  in  New  York. 
The  Club  is  probably  more  than  fifteen  years 
old,  but  facts  concerning  it  are  difficult  to 
obtain,  owing  to  the  absolute  secrecy  with 
which  members  surround  it.  It  is  not  even 
known  that  any  of  the  names  given,  proj^erly 
apjilies  to  the  society,  as  members  refuse  to 
discuss  such  an  organization  with  non-mem- 
bers, much  less  its  name.  The  anti-socialis- 
tic section  of  the  Knights  of  Labor  char- 
acterize it  as  ''a  small  cabal  of  socialists 
having  for  its  object  the  subordination  of 
labor  organizations  generally  to  the  princi- 
ples of  socialism  as  set  forth  by  the  Socialis- 
tic Labor  party.  Its  policy  is  that  outlined 
by  Karl  Marx,  modified  by  the  destructive 
tendencies  of  the  Mazzini  school  of  socialism 
or  anarchism."  A  prominent  official  of  the 
Order  of  Knights  of  Labor  writes  that  "  the 
Club  has  no  connection  whatever  with  the 
Order,  and  is  not  recognized  by  it  in  any 
way."  The  same  official,  in  a  recent  Gen- 
eral Assembly  of  the  Knights  of  Labor  at 
Rochester,  X.  Y.,  was  quoted  as  follows: 
"  Since  we  met  a  year  ago  your  general 
officers  have  had  to  contend  against  attacks 
of  the  most  villainous  character"  .  .  .  for 
"  refusing  ,to  allow  a  small  clique  of  men 
who  are  familiarly  known  as  the  New  York 
Triangle  Club  ...  to  get  control  of  the 
machinery  of  the  Knights  of  Labor  for  the 
dissemination  of  their  doctrines."  But  his 
most  significant  remark  was  that  "among 
those  who  assisted  this  *  cabal '  in  their  work 
36 


of  attempted  destruction  we  find  some  of 
the  best  and  truest  friends  of  our  Order." 
The  most  conspicuous  member  of  the  'J'ri- 
angle  is  Daniel  De  Leon,  editor  of  "  The 
People,"  New  York,  a  West  Indian  of 
French  extraction,  a  man  of  thorough  edu- 
cation and  culture,  who  felt  compelled  to 
resign  the  position  of  lecturer  on  interna- 
tional law  at  Columbia  College  because  of 
his  views  on  socialism.  He  is  said  to  be  a 
radical  among  socialists  and  is  credited  with 
using  the  Triangle  Club  and  labor  union 
machinery  to  swing  the  Knights  of  Labor 
and  other  organizations  over  to  the  Social- 
istic Labor  party.  Gi-and  ]\Iaster  Workman 
Sovereign  of  the  Knights  of  Labor  is  more 
socialistic  in  his  views  than  his  predecessor 
in  office,  and  that  fact  may  or  may  not  be 
behind  the  intimation  that  it  is  to  the  Tri- 
angle's influence  among  the  Knights  of 
Labor  that  the  latter  organization  has  shown 
a  tendency  to  revert  to  its  position  when 
Stej)hens  was  Grand  Master  Worknmn. 
This  would  mean  a  partial  reversal  of  the 
publicity  and  anti-socialism  which  marked 
the  administration  of  Powderly.  One  of 
De  Leon's  most  conspicuous  Triangle  asso- 
ciates is  Lucien  Saniel,  who  was  the  Social- 
istic Labor  candidate  for  mayor  of  New 
York  a  few  years  ago.  (See  Order  of 
Knights  of  Labor.) 

The  Universal  Republic,  or  the  United 
States  ofthe  Karth. — A  veritable  altruria, 
projected  by  Iowa  enthusiasts  in  189G.  It 
proposed  to  establish  a  universal  brother- 
hood, where  love,  truth,  and  purity  should 
prevail  to  the  utter  exclusion  of  ignorance, 
want,  and  crime. 

Tlie  AVanetas. — One  of  the  names  by 
which  the  secret  society  of  compositors, 
members  of  the  International  Typograjihical 
Union,  is  known.      (See  The  Brotherhood.) 


402 


CADETS   OF   TEMPERANCE 


XI 


TOTAL  ABSTIT^E^CE   FRATEEISTITIES 


Cadets  of  Temperance.  —  Juvenile 
branch  of  the  beneficiary,  total  abstinence 
secret  society,  the  Sons  of  Temperance. 
(See  the  latter.) 

Daughters  of  Temperance. — AVomen's 
auxiliary  to  the  beneficiary,  total  abstinence 
secret  society,  the  Sons  of  Temperance. 
(See  the  latter.) 

Encamped  Knights  of  Rechab  of 
North  America. — An  American  branch  of 
the  English  Independent  Order  of  Recha- 
bites,  Salford  Unity,  not  known  to  be  now 
in  active  existence.  (See  Independent  Or- 
der of  Eechabites.) 

Good  Templars. — Organized  at  Utica, 
N.  Y.,  in  1851,  as  a  total  abstinence,  secret 
society,  to  which  men  and  women  were  eli- 
gible, by  the  action  of  L.  E.  Coon,  Rev. 
J.  E.  N.  Backus,  and  William  B.  Hudson, 
reorganization  committee  from  the  Knights 
of  Jericho,  a  similar  society  admitting  men 
only.  The  Good  Templars  was,  in  fact,  the 
Knights  of  Jericho,  changed  and  renamed. 
The  latter  was  organized  at  Utica  by  Daniel 
Cady,  of  Lansingburg,  N.  Y.,  in  1850, 
and  passed  its  candidates  through  three  de- 
grees which  they  were  not  supposed  ever  to 
forget.  Cady  was  a  prominent  member  of 
the  Sons  of  Temperance,  membership  in 
which  at  that  time  was  confined  to  men. 
The  Good  Templars  started  with  one  de- 
gree, the  Red  Cross,  dressed  up  undoubtedly 
from  some  of  the  spurious  degree  rituals  by 
that  name  which  have  done  duty  in  various 
secret  societies  during  the  past  hundred 
years.  But  this  did  not  meet  the  needs  of 
the  time,  and  the  new  ritual  by  Rev. 
D.  W.  Bristol,  assisted  by  M.  R.  Barnard 
and  C.  S.  Miles,  in  which  were  presented 
the  degree  of  the  Heart,  teaching  duty  to 
self,  the  degree  of  Charity,  and  the  degree 


of  Royal  Virtue,  teaching  duty  to  Gody 
is  still  referred  to  with  admiration  and  re- 
spect. Within  a  year,  in  1852,  there  was  a 
split  in  the  ranks,  and  the  Independent  Or- 
der of  Good  Templars  made  its  appearance. 
This  condition  of  affairs  continued  for  sev- 
eral months,  when  a  Grand  Lodge  of  the 
Independent  Order  of  Good  Templars  for 
the  State  of  New  York  having  been  formed, 
both  factions  came  together  there.  (See 
Independent  Order  of  Good  Templars.) 

Independent  Order  of  Good  Samari- 
tans and  Daughters  of  Samaria. — Or- 
ganized by  the  Grand  Lodge  of  the  former 
Grand  United  Order  of  Good  Samaritans  at 
New  York  city,  September  14,  IS-!?,  a  tem- 
perance, benevolent,  and  beneficial  society 
for  colored  men  and  women.  The  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Good  Samaritans  (white) 
was  organized  by  Isaac  Covert,  M.D.,  C.  B. 
Hulsart,  R.  D.  Heartt,  and  a  few  others  at 
New  York  city,  March  9,  1847,  a  true  de- 
scendant of  the  Sons  of  Temj^erance,  to  aid 
in  the  work  of  rescuing  people  from  the 
temptation  to  use  strong  drink.  On  Sep- 
tember 14,  1847,  a  Grand  Lodge  was  formed 
at  New  York  city  by  representatives  of  three 
lodges  at  New  York,  one  at  Bridgeport, 
Conn.,  and  one  at  Newark,  N.  J.  On  De- 
cember 9,  1847,  the  first  lodge  of  Daughters 
of  Samaria  was  organized,  also  at  New 
York,  an  auxiliary  order  for  women.  At 
the  first  meeting  of  the  Grand  Lodge,  Sep- 
tember 14,  1847,  a  charter  was  granted  to  I. 
W.  B.  Smith  and  others  to  institute  a  lodge 
of  colored  members.  The  Independent 
Order  of  Good  Samaritans  and  Daughters  of 
Samaria,  therefore,  dates  its  birth  from  a 
period  six  months  later  than  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  former  Grand  United  Order.  It 
exists  to  this  day  and  claims  to  have  initiated 


INDEPENDENT  ORDER  OF  GOOD  TEMPLARS 


403 


FAMILY   TREE  OF  TOTAL   ABSTINENCE 

SOCIETIES. 

Independent 

OUDEIt   OF 
REC'HABITES, 

organized  l)V 

Britisli  Odd 

Fellows  and 

Foresters. 

Sons  op  1—1835 

TEMI'ErtANCB, 

organ  iz(Ml  by 

Ainericau 

Freemasons 

and  others. 

1842- 


1845- 


1847-1 

1850 

1851-] 

1852 


[In  England.] 


[In  U.  S.] 


Templars  of 

Honor  and 

Temperance. 


Independent 

Order  of  Good 

Samaritans 


Independent 

Order  of  (Jood 

Templars 


Royal  Teraplare 
of  Temperance. 


Knights  and  Ladies 
of  the  Golden  Star. 


-1842 


-1845 


-1870 


1884 


400,000  members.  It  is  educational  as  well 
as  benevolent  in  its  objects  and  has  benefi- 
ciary features,  including  the  payment  of 
death,  sick,  disability,  old  age,  and  annuity 
benefits.  Its  lodges  are  found  in  nearly  all 
States  of  the  Union  and  in  England.  Its 
emblem  is  the  triangle,  enclosing  the  dove 
and  olive  branch,  with  the  words  Love, 
Purity,  and  Truth  on  its  three  sides,  and 
symbolizes  perfection,  equality,  and  the 
Trinity.  The  headquarters  of  the  Order 
are  at  Washington,  1).  C. 

IiidepeiKlent  Order  of  Good  Tein- 
plar.s.* — A  secret  society  which  stands  for 
total  abstinence  and  no  license.  It  had  its 
conception  in  the  minds  of  a  few  printer 
boys  in  the  city  of  Utica,  N.  Y.,  during  the 
winter  of  1850-51.  It  sprang  directly  from 
the  Knights  of  Jericho,  an  outgrowth  of 
the  Cadets  of  Temperance,  a  boys'  temper- 
ance organization  under  the  patronage  of 
the  Sons  of  Temperance.  Utica  Section, 
No.  85,  Cadets  of  Temperance,  was  com- 
posed entirely  of  boys  and  young  men  be- 
tween the  ages  of  twelve  and  eighteen,  and 
at  one  time  was  presided  over  by  Thomas 
L.  James,  now  president  of  the  Lincoln 
National  Bank,  New  York,  former  Post- 
master-General of  the  United  States. 
About  1849  some  of  the  older  boys  thought 
they  would  like  to  have  a  society  of  their 
own  ;  that  they  could  exert  a  greater  influ- 
ence for  temperance  in  an  organization 
where  little  fellows  were  not  admitted. 
Early  in  1850  Daniel  Cady  of  Lansing- 
burg,  N.  Y.,  founder  of  the  Cadets  of  Tem- 
perance, came  to  Utica  and  instituted  the 
Knights  of  Jericho,  a  new  order,  from 
which  sprang  the  Good  Templars,  Cen- 
tral City  Temple,  No.  1,  of  Utica,  being 
largely  composed  of  the  older  members  of 
the  Cadets  of  Temperance.  The  Knights 
of  Jericho,  like  the  Sons  of  Temjierance 
at  that  time,  did  not  admit  women.  It 
had  three  "  very  mysterious  and  frightful 
degrees,"  and    as    "it   was   thought"  the 

*  Drafted  by  Rev.  J.  E.  N.  Backus. 


404 


INDEPENDENT   ORDER   OF   GOOD   TEMPLARS 


admission  of  women  would  increase  the  pow- 
er of  the  order  for  good,  an  "organizing 
committee"  was  appointed  by  Central  City 
Temple,  with  power,  consisting  of  Leverett 
E.  Coon,  James  E.  N.  Backus,  and  William 
B.  Hudson,  who  visited  Oriskany  Falls 
Temple,  No.  2,  eighteen  miles  south  of 
Utica,  to  see  if  some  change  could  not  be 
agreed  upon.  Coon  and  Hudson  died  years 
ago,  leaving  the  only  surviving  member  of 
the  ''  organizing  committee,"  1897,  the 
Rev.  J.  E.  N".  Backus,  who  has  been  called 
the  *'  father  of  the  Order  of  Good  Tem- 
plars." As  a  result  of  the  visit  to  Oriskany 
Falls,  a  resolution  was  adopted  changing 
the  name  of  the  Knights  of  Jericho  to 
Good  Templars.  The  first  Good  Templar 
paper,  "  The  Crystal  Font,"  was  soon  issued 
from  the  office  of  Thomas  L.  James,  who 
at  that  time  was  publishing  a  Whig  paper 
at  Hamilton,  N.  Y.  Men  and  women  of 
influence  soon  began  to  join  the  order, 
and  Rev.  D.  W.  Bristol,  D.D.,  then  pre- 
siding elder  in  the  Utica  District,  set  him- 
self at  work  to  prepare  a  new  ritual.  The 
number  of  lodges  having  increased  to 
thirteen,  it  was  thought  advisable  to  call 
a  convention  of  representatives  from  the 
various  lodges  to  mature  plans  for  future 
worki_  This  convention  was  held  at  Utica 
in  1851,  where  a  warm  discussion  took 
place  between  the  Rev.  Wesley  Bailey, 
editor  of  the  Utica  "  Teetotaller,"  and  L. 
E.  Coon,  which  resulted  in  a  disagreement 
and  bitter  feeling.  Coon  went  to  the  vil- 
lage of  Fayetteville,  seven  miles  from  Syra- 
cuse, and  organized  Excelsior  Lodge,  No. 
1,  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Good  Tem- 
pla'rs.  Two  other  similar  lodges  were  or- 
ganized in  Onondaga  County,  so  that,  for  a 
few  months,  there  were  two  divisions  of 
the  Order.  On  August  17,  1852,  a  Grand 
Lodge  of  the  Independent  Ordel-  of  Good 
Templars  of  the  State  of  New  York  was 
organized  at  Syracuse,  with  which  both 
branches  were  apparently  satisfied.  In  the 
meantime  several  new  lodges  of  Good  Tem- 
plars had  sprung  up  in  Oneida,  Tompkins, 


Otsego,  Chenango,  and  Delaware  counties. 
Coon,  soon  after,  left  the  Order,  and  with 
the  organization  of  the  Grand  Lodge  the 
feud  died  out  and  all  Templar  lodges  went 
to  work  harmoniously.  From  this  small 
beginning  the  growth  of  the  Order  has 
been  truly  wonderful.  With  remarkable 
rapidity  the  Independent  Order  of  Good 
Templars  spread  into  every  State  and  ter- 
ritory of  the  United  States,  and  into  the 
provinces  of  Canada.  For  seventeen  years 
it  was  confined  to  North  America,  but  in 
1868  it  appeared  in  England,  and  a  few 
years  later  in  Scotland,  Ireland,  and  Wales. 
It  continued  to  spread  until  it  was  found 
in  France,  Switzerland,  in  Asia,  Africa, 
Australia,  New  Zealand,  Tasmania  and 
other  Pacific  Islands,  and  in  nearly  every 
civilized  nation  on  the  globe.  With  600,- 
000  members,  it  is  to-day  probably  the 
strongest  organized  foe  to  the  legalized 
liquor  traffic.  In  the  United  States  the 
membership  of  the  Order  is  about  350,000, 
of  which  55,000  are  juveniles. 

The  Right  Worthy  Grand  Lodge  of  North 
America  was  organized  in  May,  1855,  at 
Cleveland,  0.,  by  representatives  of  the 
Grand  Lodges  of  New  York,  Pennsylvania, 
Ohio,  Indiana,  Kentucky,  Michigan,  Illi- 
nois, Missouri,  Iowa,  and  Canada.  The 
following  is  a  list  of  those  who  have  pre- 
sided over  the  Supreme  or  Right  Worthy 
Grand  Lodge  of  North  America  during  the 
past  forty  years  :  Rev.  James  M.  Moore, 
Kentucky,  1855-50  ;  S.  Merwin  Smith, 
Pennsylvania,  1856-57;  Orlo  W.  Strong, 
Illinois,  1857-58;  Hon.  S.  B.  Chase,  Penn- 
sylvania, 1858-63  ;  Hon.  S.  D.  Hastings, 
Wisconsin,  1863-68;  J.  H.  Orne,  Mas- 
sachusetts, 1868-71  ;  Rev.  John  Russell, 
Michigan,  1871-73  ;  Hon.  S.  D.  Hastings, 
Wisconsin,  1873-74  ;  Colonel  J.  J.  Hick- 
man, Kentucky,  1874-76  ;  Colonel  Theo- 
dore D.  Kanouse,  Wisconsin,  1876-78; 
Colonel  J.  J.  Hickman,  Kentucky,  1878- 
1881;  George  B.  Katzenstein,  California, 
1881-84;  John  B.  Finch,  Illinois,  1884-87  ; 
William  W.  Turnbull,  Scotland,  1887-92  ; 


INDEPENDENT   ORDER   OF   RECHABITES   IN   NORTH  AMERICA 


405 


Dr.  Oronhyatekha,  Canada,  1892-93,  and 
Dr.  D.  H.  Mann,  New  York. 

At  the  session  of  the  Right  Worthy  Grand 
Lodge  held  at  Louisville,  Ky.,  in  1876,  there 
was  a  difference  of  opinion  as  to  the  admis- 
sion of  negroes  into  the  Order,  and  repre- 
sentatives from  Great  Britain,  Nova  Scotia, 
and  Newfoundland,  with  two  from  Indiana 
and  one  each  from  Ohio  and  Iowa,  witiidrew, 
met  in  another  room,  and  organized  what 
they  claimed  was  the  Eight  Worthy  Grand 
Lodge  of  the  World.  The  schism,  however, 
was  confined  mainly  to  the  continent  of 
Europe,  although  a  few  lodges  in  Canada, 
the  United  States,  Asia,  Africa,  and  Aus- 
tralasia joined  in  the  movement.  The  fol- 
lowing were  the  presiding  officers  of  this 
body,  with  their  terms  of  service  :  Rev. 
James  Yeames,  England,  187G-77 ;  Rev. 
William  Ross,  Scotland,  1877-79;  Rev. 
G.  Gladstone,  Scotland,  1879-80  ;  Joseph 
Malins,  England,  1880-85,  and  Rev.  W.  G. 
Lane,  Nova  Scotia,  1885-87.  The  two  or- 
ganizations worked  separately  for  ten  years, 
•when,  at  the  Saratoga  session  of  Right 
Worthy  Grand  Lodge  of  North  America,  in 
1887,  they  united  and  have  worked  har- 
moniously ever  since. 

A  system  of  temperance  training  and 
study  was  projected  by  the  International 
Supreme  Lodge  in  1888,  to  cover  a  period 
of  three  years,  on  the  basis  of  forty-five 
minutes'  reading  daily  for  nine  mouths  of  the 
year.  Its  object  is  to  acquaint  members 
with  the  principles  underlying  the  temper- 
ance reform  movement  so  as  to  enable  them 
to  discuss  it  from  historical,  scientific,  and 
religious  points  of  view.  The  emblem  of 
the  International  Suju'eme  Lodge  contains 
a  globe  representing  the  earth,  inscribed 
with  the  words,  "  our  field,"  which  is  within 
a  circle  divided  into  zones  in  which  are 
the  words,  ''International  Supreme  Lodge," 
and  ''  Faith,  Hope,  and  Charity."  Pen- 
dent from  the  centre  is  a  standard  contain- 
ing a  cross,  and  above  are  the  All-seeing 
Eye  and  a  heart  and  anchor.  The  office  of 
the  executive  of  the  International  Su])rcme 


Lodge  is  in  Brooklyn,  N.  Y.,  and  the  ad- 
dresses of  the  officers  of  the  International 
organization  range  from  Brooklyn  to  Bir- 
mingham, England;  Dumfries,  Scotland; 
Sacramento,  Cal.;  Toronto,  Out.;  Beaufort, 
Africa ;  Wrexham,  Wales;  Calcutta,  India; 
and  back  to  Jacksonville,  Fla.  This  is  the 
only  international  American  secret  society 
which  sup])lements  the  usual  mode  of  gov- 
ernment through  local.  State,  and  national 
lodges,  councils,  or  the  like,  with  an  Inter- 
national Lodge. 

IiKlcpeiidcnt  Order  of  Rcehabitcs. — 
An  American  offshoot  from  the  English 
Independent  Order  of  Rcehabitcs,  founded 
at  Salford,  in  1835  ;  introduced  into  the 
United  States  in  1842.  It  is  among  the 
pioneer  sick  benefit,  total  abstinence,  secret 
societies,  but  has  a  small  membership.  (See 
Independent  Order  of  Rcehabitcs,  Salford 
Unity.) 

liidepeiident  Order  of  Recliabites  in 
North  America. — Introduced  into  tlie 
United  States  from  England,  at  New  York, 
in  1842.  The  American  work  was  written 
by  Father  John  Quick  of  New  York.  The 
headquarters  in  this  country  are  at  the  office 
of  the  High  Secretary  in  Washington,  D.  C. 
The  parent  fraternity  was  established  at 
Salford,  in  1835,  as  a  temperance  society. 
From  humble  beginnings  this  oldest  prohi- 
bition order  has  extended  throughout  Eng- 
land.  Scotland,  Ireland,  Wales,  and  the 
smaller  British  Islands,  aiid  is  working 
successfully  in  North  America  in  New 
York,  Pennsylvania,  Maryland,  Ohio.  Vir- 
ginia, North  Carolina,  Georgia,  Wisconsin, 
Michigan,  and  British  Columbia ;  in  the 
Australian  Colonies,  in  Victoria.  New  South 
Wales,  South  Australia,  Qui-ensland.  West- 
ern Australia,  Tasmania,  and  New  Zealand  ; 
while  in  Africa  it  exists  in  Natal,  Cape 
Colony,  Naniaqualand,  Orange  Free  State, 
and  the  Gold  Coast.  Branches  have  also 
been  established  in  the  Bahamas,  Jamaica, 
Tolajo,  Trinidad,  Bermuda,  Denmark,  and 
Malta.  In  the  United  States  the  usual 
rate  of  sick  benefit  is  four  dollars  weeklv. 


406 


INDEPENDENT   ORDER   OF   RECHABITES,   SALFORD  UNITY 


The  funenil  benefit  is  1100..  Primary 
Tents  are  composed  of  white  male  persons 
between  the  ages  of  sixteen  and  fifty-five 
years,  wlio  believe  in  the  existence  and 
omnipotence  of  God,  and  are  willing  to  sign 
a  pledge  of  total  abstinence.  Persons  over 
ao^e  may  become  honorary  members.  Fe- 
male Tents  are  composed  of  white  women 
twelve  years  of  age  and  upwards,  and  there 
are  junior  branches  for  boys  from  twelve 
to  sixteen  years,  and  Juvenile  Tents  for 
children  of  both  sexes  between  the  ages  of 
five  and  sixteen  years.  Each  branch  has  a 
special  service  and  each  branch  is  repre- 
sented in  the  higher  body.  The  initiation 
is  solemn  and  impressive,  and  leaves  upon 
the  mind  of  the  initiate  lessons  not  likely 
to  be  forgotten.  The  first  degree,  or  Knight 
of  Temperance,  fully  exemplifies  that  prin- 
ciple and  is  a  key  to  the  remainder.  The 
second  degree,  or  Knight  of  Fortitude,  illus- 
trates the  virtues  of  fortitude  and  prudence 
in  a  manner  to  impress  those  principles 
upon  the  mind  and  conscience,  while  the 
sublime  lessons  of  the  third,  or  Covenanted 
Knight  of  Justice  degree,  is  a  fitting  com- 
pletion of  a  wonderously  beautiful  and  per- 
fect whole.  Total  membership  in  the 
United  States  is  about  4,000  and  through- 
out the  world  about  220,000,  of  which  5,000 
are  honorary  members,  140,000  adults  and 
75,000  juveniles.  (See  Independent  Order 
of  Eechabites,  Salford  Unity.) 

Independent  Order  of  Reclialbites, 
Salford  Unity. — The  forerunner,  if  not 
the  parent,  of  practically  all  modern  bene- 
ficiary, temperance,  or  total  abstinence  se- 
cret societies  ;  founded  at  Salford,  Eng- 
land, in  1835.  The  compiler  of  a  series  of 
articles  from  the  Leed's  "  Express,'' in  a 
short  history  of  the  chief  affiliated  friendly 
societies,  published  at  Leeds  about  fifteen 
years  ago,  states  : 

If  any  order  in  the  world  has  a  claim  to  call  itself 
an  Ancient  Order  it  is  that  of  the  Rechabites.  As 
we  learn  from  the  Scriptures,  a  command  was  laid 
over  2,700  years  ago  upon  the  sons  of  Jonadab, 
the  son  of  Rechab,  that  they  shovdd  drink  no  wine, 


neither  they  nor  their  sons  forever  ;  and  the  injunc- 
tion has  been  obeyed  to  this  day.  At  various 
periods  in  modern  liistory  have  travelers  come 
upon  the  lineal  descendants  of  these  Rechabites  of 
old,  in  Spain,  in  the  districts  visited  by  Dr.  WolU, 
and  in  the  neighborhood  of  the  Dead  Sea,  still  adher- 
ing faithfully  to  their  total  abstinence  principles. 
Other  orders  may  claim  the  questionable  honor  of  be- 
ing founded  by  extremely  mythical  personages,  but 
the  Independent  Order  of  Rechabites,  if  it  cannot 
prove  an  uninterrupted  kind  of  apostolic  succession 
from  Rechab,  can  show  that  it  has  at  least  a  continu- 
ity of  purpose  and  a  similarity  of  aim  that  effectually 
connect  it  with  the  Rechabites  of  old.  The  prom- 
ise of  the  Prophet  Jeremiah  that  for  their  faithful- 
ness in  adhering  to  the  command  of  their  fore- 
fathers they  should  not  want  a  man  of  the  house  of 
Rechab  to  stand  before  the  Lord  forever  has  been 
literally  fulfilled.  There  is  no  break  in  the  chain, 
and  for  nearly  3,000  years  a  living  testimony  of 
total  abstinence  has  been  upheld  on  the  earth.  The 
English  Rechabites  are  not  lineally  descended  from 
these  ancient  Eastern  teetotalers.  The  present  Or- 
der sprang  from  the  desire  of  a  few  total  ab- 
stainers living  in  Salford  in  1835  to  found  a  benefit 
society  on  teetotal  principles.  Such  a  thing  had 
never  been  heard  of  before.  The  affiliations  and 
societies  that  were  then  in  existence  had  leaned  for 
support  on  the  landlords,  much  to  the  advantage  of 
the  latter.  Clubs  in  public  houses  were  the  rule, 
and  those  who  differed  from  the  upholders  of  the 
drinking  that  necessarily  went  on  were  denounced 
as  selfish  curmudgeons  and  enemies  to  social  enjoy- 
ment. 

It  was  on  August  25,  1835,  therefore, 
that  the  first  teetotal  benefit  secret  society 
was  founded  at  Salford,  and  called  Tent 
Ebenezer,  No.  1,  the  title  of  '^  tents"  being 
given,  instead  of  lodges,  to  still  further 
associate  the  society  with  the  ancient  Eech- 
abites,  for  the  commands  of  Jonadab  were 
not  only  to  abstain  from  wine,  but  "  all  your 
days  ye  shall  dwell  in  tents." 

The  early  career  of  the  new  Order  was 
not  all  smooth  sailing,  and  by  1854,  nine- 
teen years  after  it  was  founded,  it  had  only 
7,000  members.  It  was  registered  in  Eng- 
land as  a  friendly  society  shortly  after, 
since  which  time  it  has  prospered.  In  1869 
it  numbered  13,884  members,  of  which 
5,013  were  in  other  countries,  and  by  1879 
its  total  membership  was  33,000,  of  which 
10,000   members   were    in    Australia,    the 


INDEPENDEN'T   ORDER    OF   RECHABITES,  SALFORD    UNITY 


407 


Canadian  Dominion,  Newfoundland,  the 
West  Indies,  South  Africa,  and  "  else- 
where abroad."  The  Order  is  made  up  of 
male  adult  tents,  female  adult  tents,  and 
juvenile  tents,  most  of  the  English  tents 
being  self-governing  and  having  care  of 
their  own  funds  for  the  payment  of  sick 
and  other  benefits.  Every  member  of  the 
Order  signs  a  pledge  to  "  abstain  from  all 
intoxicating  liquors  except  tn  religious  or- 
dinances, or  when  prescribed  by  a  legally 
qualified  medical  practitioner  during  sick- 
ness which  renders  one  incapable  of  fol- 
lowing any  employment,  .  .  .  also 
that  he  (or  she)  will  not  give  or  offer  them 
to  another,  nor  engage  in  the  traffic  of 
them,  but  in  all  possible  ways  will  dis- 
countenance the  use,  manufacture,  and  sale 
of  them,  and  to  the  utmost  of  my  power 
I  will  endeavor  to  spread  the  principles  of 
abstinence  from  all  intoxicating  liquors." 
The  Order  is  governed  in  England  by  a 
Movable  Committee,  which  form  is  plainly 
borrowed  from  English  Odd  Fellowship. 
This  committee  meets  at  different  towns 
once  in  two  years.  Executive  power  is 
vested  in  a  board  of  directors  elected  by 
the  Movable  Committee,  which  meets  quar- 
terly to  transact  business.  The  sub-divi- 
sions into  districts  and  tents  follow  closely 
after  the  general  form  of  government  of 
leading  Orders  of  Odd  Fellows  and  Forest- 
ers. The  range  of  benefits  given  by  the 
Rechabites  is  about  the  same  as  in  other 
orders,  but  the  method  of  subscribing  for 
them  is  different.  Members  subscribed  for 
from  one  to  six  shares  in  the  sick,  and  from 
one  to  four  each  in  the  funeral  benefits. 
One  share  in  the  sick  fund  called  for  Id.  a 
week,  and  paid  2.s'.  (Sd.  a  week  during  the 
illness  of  the  holder,  and  one  share  in  the 
funeral  fund  was  valued  at  £5,  and  cost 
bd.  per  quarter.  This  system  has  been  mod- 
ified by  the  adoption  of  the  more  equitable 
system  of  contributions  graduated  accord- 
ing to  age,  similar  to  the  system  now  in  use 
in  most  other  beneficiary  societies.  The 
Rechabites    have    made    a    point   of    what 


they  claim  to  be  a  lower  death  rate  over  a 
period  of  years  and  a  snuiller  total  number 
of  days'  illness  of  members  than  may  be 
found  in  like  organizations  in  a  given  num- 
ber of  years,  their  object  being  to  prove 
that  abstainers  as  a  body  ar^  healtiiier  than 
non-abstainers.  In  order  to  show  this  they 
contrast  the  records  of  the  average  annual 
number  of  days'  and  hours'  illness  of  each 
member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Rech- 
abites in  the  Bradford  District  during  the 
years  1870  to  1877  inclusive,  amounting  to 
four  days  and  two  hours,  with  a  corre- 
sponding exhibit  from  the  records  of  the 
Manchester  Unity  of  Odd  Fellows  in  Brad- 
ford District,  in  the  same  years,  tiie  latter 
amounting  to  thirteen  days  and  ten  hours. 
A  like  comparison  as  to  the  annual  death 
rate  in  the  two  orders  showed  that  only  one 
in  every  141  of  the  Bradford  District  Rech- 
abites died,  while  among  the  Odd  Fellows  in 
that  District  the  rate  was  one  in  forty-four. 
But  as  the  average  age  of  the  Manchester 
Unity  was  given  at  forty  years,  and  that  of 
the  Rechabites  at  thirty  years,  and  as  there 
were  no  means  of  determining  what  pro- 
portion of  the  Bradford  Odd  Fellows  were 
abstainers,  partial  abstainers,  or  greatly  ad- 
dicted to  drink,  the  compilations  and  com- 
parisons leave  much  to  be  desired.  The 
Rechabites,  like  other  sick  benefit  orders, 
has  its  ritual  and  ceremonies,  which  a 
"zealous  neophyte"  has  described  as  fol- 
lows :  "  Its  simplicity  yet  impressiveness 
was  to  me  really  beautiful ;  in  fact,  when 
compared  with  the  modes  of  initiation 
adopted  in  other  orders  that  I  have  for 
some  years  been  familiar  with,  viz.  :  the 
Foresters,  Odd  Fellows,  etc.,  it  certainly 
stands  unrivalled."  English  accounts  of 
the  Order  content  themselves  with  the 
statement  that  it  has  been  extended  to 
America,  where  there  are  two  flourish- 
ing Orders,  the  National  Order  of  Inde- 
pendent Rechabites  and  the  Encamped 
Knights  of  Rechab  of  North  America. 
No  records  are  obtained  of  the  latter  in  the 
United  States,  but  the  Independent  Order, 


408 


KNIGHTS   OF  JERICHO 


which  was  introduced  into  this  country 
in  1842,  has  not  flourished  greatly,  its 
total  membership  not  exceeding  4,000. 
The  headquarters  of  the  American  branch 
of  the  Order  are  at  "Washington,  D.  0. 
The  Order  has  an  organization  in  nine 
States.  The  total  membership  of  the  vari- 
ous Orders  of  Rechabites  in  all  countries  is 
about  220,000. 

Kuiglits  of  Jericlio.  — A  total  absti- 
nence secret  society,  founded  at  Utica,  N. 
Y.,  by  Daniel  Cady  of  Lansingburg,  N.  Y., 
in  1850,  who  organized,  the  juvenile  branch 
of  the  Sons  of  Temperance,  known  as  the 
Cadets  of  Temperance.  Within  a  year  the 
Knights  of  Jericho  was  reorganized  as  the 
Good  Templars,  and  a  year  later  a  dissatis- 
fied brother  organized  a  rival  society  with 
the  title  Independent  Order  of  Good  Tem- 
plars, which  united  with  the  Good  Tem- 
plars in  1852  under  the  name  Independent 
Order  of  Good  Templars.  The  latter  is  the 
largest  and  most  successful  secret  society 
in  the  world  the  members  of  which  are 
pledged  to  total  abstinence.  (See  Indepen- 
dent Order  of  Good  Templars.) 

Marshall  Temperance  Fraternity. — 
One  of  the  earlier  names  of  the  Templars 
of  Honor  and  Temperance.  (See  the  latter; 
also  Sons  of  Temperance.) 

Marshall  Temple  of  Honor,  Xo.  1, 
Sons  of  Temperance.  —  A  title  of  the 
Templars  of  Honor  and  Temperance,  while 
temporarily  subordinate  to  the  Sons  of  Tem- 
perance. (See  Templars  of  Honor,  etc.; 
also  Sons  of  Temperance.) 

Royal  Templars  of  Temperance, 
The.— Organized  in  1870  at  Buffalo,  N.  Y., 
as  the  result  of  an  effort  to  close  the  saloons 
on  Sunday.  Its  founder,  Cyrus  K.  Porter, 
had  for  many  years  been  actively  identified 
with  the  Freemasons,  Odd  Fellows,  and 
Sons  of  Temperance,  and  so  acquired  the 
experience  necessary  to  frame  a  ritual  for 
an  organization  which  should  be  educa- 
tional and  uplifting  in  its  character.  An 
active  interest  was  taken  in  the  movement, 
which  subsequently  became  a  secret  frater- 


nal benefit  society,  with  a  benefit  fund, 
from  which,  on  satisfactory  evidence  of  the 
death  or  total  disability  of  a  beneficiary 
member,  a  sum  not  exceeding  $5,000 
should  be  paid  to  the  family,  orphans,  de- 
pendents, or  persons  having  an  insurable 
interest  in  his  life.  The  Supreme  Coun- 
cil, or  law-making  body  of  the  order,  was 
organized  at  Buffalo,  February  16,  1870. 
During  its  earlier  years  the  order  en- 
deavored to  unite  all  to  labor  morally, 
socially,  and  religiously  for  the  promotion, 
of  the  cause  of  temperance,  and  in  this 
regard  maintained  a  local  organization  and 
confined  its  efforts  to  purely  local  work. 
At  a  meeting  of  the  Supi-eme  Council, 
January  15,  1877,  a  revised  constitution, 
including  the  benefit  system,  was  adopted, 
and  the  society  reorganized.  From  the 
date  of  its  reorganization  its  growth  was 
marked,  and  has  kept  pace  with  the  ever- 
widening  influence  of  the  fraternal  system. 
The  formation  of  the  order,  while  un- 
doubtedly inspired  by,  was  not  the  result  of 
any  disruption  of  other  temperance  orders. 
It  came  into  the  fraternal  world  with  a 
special  work  to  perform,  and  claims  to  be 
"the  only  strictly  total  abstinence  order  that 
has  successfully  combined  its  temperance 
principles  with  its  beneficiary  work."  Dur- 
ing twenty  years  the  stream  of  benefits, 
which  appeared  small  at  its  beginning,  has 
steadily  increased,  until  over  15,000,000  has 
been  disbursed  in  the  United  States  and 
Canada.  Its  membership  is  composed  of 
both  men  and  women,  who  enjoy  equal 
rights  and  privileges.  Its  government  is 
vested  in  a  Supreme  Council,  which  meets 
biennially,  composed  of  the  incorjaorators 
of  the  order  and  officers  and  representatives 
from  Grand  Councils.  Grand  Councils  are 
formed  in  any  State  or  territory  where  a 
sufficient  number  of  Select  Councils  have 
been  organized,  and  when  so  formed  have 
jurisdiction  in  its  State  or  territory,  ex- 
cept in  the  beneficiary  department.  Select 
Councils  are  the  subordinate  or  working 
bodies    of    the   members.     An    influential 


SONS  OF  TEMPERANCE 


409 


branch  exists  in  tlie  Dominion  of  Canada, 
which  has  a  separate  beneficiary  jurisdic- 
tion. A  union  has  been  formed  with  the 
Swedish  American  branch  of  the  Templars 
of  Temperance,  and  the  beneficiary  depart- 
ment is  managed  as  one  in  tlieUnited  States. 
An  emergency  or  reserve  fund  is  a  feature 
in  both  the  United  States  and  Canada. 
Tlie  strength  of  the  order  in  tlie  United 
States  and  Canada,  and  in  the  Scandi- 
navian branch,  exceeds  20,000  members 
in  the  beneficiary  department  and  al)out 
30,000  social  members.  The  number  of 
Grand  Councils  in  the  United  States  is 
seven,  and  in  Canada  five.  The  order  does 
business  in  twenty-seven  States,  aims  to 
furnish  insurance  at  actual  cost,  and  "  has 
no  deaths  from  intemperance."  Its  plans 
have  been  improved  by  experience,  and  as 
its  record  inspires  confidence  its  prospects 
are  bright  for  continued  success. 

Sons  of  Honor. — One  of  the  various 
titles  by  which  the  Templars  of  Honor  and 
Temperance  was  known  prior  to  the  organi- 
zation of  the  National  Temple.  (See 
Templars  of  Honor,  etc.;  also  Sons  of 
Temperance. ) 

Sons  of  Jonadal), — A  prominent  Xew 
England  total  abstinence,  secret  society, 
founded  at  Boston  more  than  half  a  century 
ago.  It  flourished  as  late  as  twenty  years 
ago,  but  is  now  dormant.  It  was  manifestly 
an  imitation  of  the  English  secret,  total 
abstinence  society,  the  Independent  Order 
of  Rechabites,  which  was  introduced  into 
this  country  in  1842.  A  Son  of  Jonadab 
who  broke  his  pledge  could  not  be  rein- 
stated. (See  United  Daughters  of  Re- 
chab.) 

Sons  of  Teniperiuice. — The  Sons  of 
Temperance  is  the  oldest  among  several 
American  temperance  or  total  absti- 
nence secret  societies.  It  was  formed  in 
1842  at  New  York  city  by  sixteen  gentle- 
men, prominently  Daniel  Sands  and  John 
W.  and  Isaac  J.  Oliver,  at  a  time  when  a 
great  temperance  reform  movement  was 
under  way.  to  attract  and  give  permanence 


to  what  might  otherwise  prove  only  a  spas- 
modic repentance.  The  Washingtonian 
movement,  as  it  was  called,  had  swept  the 
country  and  was  composed  nearly  altogether 
of  converts  from  the  use  of  intoxicating 
liquors  who  were  bound  to  live  up  to  their 
j)rofessions  of  reformation  by  a  simple 
pledge  only.  The  fouiulers  of  the  Sons  of 
Temperance  felt  tlie  necessity  of  an  organi- 
zation of  a  fraternal  character  combined 
with  beneficiary  featui'es,  and  it  was  started, 
therefore,  ])urely  as  a  philanthropic  project, 
''  to  reform  drunkards  and  to  prevent  others 
from  becoming  drunkards.''  Many  of  the 
local  divisions,  corresponding  to  lodges,  pay 
sick  and  funeral  benefits,  and  there  is  a 
relief  society  established  exclusively  for 
members  of  the  order,  which  includes  the 
life  insurance  feature  of  so  many  fraternal 
organizations.  The  order  is  open  alike  to 
men  and  women,  as  are  its  offers  of  insur- 
ance and  relief.  Sick  and  funeral  benefits 
are  paid  by  local  divisions  from  quarterly 
dues.  It  has  been  eminently  progressive, 
having  gone  forth  from  the  United  States, 
throughout  the  North  American  continent, 
to  the  Bahamas,  Liberia,  Australia,  New  Zea- 
land, England,  Ireland,  Scotland, and  Wales. 
This  fraternity  is  composed  of  subordinate. 
Grand,  and  National  Divisions,  there  being 
four  of  the  latter,  one  each  in  North  Amer- 
ica and  the  United  Kingdom,  and  two  in 
Australia.  Al)out  one-half  of  its  total 
membership  of  64,000  is  in  the  United 
States.  It  is  the  parent  of  the  Indepen- 
dent Order  of  Good  Templars,  a  similar 
organization,  which  does  not  pay  pecuniary 
benefits,  and  which  has  far  outstripped  it 
in  the  race  for  membership. 

The  Sons  of  Temperance  was  introduced 
into  England  at  Liverpool  in  1846  by  a  Mr. 
Thomas,  an  ilnglishman  "  who  had  been 
to  Anu'rica  and  initiated  there,  liy  1855 
a  National  Division  was  formed  in  England 
which  is  independent,  although  all  the 
National  Divisions  recognize  each  other's 
members  as  visitors  when  furnished  witii 
proper  credentials.  The  Sons  of  Temperance 


410 


TEMPLARS   OF   HONOR   AND   TEMPERANCE 


took  the  lead  in  England  in  demonstrat- 
ing the  propriety  and  practicability  of 
both  men  and  women  mingling  in  secret 
society  lodges.  At  first  there  was  quite 
an  outcry  against  it  in  the  United  States. 
"  Suppose  this  example  was  followed  by 
Odd  Fellows,  Shepherds,  Foresters,  Druids, 
and  the  rest,''  wrote  one,  "^what  would 
become  of  their  secrets  then  ?  "  Evidently 
he  was  not  well  informed  as  to  what  had 
been  accomplished  by  the  Daughters  of  Ee- 
bekah,  the  Companions  of  the  Forest,  the 
Daughters  of  Liberty,  and  many  other  secret 
societies  of  men  and  women  in  the  United 
States  attached  to  secret  societies  for  men 
only.  In  the  end,  English  members  of  the 
Sons  of  Temperance  evidently  saw  the  use- 
fulness of  organized  Daughters  of  Temper- 
ance, whidi  is  connected  with,  but  is  not 
governed  by,  the  Sons  of  Temperance,  and 
provided  a  general  rule  that  each  branch  of 
the  order  may  admit  women  visitors  after 
they  have  been  obligated  in  conformity 
with  the  visitors'  ritual.  Ultimately  the 
Daughters  of  Temj)erauce  crossed  the  At- 
lantic, and  while  acknowledging  no  subjec- 
tion to  the  English  Sons,  "  work  amicably 
with  them."  In  England  the  beneficiary 
features  of  the  organization  are  emphasized, 
as  is  natural  in  the  face  of  the  examj)le 
of  so  many  successful  English  affiliated 
friendly  societies.  The  initiatory  cere- 
monial is  elaborate,  particularly  as  com- 
pared with  that  of  many  of  the  minor  and 
some  of  the  more  important  British  secret 
beneficiary  societies,  and  its  regalia,  decora- 
tions, and  titles  are  striking.  The  Cadets 
of  Temperance  is  designed  for  boys,  but 
is  controlled  by  the  Grand  Division.  The 
English  brethren  adopted  the  cadet  feature 
also,  which  youths  may  join.  On  arriving 
at  sixteen  years  of  age  the  latter  are  drafted 
into  divisions.  A  pledge  of  total  abstinence 
from  the  use,  manufacture,  or  sale  of  all  in- 
toxicating liquors  is,  of  course,  a  pre-requi- 
site  to  joining  either  the  Sons,  Daughters, 
or  Cadets,  Expulsion  is  the  penalty  of 
repeated  violation  of  the  pledge,  for  there 


are  several  opportunities  permitted  for  re- 
pentance and  maintenance  of  membership 
in  good  standing. 

Whether  the  Sons  of  Temperance,  founded 
at  New  York  city  in  1843,  was  in  whole 
or  in  part  the  outgrowth  of  a  desire  to 
l^arallel  the  success  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  Eechabites,  formed  at  Salford, 
England,  in  1835,  is  not  plain.  Yet 
the  fact  that  the  Independent  Order  of 
Eechabites  was  introduced  into  America 
in  1842,  the  year  in  which  the  found- 
ers of  the  Sons  of  Temperance  met  to 
formulate  their  plans,  suggests  that  the 
English  Independent  Order  of  Eechabites 
is  entitled  to  rank  as  the  inspiration  of  the 
Sons  of  Temperance,  which,  four  years  later, 
in  1846,  went  over  to  England  and  thence 
half  round  the  world,  to  renew  the  triumphs 
it  had  won  in  America. 

Out  of  the  64,000  Sons  of  Temperance  in 
the  world  about  30,000  -are  in  the  United 
States.  The  office  of  the  Most  Worthy 
Scribe,  as  the  secretary  of  the  organization 
is  called,  is  at  South  Hampton,  N.  H.  More 
than  3,000,000  names  have  been  on  the  roLs 
of  the  Sons  of  Temperance  since  its  organ- 
ization in  1842. 

Templars  of  Honor  and  Temper- 
ance.— A  fraternal,  mutual  assessment,  ben- 
eficiary, total  abstinence  society ;  the  old- 
est and  most  direct  descendant  of  the  Sons 
of  Temperance,  which  is  the  oldest  similar 
society  of  American  origin.  The  latter  was 
founded  at  New  York  city  in  1842,  and  two 
years  later,  at  the  annual  session  of  the  na- 
tional, or  governing  division,  in  New  York, 
a  proposition  was  made  to  draft  three  de- 
grees based  on  the  society's  legend,  "  Love, 
Purity,  and  Fidelity."  But  the  anti-secret 
society  sentiment  then  j)revailing  in  various 
State  Divisions,  the  outgrowth  of  the  anti- 
Masonic  agitation  of  1827-40,  was  strong 
enough  to  defeat  the  project.  The  Sons  of 
Temperance  itself  was  a  secret  society,  but 
adhered  to  extreme  simplicity  in  its  cere- 
monials. As  the  members  of  Marshall  Di- 
vision, No.  11,  Sons  of  Temperance,  New 


TEMPLARS  OF  HONOR  A XI)  TEMPERANCE 


411 


York  city,  strongly  favored  tlie  introduc- 
tion of  degrees  into  the  order,  together 
with  signs,  as  a  safeguard  against  imposi- 
tion, that  body  took  stei)s  on  June  2,  1845, 
*'  without  any  definite  object  as  to  ulterior 
results,^'  *  to  organize  a  strictly  total  absti- 
nence association  having  in  view  an  impres- 
sive and  practical  ceremony  more  lasting  in 
its  teachings  than  the  forms  gone  through 
with  by  the  Sons  of  Temperance.  A  plan 
was  also  incorporated  for  extending  relief 
to  sick  and  distressed  members,  but  with 
all  these  changes  there  was  no  expectation 
that  the  outcome  would  be  a  sjilit  from  the 
parent  society.  The  newly  formed  organ- 
ization was  practically  a  society  within  a 
society,  and  called  itself  the  Marshall  Tem- 
perance Fraternity  after  the  division  in 
Avhich  it  had  its  birth.  In  November,  1845, 
the  name  of  the  body  was  changed  to  Mar- 
shall Temple,  No.  1,  Sons  of  Honor,  a  title 
manifestly  suggested  by  that  of  the  parent 
society. 

Efforts  were  made  in  that  month  to  bring 
the  Sons  of  Honor  into  the  Sons  of  Tem- 
perance, as  an  adjunct  to  the  latter,  all 
members  of  the  new  society  being  Sons' 
of  Temi^erance,  and  its  name  was  again 
changed  to  Marshall  Temple  of  Honor, 
No.  1,  Sons  of  Temperance.  This  was  at  a 
meeting  held  December  15,  1845,  the  birth- 
day of  the  order.  Among  the  first  officers, 
A.  D.  Wilson,  R.  T.  Trail,  and  John  Murphy 
are  regarded  as  the  founders.  It  was  then 
arranged  that  none  but  Sons  of  Temper- 
ance should  be  made  Sons  of  Honor,  and 
Marshall  Temple  of  Honor,  No.  1,  should 
grant  charters  for  subordinate  Temples  of 
the  new  order  within  an  order  until  there 
should  be  five  such,  when  a  Grand,  or  State, 
Temple  would  be  formed.  But  before  the 
Grand  Temple  of  Honor  of  the  State  of 
New  York  was  organized  at  American  Hall, 
Grand  Street  and  Broadway,  New  York 
city,  on  February  21, 1S4G,  Marshall  Temple 

*  Early   History  of   Templars  of  Honor,    etc.. 
Cincinnati,  1855. 


had  fourteen  subordinate  Temples,  twelve 
•at  New  York  and  one  each  at  Philadelphia 
and  Baltimore.  The  Grand  Temple  of 
New  York  was  to  act  as  the  bead  of  the  order 
until  the  National  Division,  Sous  of  Tem- 
perance was  ready  to  formally  incorporate 
the  new  order  within  itself.  The  work  of 
establishing  subordinate  temples  of  Sons  of 
Honor  progressed  rapidly,  but  as  the  Na- 
tional Division  of  the  Sons  of  Temperance, 
in  June,  184G,  declared  it  "inexpedient  to 
form  a  connection  between  the  National 
Division  and  the  Temples  of  Honor,"  the 
National  Tcmi)lo  of  the  Templars  of  Honor 
and  Tempierance  of  the  United  States  was 
organized  in  Columbian  Hall,  No.  263 
Grand  Street,  New  York  city,  November 
G,  184G,  by  representatives  of  the  Grand 
Temples  of  New  York,  Pennsylvania,  Mary- 
land, Massachusetts,  and  Ohio,  thus  marking 
the  permanent  separation  of  the  two  socie- 
ties. The  National  Temple  of  Honor 
promptly  declared  itself  a  total  abstinence, 
secret  fraternity  and  adopted  a  ceremonial 
of  three  degrees,  entitled,  respectively,  Love, 
Purity,  and  Fidelity,  and  a  ritual  and  re- 
galia, together  with  "  a  traveling  pass  and 
key."  The  degrees  have  since  been  in- 
creased to  six  by  the  addition  of  the  degrees 
of  Tried,  Approved,  and  Select  Templar, 
the  last  named  representing  the  summit 
and  perfection  of  this  variety  of  templarism. 
Before  the  Civil  War  the  order  spread  to 
the  South  and  West,  where  it  had  a  large 
membershi}),  but  it  never  completely  rallied 
from  the  loss  of  membership  due  to  the 
war.  It  numbered  about  7,000  men  and 
women  at  the  close  of  1896,  residents  of 
Maine,  Massachusetts,  Rhode  Island,  Con- 
necticut, New  York,  Pennsylvania,  New 
Jersey,  Ohio,  Illinois,  Wisconsin,  Michigan, 
Louisiana.  Texas,  Utah,  Wyoming,  New 
Brunswick,  England,  and  Sweden.  The 
beneficiary  department  has  not  proved  a 
marked  success,  and  membershi))  in  it  is 
not  obligatory.  The  social  department  is 
composed  mainly  of  women,  but  brethren 
are  eligible  to  membership.     It  is  managed 


412 


UNITED   ORDER   OF   THE   GOLDEN   CROSS 


and  controlled  by  women  under  the  guid- 
ance of  the  Inner  Temple  of  the  Grand 
Temple,  and  contained,  at  the  close  of 
1896,  about  1,100  women  members. 

Junior  Templars  of  Honor  and  Tem- 
perance meet  iii  sections.  Boys  of  from 
twelve  to  fifteen  years  of  age  are  eligible 
to  join,  and  at  eighteen  years  of  age  may 
enter  the  Temple  of  Honor,  for  which 
tlie  preliminary  training  is  designed  to 
prepare  them.  The  Templars  of  Honor 
ritual  is  based  on  historical  accounts  of 
■  Templar  knighthood,  with  fraternal  teach- 
ings drawn  from  the  stories  of  David  and 
Jonathan  and  Damon  and  Pythias. 

It  is  more  than  a  matter  of  conjecture 
whether  the  ritnal  and  degrees  of  the  Tem- 
plars of  Honor  were  suggested,  in  part,  at 
least,  by  printed  and  other  outgivings  of 
the  fierce  anti-secret  society  agitation  which 
had  hardly  quieted  down  when  this  society 
of  teetotal  Templars  made  its  appearance. 
The  names  of  the  three  supplementary  de- 
grees of  tlie  Templars  of  Honor  suggest 
Masonic  inspiration,  and  the  formation  of 
Councils  of  Templars  by  those  attaining 
the  highest  or  Select  Templar  degree  par- 
allels the  relationship  of  the  Chapter  to  the 
lodge  in  Freemasonry  under  the  American 
system  or  rite.  Quite  significant,  as  bear- 
ing on  this,  is  the  chief  emblem  of  the 
order,  a  temple,  and  within  it  the  nine- 
pointed  star,  composed  of  three  interlaced 
equilateral  triangles. 

The  government  of  the  order  rests  in  the 
Supreme  Council,  which  has  jurisdiction 
over  Grand  Temples  and  Grand  Councils, 
the  latter  being  composed  of  representatives 
of  subordinate  temples  and  subordinate 
councils.  Only  members  of  the  sixth  or 
Select  Templar  degree  are  eligible  to  mem- 
bership in  subordinate  councils.  The  order 
is  not  only  unsectarian,  but  unpolitical,  and 
seeks,  in  addition  to  pledging  its  members 
not  to  use  or  traffic  in  intoxicating  liquors, 
to  enforce  "prohibition  by  the  strong  arm 
of  the  law,  maintained  and  upheld  by  pub- 
lic sentiment.''     (See  Sons  of  Temperance.) 


United  Order  of  the  Golden  Cross. — 

A  mutual  assessment  beneficiary  society  of 
men  and  women  total  abstainers  from  the 
use  of  alcoholic  drinks  as  a  beverage,  founded 
by  Dr.  J.  H.  Morgan  in  New  England  in 
1876,  one  of  the  older  of  this  variety  of  or- 
ganizations. It  is  governed  by  a  Sujareme 
body  composed  of  its  officers  and  represent- 
atives of  Grand  bodies,  which  have  jurisdic- 
tion over  subordinate  Commanderies.  Its 
strength  lies  in  the  New  England  States, 
but  Grand  Commanderies  also  exist  in  New 
York,  District  of  Columbia,  Tennessee, 
Kentucky,  and  Indiana.  Its  organizers 
were  Freemasons  who  sought,  by  a  system 
of  graded  assessments,  to  form  an  econom- 
ical and  safe  method  of  insuring  the  lives  of 
members  for  1500,  $1,000,  or  2,000.  The 
Order  also  cares  for  members  when  in  sick- 
ness and  distress.  Its  success  is  attested  by 
its  annual  death-rate  of  only  about  9  in 
1,000,  and  its  grand  total  of  nearly  $4,000,- 
000  paid  to  beneficiaries  since  the  date  of 
organization.  Acceptable  white  men  and 
Avomen  between  sixteen  and  fifty-five  years 
of  age  are  eligible  to  membership,  and  it 
claims  to  be  among  the  first  societies,  if  not 
the  first  society,  of  the  kind  to  admit  women 
to  its  ranks  on  the  same  terms  as  men.  In 
1893  there  were  20,357  members,  and  in 
1897,  28,000.  The  emblem  of  the  Order 
is  a  Greek  cross  with  the  initials  of  the 
words  United  Order,  Golden  Cross  in  the 
arms  thereof,  and  a  five-pointed  star  in  the 
centre,  crossed  by  a  monogram  formed  of 
two  letters  S.  The  headquarters  of  the 
society  are  at  Lewiston,  Me. 

United  Daughters  of  Rechab. — S.  C. 
Gould,  in  his  resume  of  Arcane  Fraternities 
in  the  United  States,  1896,  says  that  the 
society  was  established  at  Boston,  March 
15,  1845,  and  ''their  pledge  is  based  on 
the  command  of  Jonadab,  the  son  of 
Eechab,  to  his  posterity."  Their  motto 
was,  "Mercy  and  Truth  are  met  together.'* 
This  was  a  branch  of  the  Sous  of  Jonadab. 
Both  were  total  abstinence  societies,  and 
both  are  dead. 


CLAX-XA-GAEL 


413 


XII 

REVOLUTIONARY  BROTHERHOODS 


Brotherhood  of  United  Trislniien. — 

Cue  of  the  earlier  titles  of  the  Clan-na-Gael. 
(See  the  latter.) 

Clau-na-Gael. — What  may  be  consid- 
ered as  the  first  camii  of  this  Irish  revo- 
lutionary secret  society  was  formed  at 
'New  York  city  in  1869  by  the  union  of 
three  hundred  seceding  Fenians  and  a 
small  band  of  local  Irish  cons^iirators 
known  as  the  Knights  of  the  Inner  Circle. 
The  objects  of  the  Clan-na-Gael  were  to 
bring  all  Irishmen  at  home  and  abroad 
into  one  vast  organization  and  to  secure 
the  freedom  of  Ireland  by  armed  insurrec- 
tion. The  original  title  was  the  Brother- 
hood of  United  Irishmen,  but  later  it  was 
frequently  called  the  United  Brotherhood 
by  means  of  the  letters  ^'' Y.  C,"  the  Clan 
cipher  using  letters  immediately  follow- 
ing those  given.  The  new  organization 
drew  to  it  the  more  active  element  in  the 
Fenian  Brotherhood,  and  began  the  work 
of  establishing  camps,  as  local  bodies  were 
termed,  all  over  the  United  States.  By 
1873  it  claimed  to  have  practically  absorbed 
similar  societies  in  this  country,  which  in- 
dicated a  decline  in  interest,  as  the  Clan's 
total  membership  was  only  about  11.000  in 
1876.  It  is  governed,  so  far  as  ordinary 
business  affairs  are  concerned,  by  an  Execu- 
tive Committee.  Its  revolutionary  projects 
and  the  funds  for  their  execution  are  in 
the  exclusive  charge  of  the  Revohitioiuiry 
Directory,  who  have  worked  in  sympatliy 
with  the  Irish  Republican  Brotherhood, 
the  foreign  branch  of  the  Fenian  Brother- 
hood, thus  pointing  to  the  dormancy  of  the 
latter.  Le  Caron,  in  his  "  Twenty-five 
Years  in  the  Secret  Service,"  not  only 
states  that  the  Clan-na-Gael  was  organized 
with  a  "  Masonic  form  of  ritual,  grijis,  pass- 


words, signs,  and  terrorizing  penalties,'* 
but  declares  that  Masonic  signs,  etc.,  were 
adopted  by  the  Clan  without  modification. 
The  Clan-na-Gael  has  characterized  some 
of  Le  Caron's  pretended  revelations  as  lies, 
and  has  ignored  others.  If  Le  Caron  was  a 
Freemason  he  would  not  have  made  those 
statements,  and  what  he  wrote  is  valueless 
if  he  was  not  a  Freemason.  One  charac- 
teristic of  the  Clan  is  its  custom  of  taking 
innocent  and,  in  a  sense,  misleading  titles 
for  its  camps,  such  as  the  '*  Columbia  Lit- 
erary Association."  Its  active  revolution- 
ary work  consists  in  raising  funds,  by 
subscription  and  otherwise,  for  the  use  of 
the  Revolutionary  Directory.  As  it  has  no 
army  to  invade  the  British  Em})ire  it  has 
been  charged  and  credited  with  attem])ting 
to  place  explosives  in  the  coal  bunkers  of 
English  shipping  ;  with  trying  to  blow  up 
the  House  of  Parliament  and  other  public 
buildings  ;  with  planning  to  assassinate  the 
Queen ;  with  the  construction  of  a  sub- 
marine torpedo  boat  intended  to  successfully 
combat  a  fleet  of  British  war  vessels, aiul  with 
other  and  similar  plots  calculated  to  bring 
distress  to  British  subjects  ami  the  British 
government.  These  enterprises  have  been 
conducted  by  means  of  the  "skirmishing 
fund,"  collected  from  members  or  other 
"  friends  of  Ireland  "  by  those  appointed 
for  the  purpose.  During  the  years  1876-88 
the  Clan  had  a  large  membership  and  was 
prosperous,  hundreds  of  thousands  of  dol- 
lars passing  into  and  out  of  its  skirmishing 
fund  annually  through  the  hands  of  the 
Revolutionary  Directory.  In  1881  Alex- 
ander vSullivan  was  chosen  Supreme  Chief 
of  the  Clan-na-Gael,  which  excited  the 
jealousy  or  animosity,  or  both,  of  Dr.  P.  II. 
Cronin,  who  was  also  a  prominent  leader. 


414 


CLAN-NA-GAEL 


Both  men  were  residents  of  Chicago,  and, 
in  a  way,  rivals  for  preferment  in  the 
Clan.  Jolm  Devoy  sided  with  Cronin  and 
O'Meagher  Condon  with  Sullivan.  The 
fight  was  bitter,  Cronin,  in  effect,  charging 
Sullivan  with  hiismanagement  of  the  so- 
ciety's funds  and  with  desiring  to  hold  the 
highest  executive  position  in  order  to  cover 
the  fact.  The  outcome  was  a  demand  for 
an  investigation,  followed  in  1884  by  the 
expulsion  of  Cronin  and  his  friends,  who 
immediately  reorganized  and  continued  the 
Clan-na-Gael.  The  Sullivanites  called  their 
half  of  the  old  organization  the  Triangle, 
after  the  practice  of  using  the  A  on  official 
documents  of  the  Clan.  The  factions  con- 
tinued an  acrimonious  and  stormy  existence 
for  two  or  three  years,  when  friends  of  the 
leaders  endeavored  to  bring  them  together 
and  reunite  the  two  wings  at  a  congress 
called  for  1888.  They  were  successful,  but 
the  Croninites  insisted  that  those  in  charge 
of  the  funds  of  the  society  four  years  before 
be  tried  for  misappropriation,  and  succeeded 
in  carrying  the  point,  when,  much  to  the 
astonishment  of  even  some  of  his  friends. 
Dr.  Cronin  was  placed  on  the  committee 
to  try  Alexander  Sullivan  and  others  for 
unfaithfulness  while  in  charge  of  the  funds 
of  the  Clan.  Cronin  was  expected  to  be  an 
important  witness  at  that  trial,  and  hence 
the  surprise  at  his  being  made  a  prosecutor 
and  judge.  This  j^laced  a  club  in  Cronin's 
hands,  Avhich  may  or  may  not  explain  his 
sudden  death  not  long  after.  His  body 
was  found  in  a  sewer  basin  and  suspicion 
was  naturally  directed  to  some  of  his  ene- 
mies among  the  Clan-na-Gael,  several  of 
whom  were  indicted.  The  outcome  of 
this  notorious  case  was  the  acquittal  of 
Sullivan,  but  three  others  received  life 
sentences. 

The  society  has  not  been  quite  as  con- 
spicuous in  late  years,  either  by  reason  of 
its  public  appearance  or  through  the  an- 
nouncement of  plans  to  free  Ireland  by 
carrying  death  and  destruction  into  the 
British  empire.     The   names   of   some    of 


those  identified  with  the  Clan  have  been 
prominent  in  party  politics  in  the  United 
States  in  recent  presidential  years. 

Various  Hibernian,  Chrysanthemum,  and 
other  so-called  Literary  associations,  really 
camps  of  the  Clan-na-Gael,  continue  to  dot 
the  country,  but,  so  far  as  learned,  they 
have  indulged  in  nothing  more  serious  dur- 
ing the  past  few  years  than  picnics  and 
literary  entertainments,  except  to  celebrate 
March  4,  the  birthday  of  Eobert  Emmet, 
the  Irish  patriot.  The  Clan  announces 
itself  to  be  "the  vanguard  and  embodi- 
ment of  Irish  nationality,  the  motive  power 
which  animates  and  regulates  the  Irish 
struggle,  and  has  nobly  kejDt  the  national 
flag  and  national  principles  to  the  front  in 
dark  and  evil  days." 

It  also  characterizes  itself  as  ''benevo- 
lent, literary,  and  historic,  cultivating  the 
language,  literature,  art,  science,  and  music 
of  ancient  Ireland,  while  giving  all  possible 
aid  to  the  mother  country  in  its  aspirations 
and  efforts  to  establish  the  principles  of 
Dathe  Brine,  "Wolfe  Tone,  and  Emmet,  or 
assist  in  doing  for  Erin  what  William  Tell 
and  George  Washington  did  for  their  coun- 
tries." In  the  United  States  the  Clan-na- 
Gael  says  it  is  "first  in  peace,  first  in  war, 
and  first  in  every  effort  to  perpetuate  and 
maintain  the  spirit  of  the  Declaration  of 
Independence,  to  foster  and  maintain  the 
historic  friendly  relations  existing  between 
Ireland  and  America  since  the  days  of 
Washington  and  Franklin,  who  looked  upon 
Ireland  as  a  sister  republican  state  in 
si^irit." 

During  1895  and  189G  it  was  announced 
in  a  number  of  news2:»apers,  notably  by  the 
New  York  "  Sun,"  that  the  Clan-na-Gael 
was  forming  a  large  and  well-drilled  mili- 
tary organization  within  itself,  known  as 
the  Irish  Volunteers,  which  promised  to 
become  a  menace  to  Great  Britain.  The 
president  of  the  Clan  in  New  York  was 
quoted  by  the  paper  named  as  saying  "that 
the  Clan-na-Gael  was  supporting  the  mili- 
tary movement,  and  that  the  object  was  to 


INDUSTRIAL   ARMY 


415 


organize  a  force  for  the  United  States  in 
case  of  war/' 

Fenian     Brotherhood.  —  Founded    in 
1857,  by  Colonel  John  O'^Iahoney,  Michael 
Doheny,  and  others,  at  'New  York,  to  se- 
cure the  political  independence  of  Ireland. 
O'Mahoney  and  Doheny  were  Irish  refugees 
who  escaped  to  France  in  1848  and  came  to 
the  United  States.     The  name  Fenian  is  a 
modification  of  the  Irish  form,  Fiana,  which 
Irish  tradition  applies  to  some  of  the  tribes 
constituting   the   militia   of    the    King   of 
Erin.     The  Fenians  (Feinne  or  Fiana)  in 
the  early  history  of  Ireland  and  Scotland 
are  represented  as  au  established  militia  ''  to 
defend  the  country  against  foreign  or  domes- 
tic enemies,  to  support  the  right  and  succes- 
sion of  their  kings,  and  to  be  ready,  upon 
the  shortest  notice,  for  any  surprise  or  emer- 
gency of  state."     With  the  rise  of  monasti- 
cism,  says  Johnson's  Universal  Cyclopaedia, 
"the  ancient  order  disappeared,"  but  has 
"  remained  to  the  Gaelic  imagination  what 
Arthur  and  his  Knights  were  to  the  Cym- 
ric."   The  Fenian  Brotherhood  of  1857  was 
made  up  of  circles  presided  over  by  centres. 
The  chief  executive   was  called  the  head- 
centre.      It  spread  rapidly  throughout  the 
United  States  to  Ireland,  and  among  Irish- 
men  in   the  United   Kingdom,  practically 
absorbing  then    existing   political    societies 
having  the  independence  of  Ireland  in  view. 
In  Crreat  Britain  it  was  known  as  the  Irish 
Republican  Brotherhood.       Between    1863 
and  1872,  when  it  was  quite  active  and  se- 
cured large  membership,  it  was  governed  by 
the  head-centre  and  a  senate.      At  its  Chi- 
cago convention  in  18G3  there  were  240,000 
members  reported,  and   its  object  was  de- 
clared to  be  to  separate  Ireland  from  Eng- 
land  and    to  establish  an   Irish    Republic. 
Several  unsuccessful  attempts  were  made  at 
insurrection  in  Ireland,  and  at  the  close  of 
the  war  one  noteworthy  invasion  of  Canada 
from  Buffalo.     The  invading  Fenian  force 
1860  was  small  considering  the  size  of  the 
general  organization,  but  it  penetrated  into 
the  Queen's  Dominions  to  Ridgewav,  Onta- 


rio, where  it  repulsed  a  detachment  of  Ca- 
nadian  troops.      The    invaders   were   soon 
driven  back  into  the  United  States,  where 
they  were  seized  by  the  authorities,  and  al- 
lowed to  go  to  their  homes,  on  parole.      At 
the  time  of  this  invasion  of  Canada  there 
was  a  Fenian  *'navy"  also,  consisting  of 
one  tugboat  carrying  one  gun.     It  steamed 
up  and  down  Xiagara  River  between  Buf- 
falo and  Fort  Erie,  carrying  the  Irish  flag 
proudly  aloft  and  occasionally  firing  in  the 
direction  of  Fort  Erie.    A  second  attempted 
invasion  of  Canada  was  even  less  successful. 
The  Brotherhood  then  began  raising  funds 
for  further  efforts  to  liberate  Ireland,  and 
from  these  efforts  are  supposed  to  have  re- 
sulted the  Fenian  riots  in  Great  Britain  in 
1867.    The  first  Council  of  the  Brotherhood 
in  the  United   States  was  held  at  Xo.  22 
Duane  Street,  New  York,  but  in  1864  its 
headquarters  were  on  Centre  Street,  whence 
they  were   soon   removed    to   Duane  Street 
again.     It  was  after  its  Cincinnati  conven- 
tion in  1865  that  the  organization  began  to 
grow  rapidly  and  accumulate  funds.    With- 
in another  year  the  national  headquarters 
were  moved  to  Union  Square,  where  the  ac- 
commodations were  ample,  appointments  pre- 
tentious, and  officials  exclusive  and  difficult 
to  interview,  even  by  members  of  the  Broth- 
erhood ;  for  few  except  leaders  were  permit- 
ted to  pass  the  green-uniformed  halberdiers 
who  guarded  the  doors  to  the  inner  offices. 
The  result  was  disputes,  discontent,  dissen- 
sion, loss  of  interest  and  members.     With 
the  rise  of  the  Clan-na-Gael  in  1869-73,  the 
Fenian   Brotherhood   became  less  and   less 
prominent.      It  is  related  that  0 'Donovan 
Rossa  gathered  together  the  fragments  of  the 
organization  late  in  the  seventies,    and  re- 
tired  with  them  to  his  office  on  Chambers 
Street.     Ilis  efforts  to  secure  funds  to  buy 
dynamite  and  arms  to  liberate  Ireland  are 
within  easy   recollection.     It  was  not  many 
years  after,  that  the  Fenian  Brotherhood  as 
an  organization  practically  ceased  to  exist. 

Industrial     Army. —  An     organization 
among    the     laboring    classes,    advocating 


416 


IRISH   REPUBLICAN   BROTHERHOOD 


revolution  as  a  remedy  for  economic  and 
social  ills.  It  aj^peared  in  189G.  Little  is 
known  as  to  its  nnmerical  strength.  (See 
Iron  Brotherhood.) 

Irish  Republican  Brotherhood. — The 
name  by  Avliich  the  Fenian  Brotherhood, 
and  afterwards  the  Clan-na-Gael,  was  known 
in  the  United  Kingdom  and  Ireland.  (See, 
Feuiau  Brotherliood,  and  the  Clan-na-Gael.) 

Iron  Brotherhood. — A  secret  ''  revo- 
lutionary society,"  claiming  to  be  a  law 
unto  itself,  an  outgrowth  of  the  business 
depression  and  social  unrest  developed  dur- 
ing the  years  1894-96.  A  similar  organiza- 
tion which  appeared  at  the  close  of  1896  is 
called  the  Industrial  Army,  which  General 
Master  Workman  Sovereign  of  the  Knights 
of  Labor  declai-ed  in  a  letter  to  a  labor  organ, 
in  February,  1897,  was,  with  the  Iron  Broth- 
erhood, ready  to  provoke  insurrection  at 
home  as  a  release  from  economic  burdens, 
idleness,  and  starvation.  He  also  quotes  in 
part  as  follows,  from  a  circular  distributed 
by  one  of  these  societies : 

In  the  closing  of  the  nineteenth  century  we  see  a 
class  despotism  establishing  itself  upon  the  ruins  of 
the  Republic.  An  oligarchy  is  now  in  power,  and 
already  the  hideous  phantom  of  imperialism  over- 
shadows us,  as  embodied  in  the  aiitocratic  claims 
of  the  Federal  Court  and  the  acts  of  unbridled  mili- 
tary despotism  characteristic  of  the  Federal  Govern- 
ment of  to-day.  What  is  to  be  done  ?  We  have 
appealed  in  vain  to  the  ballot.  Every  trial  of 
strength  in  the  political  arena  has  resulted  in  vic- 
tory for  the  unscrupulous  money  power.  There  is 
nothing  surprising  in  this.  The  ballot  is  a  weapon 
best  wielded  by  the  hand  of  cunning  and  craft. 
History  records  no  nation  that  freed  itself  by  vot- 
ing. No  ;  let  us  be  frank.  The  hour  has  come  for 
men  to  lay  aside  the  mask  and  look  each  other  in 
the  face.  Fellow  reformer,  would  you  be  free  ? 
Would  you  see  the  regime  of  corporate  power  and 
class  despotism  at  an  end  ?  Would  you  see  the 
shackles  stricken  forever  from  the  limbs  of  human- 
ity and  behold  emancipation,  the  rebirth  of  the 
nation  which  Jefferson  revered,  that  Paine  wrote 
and  wrought  to  establish  ?  Do  you  believe  that 
this  can  come  through  the  ballot  ?  No,  you  do 
not.  Have  not  the  reformers  spent  their  lives, 
their  fortunes,  and  their  energies  in  the  cause  of 
political  reform  through  the  ballot  box,  and  what 
lias  been  the  result  ?     Have  thev  not  seen  the  cun- 


ning and  unscrupulous  always  victorious,  emerging 
from  every  campaign  master  of  the  spoils  ?  Have 
you  any  hopes  that  this  will  be  changed  in  the 
future  ?  The  past  is  one  long  protest  against  the 
ballot  as  an  instrument  of  reformation. 

The  Iron  Brotherhood  secured  many  ad- 
herents in  the  far  West,  notably  in  Col- 
orado. A  Colorado  newspaper,  in  June, 
1897,  published  an  account  of  the  growth  of 
the  Brotherhood  in  that  State,  in  which  it 
"was  said  that  members  who  were  all  armed 
had  sworn  to  carry  out  the  purposes  of  the 
commander-in-chief,  and  not  to  "tolerate" 
Chinese,  Italians,  or  Jews. 

Ku  Ivlux  Klan. — A  former  secret  society 
of  "  regulators,"  organized  at  Pulaski,  Giles 
County,  Tenn.,  in  June,  1866,  original!}^ 
designed  for  the  diversion  of  young  men  of 
the  town,  to  relieve  the  dulness  of  a  j^eriod 
immediately  following  the  close  of  the  Civil 
War,  when  the  reaction  from  the  excitement 
of  army  life  made  it  practically  impossible 
to  engage  in  business  or  jirofessional  jjur- 
suits.  The  most  detailed  account  of  the 
origin,  growth,  and  disbandment  of  the 
Klan,  one  which  gives  genuine  evidence 
that  the  authors  knew  much  of  the  internal 
workings  of  the  society,  and  which  has  been 
regarded  as  a  partial  aj^ology  for  the  many 
outrages  with  which  the  name  of  the  soci- 
ety has  been  linked,  was  j^ublished  in  the 
"■  Century  Magazine  "  in  July,  1884.  The 
origin  of  the  title  of  tlie  organization  is  in- 
teresting. At  the  second  meeting  of  the 
founders  one  suggested  calling  it  "  Kukloi," " 
from  "the  Greek  word  kuklos,  meaning  a 
band  or  circle,"  when  somebody  else  cried 
out,  "  Call  it  Ku  Klux,"  w^ien  the  word 
"Klan"  immediately  suggested  itself,  and 
was  added  to  complete  the  alliteration.  The 
writers  of  the  article  in  the  magazine  named 
suggest  that  there  was  a  weird  potency  in  the 
very  name  Ku  Klux  Klan  which  impressed 
not  only  the  general  public,  but  exercised 
an  influence  over  members  themselves 
which  was  responsible  for  the  excessively 
solemn  and  mysterious,  even  sepulchral 
character   of    the    ritual,    ceremonies,    and 


KU   KLUX    KLAN 


417 


appearances  of  the  society.  Accordingly,  tlie 
presiding  officer  became  the  Grand  Cyclops; 
the  vice-president,  a  Grand  Magi;  the  mar- 
shal, a  Grand  Turk;  and  outer  and  inner 
guards  of  the  Den,  as  the  jilace  of  meeting 
was  called,  Lictors.  Members  were  sworn 
to  profound  secrec}'  respecting  the  Klan 
and  everything  pertaining  to  it.  They 
were  not  permitted  to  tell  who  belonged  to 
it  or  to  solicit  people  to  join.  They  wore 
white  masks  with  holes  through  which 
to  see  and  breathe ;  tall,  fantastic  card- 
board headpieces  and  grotesque  or  hideous 
gowns.  The  ceremony  of  initiation  was 
borrowed  from  some  of  the  features  of  the 
introdubtion  of  candidates  of  the  long  de- 
funct Sons  of  Malta  and  other  like  societies, 
and  M'as  calculated  to,  and  did  provoke, 
much  amusement  for  most  of  those,  if  not 
all,  who  were  present.  The  Den  was  estab- 
lished in  the  L  of  a  partially  ruined  dwelling 
at  the  outskirts  of  the  town,  about  which 
were  storm-torn,  limbless  trunks  of  trees. 
"The  founders  were  among  the  representative 
business  and  professional  young  men  of  the. 
town.  The  nature  of  the  society  soon  at- 
tracted attention,  and  applications  to  join 
were  numerous.  When  a  desire  to  unite 
with  the  Klan  was  expressed  in  the  presence 
of  a  member,  he  would  take  the  applicant 
aside  when  unobserved,  and  say  that  he 
thought  he  knew  how  to  get  in,  and  suggest 
that  they  meet  at  some  particular  time  and 
place  and  join  together.  It  Avas  not  until 
after  the  boisterous  and  grisly  sounds  of 
mirth  and  mystification  had  ceased  in  the 
Den — sounds  which  soon  led  the  colored 
people  and  gentler  townsfolk  to  avoid  the 
locality  after  dark — that  the  newly  initiated 
member  discovered,  if  even  then,  that  he 
had  been  introduced  through  a  member, 
rather  than  by  an  ajiplicant  like  himself. 
During  July  and  August  the  Ku  Klux  Klan 
was  the  talk  of  Pulaski  and  the  surround- 
ing region.  Its  growth  was  rapid,  and 
young  men  from  the  country  found  their 
way  to  the  town  and  ultimately  into  the 
recesses  of  the  Den.     Applications  to  estab- 


lish Dens  at  distant  points  began  to  ])Our  in 
as  membership  in  the  Klan  increased,  and 
during  the  fall  and  winter  of  186G  many 
Avere  granted.  It  was  not  long  before 
"  strangers  "  who  joined  the  Klan  began  es- 
tablishing Dens  at  their  homes,  even  with- 
out permission,  but  by  ''tacit  agreement" 
the  Grand  Cyclops  of  the  Pulaski  Den  was 
"  virtually  the  ruler  of  the  Order.'' 

To  this  time  it  is  declared  that  ludicrous 
initiations,  the  baffling  of  public  curiosity, 
and  amusement  for  members  were  the  only 
objects  of  the  Klan,  and  in  each  of  these 
directions  it  was  singularly  successful. 
Beginning  in  April,  1867,  there  was  a  grad- 
ual transformation  which,  within  the  year, 
developed  a  band  of  "regulators."  This 
is  explained  in  the  sketch  referred  to  as  due 
to  the  effect  of  the  order  on  the  minds  of 
its  members,  on  the  public,  and  to  "the 
anomalous  and  peculiar  condition  of  affairs 
in  the  South  at  that  time."  The  members 
had  conjured  up  a  veritable  Frankenstein. 
They  had  played  with  an  engine  of  power 
and  mystery,  though  organized  on  entirely 
innocent  lines,  and  found  themselves  over- 
come by  a  belief  that  something  must  lie 
behind  it  all — that  there  was,  after  all,  a  se- 
rious purpose,  a  work  for  the  Klan  to  do. 

Many  white  people,  not  meinbers,  had 
been  frequently  overcome  with  awe  or  ter- 
ror at  the  sepulchral  and  often  horrible 
sights  and  noises  for  which  the  order  after 
dark  was  responsible.  The  ignorant  and 
superstitious  Avere  even  more  impressed  by 
Avhat  they  imagined  it  all  meant,  and  the 
negroes  in  particular  Avere  so  terror-stricken 
by  all  that  Avas  conveyed  by  the  term  Ku 
Klux  that  in  many  localities  Avhere  there 
Avere  Dens  they  refused  to  go  out  of  doors 
after  nightfall.  Given  these  conditions  and 
the  peculiar  social,  business,  and  political  in- 
fluences that  reigned  throughout  the  South; 
the  era  of  forcible  '"reconstruction ; "  inroads 
of  Avhat  Avere  termed  "  carpet-baggers  ;  " 
the  dominance  of  border  Fetlerals  Avho  had 
"played  traitor  to  both  sides,"  the  enfran- 
chisement of    the  blacks    and   consequent 


418 


KU   KLUX   KLAN 


placing  of  majority  rule,  in  many  instances, 
in  the  hands  of  an  ignorant  and,  at  the  time, 
antagonistic  race,  and  it  is  alleged  to  be  suf- 
ficient to  account  for  the  natural  evolution 
of  the  Klan  into  a  "protective  organization." 
There  Avas  great  disorder  throughout  por- 
tions of  the  South  at  that  period,  and  it  was 
not  all  on  one  side.  There  Avas  an  armed 
negro  and  white  population  antagonistic  to 
those  who  represented  the  recent  Confeder- 
acy, and  outbreaks  were  frequent.  It  was 
then  that  the  reorganized  Ku  Klux  Klan 
made  its  appearance,  the  one  which  the 
North  has  identified  with  "midnight  mur- 
der" and  "political  infamy."'  It  is  ad- 
mitted that  at  this  period  the  Klan  threw 
some  of  its  conservatism  to  the  winds, 
and  recruited  its  membership  ofttimes  with 
rash,  imprudent,  and  bad  men.  The  Klan 
could  not  have  disbanded  then  had  it  tried. 
In  order  to  gird  up  its  loin^  more  effectually 
it  held  a  convention  at  Nashville  early  in 
1867,  at  which  the  territory  covered  by 
it  was  termed  "the  Invisible  Empire"* — 
pointing  to  Knight  of  the  Golden  Circle 
influences — the  Empire  being  divided  into 
realms,  dominions  and  provinces,correspond- 
ing  to  States,  Congressional  districts  and 
counties.  Autocratic  powers  were  lodged 
with  the  Grand  Wizard,  or  supreme  officer. 
His  cabinet  consisted  of  ten  Genii.  The 
Grand  Dragon  governed  a  State,  or  realm, 
aided  by  eight  Hydras;  a  Grand  Titan  and 
his  six  Furies  presided  over  a  dominion;  a 
Grand  Giant  and  four  Goblins  over  a  prov- 
ince, and  the  Grand  Cyclops,  in  charge  of  a 
Den,  was  aided  by  two  Night  Hawks.  At 
this  convention  the  Klan  declared:  "We 
recognize  our  relation  to  the  United  States 
government,  the  supremacy  of  the  Constitu- 
tion, the  constitutional  laws  thereof,  and  the 
union  of  the  States  thereunder."  The  au- 
thors of  the  "  Century"  article  infer  from 
the  quotation  that  "  every  man  who  was  a 
Ku  Klux  really  took  an  oath  to  support  the 
Constitution  of  the  United  States."  the 
writer  is  unable  to  extract  that  meaning 
from   the    quotation.     It  is  further  stated 


that  the  Nashville  convention  set  forth  its 
objects:  to  protect  the  weak,  innocent,  de- 
fenceless; relieve  the  injured  and  oppressed; 
succor  the  suffering,  especially  widows  and 
orphans  of  Confederate  soldiers;  to  protect 
and  defend  the  Constitution  of  the  United 
States  and  all  laws  passed  in  conformity 
thereto,  and  to  assist  in  the  execution  of  all 
constitutional  laws,  and  protect  the  people 
from  unlawful  seizure,  and  from  trial  except 
by  their  peers  and  in  conformity  to  the  laws 
of  the  land. 

After  this  the  Klan  appeared  in  public 
oftener,  but  preserved  the  extreme  secrecy 
and  mystery  which  had  characterized  it. 
Its  membership  had  grown  to  large  dimen- 
sions and  its  power  proportionately.  Bad 
men  crept  into  the  order,  and  thousands 
who  were  not  bad,  but  who  were  rash, 
lacked  judgment,  and  could  not  be  con- 
trolled. The  result  in  1867  and  1868  Avas 
that  many  deeds  of  violence  and  bloodshed 
marked  attempts  described  as  efforts  to 
preserve  peace  and  order.  Many  outrages 
explained  as  due  to  the  Ku  Klux  were  com- 
mitted by  those  Avho  tried  to  shield  them- 
selves in  that  way.  Even  the  negroes  played 
at  Ku  Klux.  Gradually  a  feeling  of  ex- 
treme hostility  toward  the  Klan  showed  it- 
self. Thej^  were  attacked  and  fired  on, 
as  claimed,  without  provocation,  which  nat- 
urally caused  counter  hostilities.  (See 
Union  League  of  America, )  Late  in  1868  the 
Grand  Dragon  of  the  realm  of  Tennessee, 
"Dreadful  Era,  Black  Epoch,  Dreadful 
Hour,"  issued  a  general  order,  denouncing 
the  misjudgment  of  the  Klan  by  the  imblic, 
declaring  it  a  society  for  the  maintenance  of 
law  and  order.  But  matters  grew  worse,  and 
Governor  Brownlow  called  the  Tennessee 
Legislature  together  in  September  of  1868, 
when  it  passed  an  anti-Ku  Klux  statute, 
designed  to  suppress  the  society,  imposing 
heavy  fines  and  imprisonment  for  mere 
membership  in  the  order,  offering  a  rcAvard 
of  relief  from  liability  for  members  who 
would  turn  informers,  and  declaring  asso- 
ciation or  connection  with  the  Klan  "  infa- 


KNIGHTS  OF  THE  GOLDEN  CIRCLE 


419 


mous."  "In  some  sections  of  the  State  a 
reign  of  terror  followed  the  passage  of  this 
act,"  and  the  governor's  last  action  before 
going  to  the  United  States  Senate  was  to 
order  troops  into  certain  counties  to  sup- 
])ress  the  disorder.  Tliis  was  on  February 
20,  1869,  and  was  shortly  followed  by  the 
formal  and  official  dissolution  of  the  Order 
by  the  Grand  AVizard  of  the  Invisible  Em- 
pire, "  who  was  invested  with  the  power  to 
determine  questions  of  paramount  impor- 
tance to  the  order. "  Members  were  directed 
to  burn  tlieir  paraphernalia  and  regalia,  and 
to  unite  with  all  good  people  "  in  maintain- 
ing and  upholding  the  civil  laws  and  in 
putting  down  lawlessness."  The  article 
from  which  many  of  the  foregoing  points 
have  been  taken  says  of  the  report  of  the 
joint  select  committee  of  Congress  on  the 
condition  of  affairs  in  the  late  insurrection- 
ary States,  Eeport  No.  22,  Part  I,  42d 
Congress,  2d  Session,  February  19,  1872, 
that  ''  it  contains  a  mass  of  very  disrepu- 
table histoiT  which  belongs  to  a  later  date, 
and  is  attributed  to  the  Klan,  but  not  justly 
BO.  These  persons  were  acting  in  the  name 
of  the  Klan  and  under  its  disguises,  but  not 
by  its  authority."  Truly,  as  declared  by  D. 
L.  Wilson,  who  with  J.  C.  Lester  is  respon- 
sible for  the  article  to  which  reference  has 
been  made,  the  birth  of  the  Klan  •"  was  an 
accident ;  its  growth  was  a  comedy,  its  death 
a  tragedy.  .  .  .  There  never  was  before, 
or  since,  a  period  of  our  history  when  such 
an  order  could  have  lived.  May  there  never 
be  again." 

Knights  of  the  Gohleu  Circle. — De- 
scribed in  the  "Century  Dictionary  of 
Names"  as  "a  former  secret  order  in  the 
United  States  in  sympathy  with  the  Seces- 
sionists." The  time  and  jilace  of  its  organ- 
ization, as  might  naturally  be  supposed,  are 
lost  in  the  obscurity  into  which  almost  all 
pertaining  to  the  early  history  of  the  order 
has  fallen.  The  "  Order  of  the  Lone  Star," 
believed  to  have  had  its  origin  in  1852,  at 
a  ])eriod  when  the  Know  Nothing  party 
was  at  the  height  of  its  power,  is  supposed 


to  have  played  a  part  in  founding  the 
Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle.  Henry 
Baldwin,  custodian  of  American  History, 
New  Haven,  Conn.,  relates  that  data  in  his 
possession  are  authority  for  the  statement 
that  the  circumference  of  the  Golden  Circle 
reached  from  the  Mason  and  Dixon  line  on 
the  north  to  the  Isthmus  of  Panama  on  the 
south,  and  that  within  this  circle  was  con- 
tained the  field  of  tiie  organization. 

Before  the  Civil  War  there  existed  in 
almost  every  large  town  in  the  Southern 
States  a  social  club,  and  when  it  became 
evident  to  the  mind  of  Secessionists  that  it 
was  possible  for  Southern  States  to  secede, 
an  effort  was  made  to  unite  these  clubs 
into  one  body  as  a  secret  society.  A  man 
"from  Cincinnati "  is  said  to  have  travelled 
through  the  Southern  States  in  further- 
ance of  this  i)urpose.  During  the  war 
there  were  arrests  made  in  the  West,*  and 

*  In  Charles  M.  Ilarvey's  "A  Forgotten  Conspir- 
ator," published  in  the  St.  Louis  "Globe-Demo- 
crat," November  7,  1897,  there  occurs  the  following  : 
"  A  secret  organization  has  been  found,  said  Gov- 
ernor Oliver  P.  jMorton  of  Indiana  in  a  message 
to  that  State's'  legislature  in  June,  18Go,  which,  by 
its  lectures  and  its  rituals,  inculcates  doctrines  sub- 
versive of  the  government,  and  which,  carried  to 
their  consequences,  would  evidently  result  in  the 
destruction  of  the  nation.  Tlie  members  of  the 
organization  w^ere  united  by  solemn  oaths  which,  if 
observed,  bound  them  to  execute  the  orders  of  their 
grand  commanders  without  delay  or  question,  how- 
ever treasonable  or  criminal  their  character.  .  .  . 
Some  of  the  chief  conspirators  have  been  arrested 
and  tried  by  the  government  and  others  have  fled. 
Their  schemes  have  been  exposed  and  baffled."  Of 
course  the  secret  organization  which  Indiana's  gov- 
ernor spoke  of  was  the  Knights  of  the  Golden  Cir- 
cle. This  order  had  many  designations.  It  was 
called  the  American  Kniglits,  tlie  Knights  of  the 
Mighty  Host,  the  Mutual  Protection  Society,  the 
Circle  of  Honor,  the  Sons  of  Liberty,  and  various 
other  names.  Some  of  the  men  who  were  arrested 
on  tiie  charge  of  belonging  to  it,  and  who  acknowl- 
edged their  membersliip  in  it  in  some  one  or  other 
of  its  appellations,  denied  that  its  purposes  were 
treasonable,  or  that  it  was  designed  to  give  aid  and 
comfort  lo  the  Confederacy.  The  fact,  though, 
that  all,  or  nearly  all,  the  men  who  were  known  to 
belong  to  it  were  also  known  to  be  copperheads,  or 


420 


KNIGHTS   OF  THE   INNER   CIRCLE 


southern  sympathizers,  is  in  itself  good  evidence 
that  its  purposes  were  hostile  to  the  government. 
Among  the  well-known  persons  who  were  popularly 
supposed  to  belong  to  the  order  were  Clement  L. 
Vallandigham,  Jesse  D.  Bright,  and  General  Ster- 
ling Price.  The  late  Daniel  W.  Voorhees  was  also 
said  to  have  been  a  member  of  it. 

a  military  trial  revealed  the  names  of  sev- 
eral organizations,  or  several  names  of  the 
same  body,  among  which  was  the  Corps  de 
Belgique.  Prior  to  the  war  the  several 
bodies  from  which  the  Knights  were  formed, 
or  into  which  they  were  divided,  formed 
the  storm  centre  of  the  filibuster  move- 
ment in  Central  America  and  Cuba  between 
1850  and  1857.  During  the  Eebellion  the 
Knights  were  especially  active  in  Texas, 
and  its  membershij)  spread  through  the 
border  States,  both  slave  and  free.  On 
June  16,  1863,  a  meeting  was  held  in 
Springfield,  111.,  when  it  was  resolved  to 
take  the  draft  as  a  pretext  for  revolution, 
'^and  it  was  arranged  that  New  York 
should  take  the  initiative."  The  Morgan 
raid  into  Indiana  and  Ohio  "  was  a  part 
of  the  plan." 

In  July,  1861,  the  Louisville  ''Journal" 
gave  what  purported  to  be  an  expose  of  the 
Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle,  which  de- 
clared that  the  "organization  was  insti- 
tuted by  John  C.  Calhoun,  William  L. 
Porcher,  and  others  as  far  back  as  1835, 
and  had  for  its  object  the  dissolution  of  the 
Union  and  the  establishment  of  a  south- 
ern empire."  The  question  naturally  arises 
whether  the  reorganization  of  the  Ku  Klux 
Klan  in  1867-68,  with  its  ''invisible  em- 
pire," did  not  find  insjnration  from  former 
Knights  of  the  Golden  Circle.  It  was  also 
charged  that  it  was  solely  by  means  of  the 
secret  and  powerful  machine  of  the  Knights 
of  the  Golden  Circle  that  the  Southern 
States  were  plunged  into  rebellion  ;  that 
nearly  every  man  of  influence  at  the  South 
(and  many  a  pretended  Union  man  at  the 
North)  was  a  member  of  that  organization, 
and  "sworn  under  penalty  of  assassination 
to  labor,  in  season  and  out,  by  fair  means 


and  foul,  at  all  times  and  on  all  occasions, 
for  the  accomplishment  of  its  object."  It 
was  also  included  that  "  whether  the  Union 
is  reconstructed  or  not,  the  Southern  States 
must  foster  any  scheme  having  for  its  object 
the  Americanization  and  the  southerniza- 
tion  of  Mexico."  It  was  likewise  published 
that  a  staunch  member  of  the  Circle  was 
made  to  "  swear  that  he  will  never  dishonor 
the  wife  of  a  brother  member  known  to  be 
such  .  .  .  and  to  declare  that  he  will,  to 
the  utmost  of  his  ability,  oppose  the  admis- 
sion of  any  confirmed  drunkard,  profes- 
sional gambler,  rowdy,  convict,  felon,  abo- 
litionist, negro,  Indian,  minor,  or  foreigner 
to  membership  in  any  department  of  the 
Circle."  The  order  was  anti-Catholic,  and 
demanded  that  "  all  nunneries,  monasteries, 
or  convents  should  be  publicly  opened," 
and  that  any  minister  holding  any  place 
under  government  "must  be  a  Protestant." 
The  order  was  declared  to  be  fully  organ- 
ized in  the  North,  where  it  appeared  under 
various  names.  The  end  of  the  Civil  War, 
and  with  it  the  possibility  of  secession, 
ended  the  career  of  this  remarkable  organi- 
zation. 

Knights  of  the  Inner  Circle.  —  A 
small  band  of  Irish  revolutionists,  formed 
at  New  York  about  1867,  which  in  1869 
united  with  about  three  hundred  seceding 
members  of  the  Fenian  Brotherhood  to 
form  the  Brotherhood  of  United  Irishmen, 
which  was  afterwards  known  as  the  United 
Brotherhood  and  then  as  the  Clan-na-Gael. 
(See  the  latter. ) 

National  League  of  the  Armenian 
Race  in  America. — Organized  at  Boston, 
January  8,  1895,  to  aid  by  secret  society 
methods  in  rescuing  Armenia  from  the 
rule  of  Turkey.  The  central  board  chose 
from  among  trusted  men  of  the  race 
"  twelve  patriots,  whose  identity  Avill  be 
known  to  them  alone,  so  that  there  will 
be  no  possible  way  by  which  the  Turkish 
government  may  discover  them,  and  thus 
defeat  the  plans  being  formed  to  wrest 
Armenia  from   the    rule    of    the    Porte." 


UNITED   BROTHERHOOD 


421 


Armenians  at  large  were  to  remain  ignorant 
of  the  identity  of  tlie  men  chosen,  and  the 
oaths  of  the  latter  bound  them  for  life  not 
to  reveal  the  fact  that  they  were  selected 
for  the  mission.  Similar  leagues  were  to 
be  formed  throughout  the  United  States 
wherever  there  were  Armenian  colonies. 

Order  of  Mules. — Organized  just  after 
the  close  of  the  Civil  War,  a  secret  society 
of  farmers  in  Kentucky  and  West  Virginia, 
to  put  a  stop  to  lawlessness,  horse  stealing, 
and  general  thievery.  It  was  at  first  known 
as  the  Mutual  Protective  Society,  but  ulti- 
mately became  known  by  its  present  title 
owing  to  its  adoption  of  a  picture  of  an 
attenuated  mule  as  its  emblem.  Its  policy 
is  to  cooperate  to  secure  the  detection  and 
conviction  of  wrong-doers  rather  than  to 
inflict  punishment  upon  criminals.  The 
Grand  Lodge  of  the  Order,  Avhich  holds  an- 
nual sessions,  reports  a  total  membership 
of  about  3,000. 

Order  of  Reubens. — A  revolutionary 
secret  society,  formed  in  1838,  at  cities  and 
towns  from  Detroit  east,  on  the  north  and 
south  shores  of  Lakes  Erie  and  Ontario, 
notably  through  central  New  York,  to  aid 
a  projected  Canadian  revolution,  and  a  plan 
for  the  acquisition  of  British  North  America 
as  a  part  of  the  territory  of  the  United 
States.  It  formed,  as  may  be  inferred, 
one  of  the  features  of  what  is  known  as 
the  Patriot  War,  which  was  planned  in 
what  was  then  called  Upper  and  Lower 
Canada,  by  Joseph  Louis  Pajjiueau,  a 
wealthy  and  influential  resident  of  Quebec, 
and  William  Lyon  Mackenzie,  a  newspaper 
man  and  political  sjieaker  of  Ontario. 

It  is  said  that  the  latter  travelled  through 
Michigan,  Ohio,  New  York,  and  Vermont, 
from  Detroit  to  Burlington,  to  secure  the 
cooperation  of  Americans  in  the  anticipated 
Canadian  ut)rising.  In  the  Auburn,  N.Y., 
correspondence  of  the  Syracuse  "Herald," 
July  17,  1897,  it  was  stilted  by  one  of  the 
survivors  of  the  invasion  that  ^lackenzie, 
when  at  Auburn,  organized  a  secret  soci- 
ety lodge  of  nearly  700  members.     Simihir 


lodges  were  formed  elsewere  on  both  sides 
of  the  border.  The  society  which  "  went 
under  the  name  of  '  Reubens ''' had  eight 
grips  and  passwords,  and  its  members  were 
obligated  to  "  aid  the  movement  for  inde- 
pendence with  men,  money,  arms,  and  am- 
munition," to  be  forthcoming  "at  the  first 
sight  of  hostilities."  The  invasion  was 
made  in  November  and  resulted  in  an  in- 
glorious defeat,  the  claim  being  that  the 
Canadians  did  not  reinforce  the  Americans 
as  jiromised. 

Union  League  of  America. — Declared 
by  D.  L.  Wilson  and  J.  C.  Lester,  authors 
of  the  "  Origin,  etc.,  of  the  Ku  Klux  Klan," 
in  the  "Century"  magazine  for  July,  1884, 
to  consist,  at  the  South,  "of  the  disorderly 
elements  of  the  negro  population,  .  .  . 
led  by  white  men  of  the  basest  and  mean- 
est type,"  .  .  .  who  "  met  frequently 
.  .  .  armed  to  the  teeth,"  and  "liter- 
ally '  breathed  out  threatening  and  slaugh- 
ter' .  .  .  against  persons,  families, 
and  property  of  men  whose  sole  crime  was 
that  they  had  been  in  the  Confederate 
army,  and  in  not  a  few  instances  these 
threats  were  executed.  It  was  partly  to 
resist  this  organization  that  the  Ku  Klux 
were  transformed  into  a  protective  organiza- 
tion." (See  Ku  Klux  Klan.)  The  editor 
of  the  "Century  Magazine"  adds  in  a  foot- 
note :  "What  is  meant  here  is  the  LTnion 
League  of  America,  a  political  organization 
having  connections  both  North  and  South, 
and  entirely  distinct  from  the  Union  League 
club  of  New  York  and  from  the  club  of 
the  same  name  in  Philadolj)hia.  Viewed 
by  the  results  of  the  Ku  Klux  conflict  and 
the  reports  of  the  time,  what  is  here  said 
of  the  dangerous  character  of  the  Union 
League  at  the  South,  except  as  it  acted  in 
self-defence,  must  be  taken,  we  think,  with 
a  grain  of  allowance."  The  Union  League 
of  America  did  not  long  survive  the  condi- 
tions on  which  it  ;i])|)C'ared  to  feed. 

United  I$rof  herliood. — One  of  the 
names  by  which  the  Clan-na-Gael  was 
formerly  known.     (See  Clan-na-Gael.) 


432 


BUTTON  GANG" 


XIII 


misoella:neou's  societies 


*' Button  Gang." — Nickname  for  tlie 
Mutual  Protection  League  of  New  Mexico, 
(See  the  latter.) 

Caniorra,  The. — Originally  a  Neapolitan 
political  secret  society,  similar  to  the  Car- 
bonari of  Italy  and  the  Mafia  of  Sicily, 
which  were  prominent  early  in  the  present 
century  as  an  organized  opposition  to  the 
Triple  Alliance.  The  Mafia  and  the 
Camorra  have  preserved  an  existence  to  this 
day,  but,  having  fallen  into  the  hands  of 
vicious  leaders,  have  degenerated  into  bands 
of  criminals  bound  together  by  oaths  to 
protect  and  defend  each  other  in  the  com- 
mission of  crime,  and  to  slay  those  who 
may  prove  unfaithful  to  their  obligations. 
(See  Mafia.)  Less  is  heard  of  the  Camorra 
in  the  United  States  than  of  outbreaks  from 
time  to  time  by  reputed  members  of  the 
Mafia.  The  wave  of  immigration  from 
Europe  in  the  preceding  and  during  the 
present  decade  is  responsible  for  the  exist- 
ence of  associations  of  members  of  both 
these  societies  in  the  United  States. 

Independent  Order  of  Old  Men. — 
Credited  to  the  conceit  or  imagination  of 
founders  who  resided  at  Burnet,  Texas. 
Nothing  has  been  obtained  relating  to  its 
features. 

Knights  of  Damon. — Eecent ;  referred 
to  in  Southern  newspapers,  but  untraced. 

"Knights  of  Labor." — A  secret  politi- 
cal organization  in  New  Mexico,  having  no 
connection  with  the  industrial  secret  soci- 
ety of  that  name  ;  also  called  White  Caps, 
though  differing  from  the  lawless  bands  of 
alleged  conservators  of  morals  which  mas- 
querade at  the  South,  East,  and  central 
West  under  that  title.  It  was  described  in 
a  communication  to  the  New  York  "  Sun,^' 
dated    Santa    Fe,    N.    M.,    November   4, 


1896,  as  containing  the  worst  element  of 
the  Democratic  party  and  "  ignorant 
Mexican  Indians,"'  to  resist  the  encroach- 
ments of  the  Eepublicans,  ''  who  formed 
Mutual  Protection  Leagues."  Evidently  the 
latter,  known  as  the ''Button  Gang,"  Avas 
made  up  of  equally  bad  people,  as  "  mur- 
der" was  a  "recognized  political  method" 
by  these  societies,  a  mere  ''campaign 
trick,"  as  "  assassins  have  been  rewarded 
with  office  for  their  services."  The  officers 
are  or  were  "  backed  by  Americans,"  and  "  a 
history  of  the  murders  committed  by  these 
bands  of  assassins  would  fill  a  large  volume." 
These  societies  are  said  to  have  been  in 
existence  in  this  form  for  seven  or  eight 
years. 

Mafia,  The. — A  Sicilian  secret  society  of 
criminals,  who  bind  themselves  together  to 
prey  upon  society  and  protect  each  other. 
There  is  a  tradition  that  the  "deadly 
Mafia,"  as  it  is  called,  is  the  outgrowth  of 
a  patriotic  secret  society  formed  at  Palermo, 
Sicily,  in  1782,  to  drive  out  the  French, 
who  then  ruled  there.  The  word  Mafia 
had  no  meaning  of  its  own,  but  was  com- 
posed of  the  initials  of  the  words,  "  Morte 
alia  Francia  Italia  anelea,"  or,  "Death  to 
the  French  is  the  cry  of  Italy."  The  pur- 
pose of  the  parent  Mafia  was  to  resist  op- 
pression, and  as  it  grew  strong  and  rich,  it 
is  stated  that  it  used  its  influence  in  behalf 
of  the  poor  and  oppressed.  In  after  years 
it  fell  into  the  hands  of  the  unprincipled 
and  vicious,  and  even  in  Sicily  to-day  the 
name  of  the  society,  as  here,  is  a  synonym 
for  crime.  The  organization  in  Sicily  still 
exercises  an  influence  to  control  elections, 
courts  of  justice,  and  coerce  employers  of 
labor  into  giving  preference  to  its  mem- 
bers.      The    society   was    brought    to   the 


THE    MOLLY   MAGUIHES 


423 


United  States  by  Italian  immigrants,  where 
it  has  found  lodgment  at  New  York,  New 
Orleans,  Philadelphia,  Chicago,  in  the  Penn- 
sylvania coal  regions,  and  elsewhere.  Its 
record,  so  far  as  known,  is  one  of  highway 
robbery,  atrocious  assault,  and  murder.  A 
suspicion  that  a  member  has  betrayed  the 
society  or  a  brother  results  in  his  being 
followed  until  an  opportunity  is  afforded 
to  kill  him.  The  society  was  accused  of 
killing  the  Chief  of  Police  of  '^ew  Orleans 
in  1890,  and  eleven  of  its  members,  who 
had  been  arrested  and  acquitted  of  the 
charge,  were  taken  from  jail  by  a  mob  and 
lynched.  At  the  protest  of  the  Italian 
government,  the  United  States  government 
agreed  to  indemnify  the  relatives  of  the 
murdered  men.  A  few  years  ago  the  Mafia 
in  the  Pennsylvania  anthracite  coal  regions 
actually  duplicated  some  of  the  viler  records 
at  robbery,  arson,  and  murder  of  which 
the  Molly  Maguires  were  guilty  ten  or 
twelve  years  before.  They  were  arrested 
and  punished  by  the  same  method  of  de- 
tection that  was  employed  to  break  up  the 
Mollies.  The  location  of  the  society  in  New 
York  is  not  far  from  police  headquarters. 
AVhile  the  police  have  not  admitted  official 
knowledge  of  this,  there  is  little  reason  to 
doubt  their  familiarity  with  the  fact.  It  is 
given  out  that  when  a  new  member  is  to  be 
initiated  into  the  Mafia  he  is  placed  in  a 
group  of  members,  and  with  all  lights  ex- 
tinguished, at  a  given  signal,  an  order  to 
"  charge  "  is  given,  lights  are  turned  up, 
and  the  candidate  finds  a  terrifying  array 
of  glittering  blades  held  close  to  his  face 
and  body — stilettoes  with  their  points 
pressed  against  him — and  hears  a  voice 
saying,  "  Death  to  all  traitors  !  "  The 
candidate  sinks  upon  his  knees,  and  places 
the  point  of  a  stiletto  upon  his  bared  breast 
over  the  heart,  and  swears  that  he  would 
plunge  the  blade  into  his  heart  rather  than 
betray  his  brothers  in  the  Mafia.  He  is 
reminded  that  his  brothers  are  ready  to  be 
avenged  if  he  proves  unfaithful. 

Molly  Maguires,  The. — This  so-called 


''  order "  existed  in  the  anthracite  coal 
regions  of  Pennsylvania  from  1854  to 
18TG,  and  from  18G2  onward  was  respon- 
sible for  a  practical  reign  of  terror, 
owing  to  the  lawlessness,  assaults,  train 
wrecking,  arsons,  and  murders  committed 
by  its  members.  It  was  a  regular  secret 
society,  composed  ''entirely  of  Irishmen 
and  the  sons  of  Irishmen  professing  the 
Roman  Catholic  faith,*  having  signs,  pass- 
words, and  other  means  of  recognition. 
The  "Mollies"  were  members  of  the 
Laborers  and  Miners'  Union  of  the  period, 
and  were  sufficiently  numerous  to  practi- 
cally dominate  the  latter,  which,  at  times, 
gave  rise  to  the  not  altogether  well-founded 
opinion  that  the  Union  was  in  sympathy 
with  the  lawless  portion  of  society.  Worse 
than  this,  Avhile  all  members  of  the  chari- 
table and  benevolent  incorporated  secret 
society,  the  Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians,  in 
the  coal  regions,  were  not  members  of  the 
Molly  Maguires,  "'every  Molly  was  a  Hiber- 
nian,'' and  the  two  organizations,  so  far  as 
the  coal  regions  were  concerned,  for  that 
reason  were  regarded  as  identical.  The 
origin  of  the  Molly  Maguires  is,  naturally, 
obscure.  The  original  of  that  name  ap- 
peared in  Ireland  in  1843  as  an  auxiliary  to 
the  Ribbonmen,  to  continue  forcible  resist- 
ance to  Irish  landlords.  The  name  was 
said  to  be  that  of  an  old  woman  at  whose 
house  the  first  meetings  were  held,  but 
other  writers  claim  it  was  applied  to  the 
members  of  the  Irish  organization  because 
of  their  original  practice  of  disguising 
themselves  with  women's  clothes,  masks, 
blackened  faces,  etc.  The  Irish  Mollies, 
disguised,  would  pounce  upon  and  maltreat 
officers  of  the  law,  servants,  and  others 
when  engaged  in  the  performance  of  their 
duties.  If  there  were  any,  even  remote, 
connection  between  the  Irish  Ribbonmen 
and  Molly  Maguires  in  the  United  States, 
it  must   have  been   through   the  Ancient 

*  The  Mollie  Maguires  :  the  Origin,  Growth  and 
Character  of  the  Organization ;  by  F.  P.  De  Wees. 
Philadelphia:  J.  B.  Lippincott  &  Co.,  1877. 


424 


THE   MOLLY  MAGUIRES 


Order  of  Hibernians,  wliicli  had  an  exten- 
sive membership  in  Ireland,  England,  and 
this  country.  But  on  this  point  there  is  no 
direct  proof.  The  Ancient  Order  of  Hiber- 
nians, at  the  time  it  was  possessed  by  the 
Mollies,  in  Pennsylvania,  nominally  pro- 
fessed the  purest  and  most  worthy  motives, 
and  numbered  throughout  the  United  States 
many  good  and  some  distinguished  citizens. 
But  it  proved  a  convenient  cloak  for  the 
Molly  thugs  and  assassins,  and  notwith- 
standing there  were  reports  that  some 
Catholic  priests  in  the  coal  regions  sympa- 
thized with  the  Molly  Maguires,  it,  if  true, 
must  be  attributed  to  either  the  fears 
or  perversion  of  such  representatives  of  a 
Christian  church.  On  October  3,  1874, 
seven  priests  of  the  Roman  Catholic  Church 
of  Schuylkill,  Columbia,  and  Northum- 
berland Counties,  Pennsylvania,  published 
a  denunciation  of  Ribbonmen  "and  kindred 
societies''  as  having  been  condemned  by  the 
Holy  See  ;  and  of  the  Ancient  Order  of 
Hibernians,  which  their  "experience  com- 
pelled "  them  to  believe  had  "all  the  vices" 
of  the  Irish  societies  referred  to,  because 
"  works  forbidden  by  the  commandment 
'thou  shalt  not  kill'  are  traceable  to  the 
Ancient  Order  of  Hibernians."  Rev.  D.  J. 
McDermott  of  Pottsville,  Pa.,  1877,  one  of 
the  signers  of  the  document  just  outlined, 
published  a  letter  May  1,  1876,  giving  it  as 
his  opinion  that  the  Ancient  Order  of  Hi- 
bernians is  a  "  diabolical  secret  society,"  and 
that  "it  is  everywhere  the  same  society  in 
spirit  and  government."  It  is  only  fair  to 
add  that  the  latter  conclusion  was  not  well 
founded.  The  breaking  up  of  the  Ribbon- 
men,  organized  in  Ireland  earlier  in  the  cen- 
tury, by  the  execution  of  two  members  in 
1852  for  conspiracy  to  murder,  caused  many 
to  flee  from  the  country  ;  and  these  are  de- 
clared to  have  formed  in  1854  the  secret  so- 
ciety known  in  the  Pennsylvania  coal  regions 
as  "Buckshots."  They  ultimately  became 
the  Molly  Maguires.  The  Mollies  made 
themselves  felt  not  only  by  the  so-called  capi- 
talistic class,  but  by  many  an  honest  laboring 


man.  The  bludgeon,  a  hammer,  the  pistol, 
and  shotgun  were  indiscriminately  employed 
to  revenge  a  fancied  or  real  antagonism.*  A 
partial  record  of  the  outrages  of  the  Molly 
Maguires  in  the  Schuylkill  and  Shamokin 
coal  regions  has  been  made  public,  and  an 
analysis  of  it  shows  that  in  addition  to  six 
murderous  assaults  and  twenty-seven  rob- 
beries in  each  of  the  years  1866  and  1867, 
there  were,  from  1863  to  1867,  inclusive,  at 
least  fifty  deliberate  murders  for  which  the 
organization  was  held  responsible.  Among 
minor  outrages,  an  illustration  is  afforded 
by  the  record  for  1875,  of  one  attempted 
murder  in  addition  to  an  assassination  ; 
eight  cases  of  theft  and  robbery;  six  so- 
called  "coffin  and  pistol  notices  "  to  leave; 
fourteen  instances  of  arson;  twenty-eight 
cases  of  assault,  intimidation,  etc.,  a  num- 
ber of  them  being  the  Avork  of  mobs,  and. 
thirty-five  instances  of  damage  to  property 
aside  from  incendiarism,  most  of  it  being 
to  railway  stations,  track  and  rolling  stock. 
These  cold-blooded  incendiaries  and  assas- 
sins gloried  in  the  power  to  escape  punish- 
ment through  alibis  and  other  testimony 
furnished  by  "brother"  Mollies,  thereby 
reflecting  on  many  worthy  Irish  people  who 
emigrated  to  escaj^e  oppression  abroad. 
They  were  at  once  an  anomaly  and  a  dis- 
grace to  the  character  of  their  countrymen 
and  the  land  which  gave  them  birth.  The 
immunity  which  the  criminal  in  the  coal 
regions  enjoyed,  aside  from  that  given  him 
by  those  associated  with  him  in  the  organ- 
izations referred  to,  was  due  very  largely  to 
the  fact  that  the  majority  of  the  Irish  pop- 
ulation, particularly  that  portion  Avhich  had 
been  born  and  brought  up  abroad,  had 
inherited  the  Irish  detestation  of  an  "  in- 
former." Even  in  instances  where  a  wit- 
ness could  not  ap|)rove  an  act,  so  great  was 
the  influence  of  inherited  contempt  for  and 

*  The  frequency  of  attacks  on  Englishmen  re- 
sulted in  an  organization  of  the  latter  to  resist  the 
outrages  of  the  Mollies,  which  in  1871  was  formed 
into  the  fraternal  and  beneficiary  secret  society,  the 
Order  of  Sons  of  St.  George.     (See  the  latter.) 


TRAMP  FRATERNITIES 


425 


disapproval  of  the  "  informer"  that  eastern 
Pennsylvania  was  often  the  scene  of  dis- 
graceful outrages,  of  which  many  were  as 
cognizant  as  the  perpetrators,  but  who 
would  not  tell  of  or  consent  to  appear  and 
testify  concerning  them.  At  the  height 
of  their  power,  1865-1875,  the  Mollies 
gained  many  subordinate  and  some  impor- 
tant municipal,  county,  and  State  offices 
from  both  leading  political  parties,  and 
boasted,  with  some  show  of  plausibility, 
their  power  to  secure  pardon  for  such  of 
their  members  as  might  find  it  necessary  to 
demand  clemency. 

Their  encroachments  on  the  rights  of 
property  became  so  intolerable  in  1870- 
1873  that  Mr.  Franklin  B.  Gowen,  presi- 
dent of  the  Philadelphia  and  Reading 
Coal  and  Iron  Company,  as  prime  mover, 
engaged  the  Pinkerton  Detective  Agency 
to  discover  and  expose  the  leaders  among 
the  Molly  Maguires  and  Hibernians  in  the 
coal  regions.  The  story  of  the  experiences 
of  Detective  James  McParlan,  an  Ulster 
Koman  Catholic,  during  three  years  of 
membership  as  a  Molly,  and  in  the  Ancient 
Order  of  Hibernians,  forms  so  startling 
a  tale  of  adventure  as  to  prove  anew  that 
truth  is  stranger  than  fiction.  In  1876, 
aided  largely  by  confessions  from  Mollies 
who  had  been  arrested  and  the  remarkable 
testimony  of  Detective  McParlan,  a  long 
list  of  ringleaders  and  others  were  con- 
victed of  various  crimes  and  severe  sen- 
tences were  imposed.  This  broke  up  the 
organization,  many  members  fleeing  the 
State  and  some  the  country. 

The  following  is  an  extract  from  an  ar- 
ticle on  ''The  Molly  Maguires,"'  in  the 
''American  Federationist,"  the  organ  of  the 
American  Federation  of  Labor,  April,  1897: 

I  was  intimately  acquainted  with  John  Sharkey, 
tlio  man  who  murdered  the  mine  boss  Williams,  and 
no  man  in  the  range  of  my  knowledge  had  more  of 
my  esteem  up  to  that  time  than  John  Sharkey.  His 
home  was  respectable,  and  his  wife  an  estimable,  in- 
telligent, worthy  woman.  But  Sharkey  was  the  man 
on  whom  the  lot  fell  to  kill  the  mine  boss,  and  the 


fearful  oath  of  the  order  bound  every  man  to  do 
the  stern  duty  devolving  upon  him  as  the  order 
might  command.  More  than  one  hundred  and 
fifty  murders  in  three  years  in  the  Lackawanna, 
Schuylkill,  and  Wyoming  coal  fields,  and  a  strike 
that  paralyzed  the  coal  and  iron  business  of  the 
whole  State  of  Pennsylvania  for  one  entire  summer, 
was  a  part  of  the  mission  of  the  dreaded  order  of 
the  Molly  Maguires. 

So,  while  the  thug  of  India  and  the 
bandit  of  Italy  remain  as  evidences  of  how 
calmly  and  justifiably  in  their  own  minds 
some  men  can  continue  to  kill  others  to 
prevent  themselves  being  annoyed,  the 
Molly  Maguire  in  the  United  States  and 
Ireland,  even  as  the  buccaneer  of  the  Span- 
ish main  'of  yellow-covered  novel  remem- 
brance, is  literally  dead  to  the  world.  It 
is  proper  to  add  that  the  Ancient  Order  of 
Hibernians,  so  much  of  the  history  of 
which  in  this  country  has  been  unfortu- 
nately linked  with  the  Molly  Maguires, 
survives  to-day,  purified,  reorganized,  and 
prosperous. 

Mutual  Protection  L,eagne. — A  former 
political  secret  society  formed  of  some  of  the 
worst  elements  in  the  Republican  party  in 
New  Mexico  ;  also  known  as  the  "  Button 
Gang.''     (See  ''Knights  of  Labor.") 

Order  of  Sovereign  Patriot  ie  Knig'hts. 
— Efforts  to  trace  this  organization  or  to 
discover  whether  it  has  even  a  nominal  ex- 
istence have  been  unsuccessful. 

Tramp  Fraternities. — These  are  com- 
posed of  groupings  of  the  portion  of  the  popu- 
lation which  includes  (1)  enforced  or  vol- 
untary wanderers,  (2)  adventurers  who  will 
not  work,  and  (3)  beggars  and  jietty  thieves. 
Their  characteristics,  groupings,  and  secret 
signs  were  interestingly  discussed  by  Rev. 
A.  N.  Somers  in  the  Boston  "  Globe  "  a  few 
years  ago,  when  he  pointed  out  that  there 
are  three  different  sets  of  signs  used  by  as 
many  distinct  classes  of  tramps  since  1875. 
The  latter,  of  course,  are  unorganized,  be- 
ing the  outcome  of  a  process  of  natural 
selection,  the  higher  grade  or  clan  including 
not  only  honest,  but  educated  men,  who  from 
psychological  and  other  causes  have  become 


426 


WHITE  CAPS 


tramps.  Signs  of  these  fraternities  are 
characters  and  designs  placed  on  houses, 
gates,  fences,  doors,  or  walls  to  guide  the 
next  tramp  who  may  pass  that  way.  Most 
of  these  signs  refer  to  the  ease  or  otherwise 
with  which  people  residing  there  may  be 
approached  for  food  or  clothing;  whether 
they  are  kind-hearted  or  not,  and  kin- 
dred data.  The  signs  of  one  tramp  fra- 
ternity are  seldom  or  never  intelligible  to 
a  member  of  another.  The  more  aristo- 
cratic of  these  fraternities  shows  in  its  signs 
the  educational  opportunities  some  of  its 
members  have  enjoyed.  Thus,  the  Greek 
letter  Eho  at  a  street  corner  or  fork  in  the 
road  indicates  by  its  curve  the  direction  to 
go  to  secure  food,  clothing,  etc. ;  a  square, 
marked  near  or  on  a  house,  means  "  good 
for  a  square  meal ; "  an  oval,  or  oval  with 
both  its  diameters,  "religious,"  or  "very 
religious  people  ;  "  a  triangle  pointing  up- 
wards, ''  safe  people  ;"  pointing  downwards, 
"  they  have  been  approached  too  often  ; " 
the  letter  Y,  "  it  will  not  pay  to  ask  for 
anything ; "  a  square  with  an  x  in  the 
centre,  "they  will  send  you  to  jail,"  and  a 
circle  with  an  x  in  the  centre,  "an  officer 
lives  here."  Signs  used  by  the  second  and 
third  classifications  of  fraternities  of  tramps 
are  very  crude,  and  some  may  be  easily  read 
by  the  curious. 

"  White  Caps." — Another  name  for  a 
so-called  "  Knights  of  Labor,"  a  secret  po- 


litical society  composed,  as  alleged,  of  some 
of  the  most  vicious  elements  of  the  "Demo- 
cratic party  "  in  New  Mexico.  (See  "  Knights 
of  Labor.") 

Wliitecaps,  The. — Detached  and  unor- 
ganized oath-bound  bands  of  "regulators" 
or  "  vigilance "  societies  at  many  jalaces 
in  Southern,  Central,  Western,  and  even 
in  Middle  and  New  England  States  which 
have  appeared  within  the  past  fifteen  years. 
At  the  North  and  East  efforts  of  White- 
cappers  have  generally  been  confined  to 
regulating  the  morals  and  habits  of  their 
neighbors  under  penalty  of  being  whipj^ed, 
tarred  and  feathered,  or  worse.  At  the 
South,  and  in  what  were  called  the  border 
States,  like  phenomena  have  been  more 
frequent.  Some  of  these  gangs  send  warn- 
ing messages,  crudely  written,  with  skull 
and  bones  and  dagger,  etc.,  signed  "  White 
Caps,"  which,  if  not  heeded,  are  followed 
by  visits  to  offending  citizens,  when  the 
callers,  generally  in  fantastic  costumes, 
"white  caps"  and  masks,  whip  or  other- 
wise assault,  and  sometimes  murder  their 
victims.  One  of  the  more  frequent  mis- 
sions of  White  Caps  at  the  South  is  to  kill 
or  drive  away  witnesses  against  illicit  whis- 
key distillers.  In  some  of  the  mountain 
counties  of  Georgia  and  other  States  these 
organizations  have  been  so  strong  as  to 
defy  the  courts  and  maintain  a  reign  of 
terror  for  years. 


INDEX 

TO  MAP8,  PLATES  AND  OTHER  GRAPHIC  CHARTS,  TO  STATISTICAL  EXHIBITS,  A^^D  TO  GENEALOGICAL 

OR  FAMILY  TREES  OF  SECRET  SOCIETIES. 

PAOK 

Genealogical  or  Family  Tree  of  Secret  Societies vii 

Chart  showing  Relative  Size  of  Leading  International  Secret  Societies     ....      xvii 

Chart   showing  Similarities,    Contrasts,  or   Relationships  of  the   English,  the   Ancient 

Accepted  Scottish  and  the  American  Masonic  Rites xxiv 

Chart  showing  the  Spread  of  Freemasonry  from  England  throughout  the  World     .         .        24 

Chart  showing  the  Relative  Membership  of  Leading,  Living  Masonic  Rites        ...        31 

Chart  showing  the  Regular  and  Irregular  or  Spurious  Supreme  Councils,  Ancient  Ac- 
cepted Scottish  Rite,  in  the  United  States 49 

Chart  showing  the  Succession  of  Authority  among  the  Original  Chiefs  of  "  Scottish  " 
Freemasonry,  and  among  the  Earlier  Possessors  of  the  33d  Degree,  Ancient  Ac- 
cepted Scottish  Rite ■'>0 

Map  of  the  World  showing,  in  Black,  the  Countries  in  which  Freemasonry  has  an  Organ- 
ized Existence 89 

Geographical  Distribution  of  Membership  of  Eleven  International  Secret  Societies        .  91.93 

Graphic  Chart  showixcj  the  Relative  Masonic  Membership  in  Various  Countries         .        .        93 

Statistics  of  Membership  of,  and  of  Amount  of  Claims  Paid  by,  Ninety-four  Fraternal 

Orders  in  1897 113,  114 

Statistics  of  Total  Membership,  by  States  and  Territories,  of  Twenty-six  of  the  Lead- 
ing Secret  Societies  in  the  United  States,  together  with  Summaries  of  Totals  for 
Foreign  Countries {inset  opposite)      114 

Special   Reports   to   the   Cyclopaedia   of   Fraternities,    by   Leading    Fraternal    Orders, 

Showing  Cost  of  Protection  under  Various  Systems  Employed      ....       117,  121 

Map  showing  the   Rank  of  Four  Secret   Societies,  in  Each   State  and  Territory,  wnicy 

HAVE  a  Larger  Membership  there  than  like  Organizations 119 

Charts  showing  the  Relationship  of  the  English,  American  and  Canadian  Orders  of  For- 
esters       ■      .        .        .      127 

Chart  showing  the  Larger   and  More  Prominent   English   and   American  Orders  of  Odd 

Fellows 249 

Chart    showing   the    Leading   Societies   into  which  Ancient   English   Odd   Fellowship  is 

Divided 253 

Chart  showing  Relative  Size  of  Twenty-four  Secret  Societies  in  the  United  States        ,      289 

Family  Tree  of  Leading  Patriotic  and  Political  Secret  Societies 291 

Genealogical  Chart  of  Earlier  Chapters  of  Phi    Beta    Kappa  and   the   General  Geeek- 

Letter  Fraternities  immediately  following  them 339 

Genealogical  Chart  of  General  Greek-Letter  College   Fraternities 345 

Chart  showing  the  Origin  or  Inspiration  of  Leading  Labor  and  Railway  Secret  Organi- 
zations      381 

Chart  showing  Relationships  of  Various  Temperance  Secret  Societies         ....      403 


INDEX    TO    TITLES    OF    OEGANIZATIOIS-S 

[TTie  location  of  (he  leading  article  on  each  topic  isindicated  by  full-faced  figures.] 


Abraham,  Independent  Or- 
der, Sons  of,  I'JO,  lai,  210. 

Acorn,  Colonial  Order  of  the, 
372. 

Adam,  Son.*  of,  282. 

.(Egis',  Order  of,  200. 

Agriculturists'  National  Pro- 
tective Association,  378, 
380. 

Ahava.s  Israel,  113,  206,  210. 

Alfredians,  Order  of,  171. 

Alovau.  Sociute  d',  38. 

Alpiia  Beta  Tau,  :i;j8,  347. 

Alpha  Chi  Omega. ;«",  347. 

Alpha  Delta  Phi,  !.■),  nil,  2;K 
3*),  3:^1,  3a3,  mi.  ;«-),  330, 
;«0,  343,  340,  347,  .•J4i(,  350, 
3.V,>,  3.5S,  301. 

Alpha  I'hi,  :i3;,  348. 

Alpha  Sigma  Chi,  :i49. 

Alpha  Sij;ma  Phi,  342. 

Alpha  Sigma  Pi,  341,  348. 

Alpha  Sigma  Theta.  343.  349. 

Alpha  Tau  Omega,  3:W,  33,5, 
349,  303. 

Altrurian  Order  of  Mysteries, 

Amaranth.  Order  of,  97,  102. 
America.  Brotherhood  of,  3(H). 
America,  Daughters  of,  301, 

315. 
America,  Knights  and  Ladies 

of,  199. 
America,  Patriotic  Daughters 

of.  318,  31fl,  320. 
America,     Patriotic     Order, 

Junior  Sons  of,  2<J4, 303, 31'.i, 

320,  .S21. 
America,     Patriotic     Order, 

Sons  of,  115,  110,  318,  3Ut, 

320.  :«1,  320,  382. 
America,     Patriotic     Order, 

United  Sons  of,  2!t0.  2!)1, 
294,  209,  300,  ;W1,  .303,  305, 
30»i,  W!.  315.  318.  310,  320, 

321,  324,  326. 

America,  Protestant  Knights 
of,  31.5,  310,  322. 

America,  Sons  and  Daughters 
of.  205. 

America,  United  Order  of, 
192. 

American  Brethren,  327. 

American  Brotherhood,  292, 
317. 

American  Institutions,  So- 
ciety for  Protection  of,  297. 

American  Knights,  200,  292, 
204,  410. 

American  Patriotic  League, 
200,  201,  293.  2'.>4.  200,  301, 
315,  3IH,  .322,  32.5.  327. 

American  Protective  Associ- 
ation ("A.  P.  A."'),  115, 
290,  291,  2<.)2,  293,  2^>4,  21K), 
301,  :i02,  303,  mh.  :W7,  308, 
310,  315,  310,  3IH,  321,  324, 
327. 

American  Protective  Associ- 
ation, Junior,  2'.»8,  302. 

American  Shield,  Order  of 
the.  317. 

American  Star  Order.  206. 

American  Union,  Order  of 
the.  11.5. 

Americans.  Ancient  Order  of 
Lo.val.  299. 

Americans,  Order  of,  291. 

Americans,  Order  of  Free  and 
Accepted,  290,  291,  294,  301, 
317. 


Americans.  Order  of  Native. 

200.  2'.>4.  310. 
Americans.  Order  of  United, 

200.  291,  202,  294,  304,  305, 

•300,  317. 
Americans,  Order  of  United 

(2d).  318. 
Americans,  Patriotic  Order  of 

True.  31.S.  31'.l.  320. 
Americans.  Patriotic  Order  of 

I'nited,  303. 
Amitie.  Order  of,  171. 
Arcadia.  Monks  of,  205,  275. 
Armenian      Race.     National 

League  of  the.  in  America, 

420. 
Artisans'    Order   of    Mutual 

Protection,    113,    117,    104, 

229. 
Atlantic  Self  Endowment  As- 
sociation of  America,  130. 
Aurora.  Knights  of.  145. 
Ayrian  Order  of  St.  George  of 

the  Holy  Roman  Empire  in 

the   Colonies  of   America, 

372. 
Azar,  Knights  and  Ladies  of, 

141. 
Aztec  Club.  .371. 

Bektash,  The,  2,  4. 

Beneflt  Society,  American. 
113.  122. 

Benevolent  Association, 
American,  113. 197. 

Benevolent  Association.  La- 
dies' Catholic.  114. 

Benevolent  Legion,  Amer- 
ican, 122. 

Benevolent  Legion,  Catholic, 
110.  117.213. 

Benevolent  Legion.  Catholic 
Women's,  113.120,  121,  216. 

Benevolent  Union.  197. 

Benevolent  Union.  American, 
197. 

Benevolent  Union,  Catholic, 
113. 

Benevolent  Union,  Irish 
Catholic.  216. 

Benevolent  Union,  Order  of 
the.  201. 

Ben  Hur,  Supreme  Tribe  of , 
113,  105,  190. 

Benjamin.  Independent  Or- 
der, Sons  of.  120.  121,  206, 
210. 

Bereans,  Benevolent  Order 
of,  300. 

Berzelius.  342.  349. 

Beta  Sigma  Omicron.  iis,  349. 

Beta  Thela  Pi.  178,  179,  :«(), 
■iA\.  331.  .ir).  :«0.  :«7.  340, 
•M~.  34s.  349,  .^50.  :i58,  ;i02. 

Bethk'heni.  Knights  of.  is;}. 

Big  Four  Fraternal  Life  As- 
sociation. 130. 

Birmingham.  Knights  of,  146. 

Black  Flags,  t»^. 

Black  Knights,  Order  of  the, 
176. 

Bine  Cross.  Knights  of  the, 
of  the  World.  148. 

B'nai  B'rith.  Improved  Order 
of.  206. 

B'nai  B'riih.  Independent  Or- 
der, 0(1.  01.  Wi.  93,  11.3,  120, 
121,  2tHi.  207,    200. 

Bohemian  C.  C.  U..  113. 

Bohemian  Slavonian  Knights 
and  Ladies,  113. 


Bricklayers  and  Masons'  In- 
ternational Union  of  Amer- 
ica, 380. 

B'rith  Abraham.  Independent 
Order  of,  -im.  209.  210. 

Brotherhood,  Colored  Con- 
solidated, 131. 

Brotherhood.  Knight.s  of  the, 
148. 

Brotherhood  of  the  Union, 
113. 

Brotherhood.  The,  400. 

Bucki-hots.  The.  42-1. 

Bucktails.  The.  .325. 

Buffaloes,  Benevolent  Order 
of,  220.  230. 

Builders.  New  Order  of,  388. 

••  Button  Ciang."  422,42.5. 

Camorra.  The.  422. 

Carbonari.  The.  422. 

Catholic  Knights  of  America, 
113,  214. 

Catholic  Knights  of  Illinois, 
214. 

Catholic  Knights  of  Wiscon- 
sin, 113. 

Catholics,  American  Order  of 
United.  292. 

Cedars  of  Lebanon,  Tall.  104. 

Chi  Delta  Thcta.  3*3,  :«0, 350. 

Chi  Phi,  330,  334,  335,  330, 
350. 

Chi  Psi,  330.  -331,  334,  335,  330, 
340.  348.  351. 

Cincinnati,  Daughters  of  the, 

Cincinnati,    Society   of   the, 

241,  311,  325,  370,  372.  373. 
Circle  of  Honor.  410. 
Circle,  Order  of  the  American 

Fraternal,  171. 
Clan-na-Gael,  10, 413, 415, 416, 

420.  421. 
College  Fraternities,  178,  179, 

328,  347.  ;}4.s,  ;i49,  :«0,  ;J51, 

:353,  3.54,  .355,  3.50,  :»7,  358, 

350.  3(i0,  302.  303.  3(>4,  382. 
Colonial  Dames  of  America, 

National  Society  of,  .371. 
Coloni.il  Dames  of  America, 

Society  of.  372. 
Colonial    Wars,    Society   of, 

372. 
Columbia,  Daughters  of,  293, 

301,  315. 
Columbia,    Knights   of,  146, 

161. 
Columbian  Knights,. Supreme 

Lodge,  Order  of.  114. 
Columbian  League.  131. 
Columbu.s.  Catholic  Knights, 

of.  114.  120.  216,  .■i22. 
Columbus  Mutual  Benefit  As- 
sociation, 197. 
Comforting  Sisters.  112. 
Commercial  Travelers,  Order 

of  United,  of  Ameriat,  120, 

121,  183. 
Commonwealth  of  Jesus.  384. 
Compiinionage,  The.  18,  22. 
Constitutional  Reform  Club, 

298.  301. 
Continental  Fraternal  Union, 

Order  of  the.  120.  121.  20L 
Covenant,  The,  102. 
Craftsmen,  Modern  Order  of. 

109. 
Cresceiils,  The.  290,  291,  294. 

290.  301. 
Crowned  Republic,  384. 


Damon,  Knights  of.  422. 
Danish  Brotherhood  of  Amer- 
ica, 131. 
David   and  Jonathan,   Order 

of.  I(»3. 
Delta  BetaXi.  .343,  351. 
Delia  Delta  Delia.  .««<.  351. 
Delta  Gamma,  ;i.37.  351. 
Delta  Kappa.  312.  361. 
Delta    Kappa    Epsilon.  .3.30, 

3-}4,  *»,    :«(!,  :«(),   .•J43.  344, 

310,  :M7,  :M8.  351,  .'Wl.  :i62. 
Delia  Phi,  1.5.    T79,  2.38,  .3:!0, 

33.'5,  a34,  ;«5,  3;K),  .-140.  363, 

355,  .3(^,301. 
Delta  Psi,  :i30,   :i34,  .3.35,  ««;. 

.341, :«(;,  363. 
Delta  Psi  (2d).  363. 
Delta  Tau    Delta,    *30,    *}4, 

*«,  :«0.  363,  ;i58. 
Delta  Upsilon.  *«,   ;«1,  364. 
Deputies.    United  Order   of, 

31  s,  327. 
Dickey  Club.  :i52. 
Do  Nothing  A.^sociation,  08. 
Druids,  American  Order  of, 

123. 
Druids,  Ancient  Order  of,  15, 

21,  :i2,  25f),  2.'^. 
Druids.  L'uited  Ancient  Order 

of,  90,  91,  92.  93,  112,    113, 

120,  121,  122,  12.3,  177,  211. 

212,  224,  226,  2S.3,  284,  :307, 

314,  ;i46,  :i<2,  410. 

Eastern  Star,  Ancient  and 
Honorable  Order  of  the.  99. 

Eastern  Star  Benevolent 
Fund  of  America,  131, 
IK.3. 

Eastern  Star,  Order  of  the, 
97,98,  101. 

Eclectic,  Assembly,  197. 

Eleusis,  Society  of,  102. 

Elks,  Benevolent  and  Pro- 
tective Order  of,  97.  185, 
229,  2.31.  274,  2H4,  :«I2. 

Emi)ire  Knights  of  Relief, 
117,  131,  101,  KM. 

Equitable  Aid  Union,  132, 101, 
1(>1,  1S5. 

Equitable  League  of  Amer- 
ica, 132. 

Equity.  Order  of.  200. 

Eipiitv,  United  Order  of.  205. 

E  soter-ists  of  the  We.-t.  17. 

Essenic  Order,  Ancient.  221. 

Eta  Phi,  34.3,  364. 

Farmers'  Alliance,  National, 

.•J03,  304.  378,  386,  397. 
Farmers'  Alliance.  Naiional: 

National  Aid  Degree,  386, 

.3S0. 
Father  Mathew,  Knights  of. 

114,217. 
Felicitaires,  Ordre  des.  00. 
Fenian  Brotherhood,  10,  413, 

415,  410,  420. 
Fidelity    League,   Modern 

KniL'hts,  167. 
Fireside,  Knights  and  Ladies 

of  the,  114.  144. 
Fishermen  of  (ialilee,  196. 
Flint  Gla.-is  Workers'  Union, 

.\inerican,  378,  -384. 
Foreign  Wai-s.  Military  Order 

of.  .171. 
Foresters,  Ancient  Order  of, 

.32.  90.  91.  i»2,  IS.3,  19,5,211. 

221.  229.  2:)1.  2.3.3,  2.34,  251, 


430 


INDEX   TO    TITLES   OF   ORGANIZATIONS 


252,  254,  282,  283,  285,  286, 

287,  307,  34(>.  403,  407,  410. 
Foresters,  Ancient  Order  of, 

(in  America),  112,  113,  120, 

121,  122,  124,  126,  130,  139, 

147,  152,  179. 
Foresters,    Canadian     Order 

of.  11.3,  121.  130,   1-JO,   153, 

217,  223,  234. 
Foresters,  Catholic  Order  of, 

113.  120,  141,  234. 
Foresters.  Catliolic  Order  of, 

of  Illinois,  216,  217,223. 
Foresters:  Companions  of  the 

Forest.  126,    129,   139,   151, 

2;il,  234,  410. 
Foresters,  Female.  112. 
Foresters :  Glenwood  Degree, 

134,  139,  140. 
Foresters,  Inde])endent  Order 

of,  113.   114.  Ill),   117,   130, 

131,  134,  138,  14.3,  157,  164, 

193.  193,  215,  223,  234. 
Foresters,  Independent  Order 

of  (Negro),  224. 
Foresters,  Independent  Order 

of  Illinois,  113,130.134,139, 
140,  153,  157,  215,  217,  223, 

Foresters.      Irish     National 

Order  of,  223,  234,  262. 
Forester8,.Juuior,  of  America, 

234.  262. 
Foresters,  Juvenile,  2.34,  2(52. 
Foresters :    Knights   of   St. 

Rose,  217. 
Foresters  :    Knights    of  the 

Slierwood  Forest,  139,  233, 

274. 
Foresters,  Massachusetts 

Catholic  Order  of,  140,  215, 

217,  323. 
Foresters:    Miriam    Degree, 

139,  140, 157. 

Foresters  of  America,  115, 
116,  120,  121,  129,  130,  139, 
151,  177,  179,  184,  217,  223, 
224,  225,  229,  231,  233,  251, 
262,  274,  2S2,  2S5,  289.  316. 

Foresters,  Pennsylvania 
Order  of,  184,  223. 

Foresters,  Royal  Order  of, 
183,  222,  224,  250,  251,  252, 
281. 

Foresters,  United  Order  of, 

140.  192,  223,  234. 
Foresters.  Women's  Catholic 

Order  of,  114. 

Founders  andPatriots,  Orders 
of,  371. 

Fraternal  Aid  Association, 
113,  132,  164. 

Fraternal  Alliance.  113. 

Fraternal  Association  of 
America.  198. 

Fraternal  Circle,  Order  of  the, 
202. 

Fraternal  Guild.  198. 

Fraternal  Legion,  113,  133, 
164. 

Fraternal  Mystic  Circle,  Su- 
preme Ruling,  113,  114,  117, 
123,  133,  164. 

Fraternal  Order,  Modern  As- 
sociation, 120,  121,  157. 

Fraternal  Order  of  Protectors, 
134. 

Fraternal  Orders,  112. 

Fraternal  Tribunes,  113,  120, 
121,134. 

Fraternal  Union  of  America, 
113.134. 

Freemasonry,  1,  4,  5,  6,  8, 17, 
69-90, 97,  98,  99, 100, 101, 103, 
104,  111,  114,  11.5,  116,  122, 
123,  124,  125,  12S,  132,  133, 
134,  135,  136,  141,  143,  14.5, 
146,  148,  149,  153,  156,  1.57, 
1.59,  168,  169.  172,  173,  176, 
177,  178,  179,  181,  183,  184, 
186,  188,  189,  193,  19.5,  197, 
198,  199,  200,  201,  203,  204, 
206,  208,  209,  210,  211,  212, 


218,  219,  220,  221,  222,  224, 

2;J0,  231,  2;12,  2;K,  238,  241, 

242,  244,  245,  247,  248,  2,50, 

251,  252,  2,5f),   257.  2.58,  259, 

261,  262,  2(i4,   265,  266,  267, 

268,  273,  274,   275,  276,  277, 

27'8,  281,  282,   283,  284,  285, 

288,  302,  304,   307,  308,  315, 

317,  323,  331,  ;«2,  ma,  ;W6, 

;M7,  3.53,  360,  364,  367,  370, 
375,  ;>!2,  mi,  390,  395,  396, 
397,  400,  403,   408.  410,  412, 
413. 
Freemasonry :  American  Rite, 

32. 
Freemasonry      among      the 

Chinese,  67. 
Freemasonry      among      the 
Mormons,  70. 

Freemasonry      among     Ne- 
groes, 72,  116. 
Freemasonry  :    Ancient    Ac- 
cepted Scottish  Rite,  43. 

Freemasonry  :  Anti-Masonry, 
8,  22. 

Freemasonry :  Distinguished 
Americans,  94. 

Freemasonry :  Masonic  Direc- 
tory, 55. 

Freemason ry  :  Order  of 
Knights  of  Rome,  and  of 
the  Red  Cross  of  Constan- 
tine,  80,  2(;s,  276. 

Freemasonry  :  Rite  of  Mem- 
pliis,  30.  78,  268,  346. 

Freemasonry  :  Rite  of  Mis- 
raim,  32.  78,  2(is,  346. 

Freemasonry  :  Rosicrucians, 
Society  of  Modern.  86. 

Freemasonry:  Royal  Order  of 
Scotland,  87. 

Freemasonry  :  Sovereign  Col- 
lege of  Allied  Masonic  and 
Cliristian  Degrees  for 
America,  103. 

Freemasonry,  Statistics  of, 
90. 

Freemen,  Order  of  American, 
290,  291,  294,  299. 

Freesmiths,  Ancient  Order  of, 
6,  7.  8. 

Freischmiede, Alte  Orden  der, 
6. 

Friendly  Fellows,  Fraternity 
of,  134. 

Friends,  Canadian  Order  of 
Chosen,  130,  174. 

Friends,  Independent  Order 
of  Chosen,  138. 

Friends,    Order   of    Cliosen, 

113,  117,   138,  164,  171,  17.3, 
181,  184,  189,  192,  199. 

Friends,  Order  of  Select,  117, 

118,  1(K,  18L 
Friends,  Order  of  True,  183. 
Friends,  Order  of  United,  114, 

116,  117,  161,   164,  169,  173, 

184,  400. 
Friends,  United,  of  Michigan, 

114,  173,  192. 
Frieiidshio,  Actors'  Order  of, 

120,  121,' 122,  218. 

Friendship,  Knights  of.  2H8. 

Friendship,  Order  of  Knights 
of,  277. 

Friendship,  Sisters  of,  288. 

Friendship,  United  Brothers 
of,  288. 

Friendship,  United  Brothers 
of  and  Sisters  of  the  Mys- 
terious Ten,  288. 

Galilean    Fishermen,    Grand 

United  Order  of.  235. 
Gamma  Nu,  343,  354. 
Gamma  Phi  Beta,  338,  354. 
Gardeners,    Ancient    Order, 

195. 
Gardeners,  Ancient  Order  of 

Free,  307. 
Gardeners,  Ancient  Order  of 

Free,    Lancashire    Union, 

250,  254. 


Gardeners,  Ancient  Order  of 

Free,  Yorkshire  Union.  254. 
Gardeners,  British  Order  of 

Free,  254. 
Gardeners.    Grand     National 

Order  of  Free,  254. 
Gardeners,    Loyal    Order   of 

Free,  254. 
Gardeners.   National    United 

Order  of  Free,  262. 
Gardeners.  Scotch  Order  of 

Free.  2.54. 
Gardeners,   United  Order  of 

Free,  254. 
Genii    of    Nations,    Knowl- 
edges and  Religions.  96. 
Gleaners,  Ancient  Order  of, 

128 
Globe,  Daughters  of  the,  131, 

148. 
Globe,  Knights  of   the,  131, 

148. 
Globe  Mutual  Benefit  Associ- 
ation, Knights  of  the,  148. 
Gnostics.  The,  21,  22. 
Golden  Band,  Circle  of  the, 

131,  184. 
Golden  Chain,  Knights  of  the, 

164,  292. 
Golden  Chain,  Order  of,  117, 

176. 
Golden  Circle.  Knights  of  the, 

316.  418.  419. 
Golden  Cross,  United  Order, 

113,  117,  122,  161,  165,  169, 
181,  193.  412. 

Golden  Eagle.  Kniglitsof  the, 

114.  11.5.  120.  121,  148,  156. 
Golden  Eagle,  Ladies  of  the, 

151,  154. 

Golden  Fleece,  Ancient  Grand 
United  Order.  251. 

Golden  Fleece,  Ancient  Order 
of,  159. 

Golden  Fleece.  Ancient  Or- 
der, Bradford  Unity,  251. 

Golden  Fleece,  Independent 
Order  of,  251. 

Golden  Lily  Hui,  68. 

Golden  Linlcs  of  the  World, 
Knights  of.  262. 

Golden  Precept,  Knights  and 
Ladies  of  the.  144. 

Golden  Rod,  Order  of  the, 
202,  204. 

Golden  Rule  Alliance,  136, 
184,  187. 

Golden  Rule,  Knights  and 
Ladies  of  the,  144. 

Golden  Rule,  Knights  of  the, 
144,  161,  174. 

Golden  Star  Fraternity,  113, 
120,  121. 136. 

Golden  Star,  Knights  and  La- 
dies of  the,  114,  116,  117, 
146,  164,  403. 

Good  Fellows,  Royal  Society 
of.  113,  117,  122,  164,  169, 
188,  191. 

Good  Samaritans,  Grand 
United  Order  of,  402. 

Good  Samaritans,  Independ- 
ent Order  of,  402,  403. 

Good  Samaritans,  Independ- 
ent Order  of,  and  Daughters 
of  Samaria,  402. 

Good  Templars.  402,  403. 

Good  Templars.  Independent 
Order  of,  90,  91,  92.  115,  116, 
122,  296,  382,  403,  408. 

Gophers,  Ancient  Order  of, 
365,  375. 

Gorinogons,  August  and  No- 
ble Order  of.  9. 

Grand  Army  of  Progress,  Ad- 
vance Guard  of  America,  or 
the,  365,  366. 

Grand  Army  of  the  Republic, 
11,  11.5,  116,  148,  191,  201, 
214,  365,  373,  374,  375,  376, 
377. 

Grand  Army  of  the  Republic, 
Ladies  of  the.  National  Or- 


der, 369,  371.  374,  375,  376, 
377. 

Grand  Army  of  the  Republic, 
Relief  Corps,  Women's  Na- 
tional, 369,  371,  374,  375,  376, 
377. 

Grand  Orient,  Order  of  the, 
395. 

Grange,  The  National,  310, 
395,  396,  397,  398. 

Granite  League,  136. 

Guild,  American,  113. 

Harugari,  German  Order  of, 
209.  234. 

Heaven,  Earth,  and  Man,  So- 
ciety of,  68. 

He  Boule.  343,  364. 

Helpers,  Order  of  Fraternal, 
174. 

Helping  Hand,  Order  of  the, 
202. 

Heptasophs,  Improved  Order 
of,  113,  116,  117,  132,  134, 
137,  147,  164,  180. 

Heptasophs,  Order  of,  or 
Seven  Wise  Men,  137,  138, 
147,  151,  173,  175,  176,  ;334, 
335,  349,  354.  3.56,  364. 

Hermann.  Daughters  of,  232, 
284. 

Hermann.  Sons  of,  332,  282. 

Hermann's  Sons  of  Wiscon- 
sin, 113. 

Hibernians,  Ancient  Order  of, 
15.  90,  91,  92,  93.  115,  120, 
121,  122,  211,  313.  346,  382, 
423,  424,  425. 

Hibernians.  Ancient  Order 
of  :  Daughters  of  Erin,  212. 

Highbinders,  The,  69. 

Historical  Society,  Women's, 
298,  315,  327. 

Home  Builders,  Order  of,  201. 

Home  CiMe,  11.3,  114,  116, 
117,  135,  161,  164,  184. 

Home  Forum  Benefit  Order, 
113,  136. 

Home  Palladium,  137. 

Honor,  American  Legion  of, 
113,  116,  117,  lis,  122,  123, 
141,  148,  157,  1(53,  171,  176, 
186,  187,  189,  193,  194,  199, 
204.  213. 

Honor,  Colored  Brotherhood 
and  Sisterhood  of.  131. 

Honor,  Iowa  Legion  of,  117, 
123,  141,  164,  187.  195. 

Honor,  Knights  and  Ladies 
of,  114,  11,5,  120,  121,  142, 
147,  156,  169. 

Honor,  Knights  and  Ladies 
of:  Order  of  Protection,  147. 

Honor,  Knights  of,  114,  115, 
116,  117,  122.  123,  135,  142, 
143,  144,  146,  1.56.  1(50,  161, 
164,  168,  169,  174,  175,  186, 
188,  189,  191,  193,  199,  201. 

Honor,  Knights  of,  of  the 
World,  147. 

Honor,  Legion  of,  114. 

Honor,  National  Temple  of, 
411. 

Honor,  Northwestern  Legion 
of,  114.  123.  170,  187. 

Honor,  Sons  of.  409,  410. 

Honor,  Supreme  Court  of, 
114. 

Honor,  United  Order  of,  161. 

Hoo-Hoo.  Concatenated  Or- 
der of.  231. 

Hope,  Daughters  of,  131. 

Hope,  United  Order  of,  193. 

Humility,  Oriental  Order  of, 
279 

Hung  League,  68,  69. 

I.  C.  Sorosis,  337. 
Idle  Rest,  Sons  of,  284. 
I.  K.  A.,  334,  338,  364. 
lUuminati,  Society  of,  102. 
lUuminati,  Weishaupt's,  344, 
356. 


INDEX   TO   TITLES   OF   ORGANIZATIONS 


431 


ImmaculiUes,      Independent 

Order  of,  of  the  U.  S.  A.,  141. 
Iinijerial  Lesion,  137. 
Indian    Uepiiblican    League, 

2i)2,  301,  31f!. 
Industrial  Army,  415. 
Indu.»triiil  Benefit  Order.  198. 
Indii.«try,  Independent  Ctiev- 

aliern  and  Ladie.*  of,  138. 
Industry,  Patrons  of,(2d».  399. 
Iinier  <'ircle,  Kniglits  of  tiie, 

4l:i,  420. 
Insnrancc'  rnion,  American, 

l-.i{i,  121,  123. 
Insurance   Union,   American 

Fraternal.  122. 
International   Fraternal  AUi- 

anoe,  l>)->,  lit",  198,  202. 
"International,    The,"    :i8i), 

400. 
Iris.  Sons  of.  3.")4. 
Irish     Iteiiulilican      Brother- 
hood, 4i;i  416. 
Iron  and  Steel  Workers,  Na- 
tional  Union   of,   878,  3S4, 

388. 
Iron  and  Steel  Workers  of  the 

United     States.    .Vinalgani- 

ated  .Association  or,378,."iS4, 

8S8. 
Iron  Brotherhood.  416. 
Iron    Hall  of  Baltimore,  198, 

202. 
Iron  Hall,  Order  of  the,  lOS, 

201,  202. 
Iroquois,  Order  of,    120,    121, 

180. 
Isis,  Temple  of,  104. 
Israel,     Independent    Order, 

Free  Sons  of,  113,  120,  121, 

206,  208,  209. 
Israel,   Sons    and  Daughters 

of,  282. 
Israelites,  Independent  Order 

of  American,  206,  20'.). 

Jericho,  Heroine  of,  100,  308. 
Jericho.  Knights  of,  402,  403, 

404,  408. 
Jerusalem,    Ancient     Order 

KniL'htsof,  229. 
Jerusalem.  Ancient  Order  of 

Daughters  of,  22'.). 
Jesuits,  Society  of,  12. 
Jolly  Corks,  The,  22<),  230. 
Joseph,  Koyal  Tribe  of,  114, 

188 
Jonadab,   Sons  of,  406,  409, 

412. 
Judah,    Independent    Order, 

Free  Sons  of,  209. 

Kabbaliets.  The,  21.  22. 
Kappa  Alpha,  15,  IT'.),  2;«.  ;«0, 

3:«,  33.1,  33(),  34(1,  :Mr,  354, 

3H0.  31)3. 
Kappa    Alpha,   (South),  330, 

33.1.  355.  ^ 

Kappa  Alpha  Thcta,  337,  366. 
Kappa   Kappa   Gamma,  337, 

366. 
Kappa  Kapi>a  Kappa.  341,  355. 
Kai>pa  Sigma,   3.30.  ."tt.").  365, 

;i5S. 
Kappa    Sigma   Epsilon,  312, 

366. 
Kappa  Sigma  Phi.  :i43.  366. 
Keshcr  Shel  Harzil.  209. 
Khorassan.    Dr.imatic    Order 

of  Kniu'hts  of.  232,  2()(1.  2^U. 
Kickapoo  Association.   Ami- 
cable, 242. 
King  David,  Royal  Knights 

of,  187. 
Kirjaith  Sepher.  :Vii>. 
Know    Nothing    Party,    283, 

2i)0,  21)1,  2'.)2.   2!)3.  2!)4,  29H, 

2i)'.),  »K),  ;^01,   304,  310,  311, 

315,  317.  31'.),   .320,  .321,  3^, 

32(i,  327.  :«1.  41',). 
Kolan  Hui.  (18,  Oi). 
Ku  Klux  Klan,  283,  310,  367, 

416,  120,421. 


Labor,  American  Federati<m 
of,  378.  380,  .3'.)4. 

Labor,  Brotherhood  of  Uni- 
ted, 3H4,  3i»4. 

Labor.  Improved  Order  of 
Advanceu  Knights  of.  384, 
3'.)3. 

Labor.  Indeiiondent  Order  of 
Kniglits  of.  384,  .3'.M. 

Labor.  Kniirlits  of,  422,  42,5, 
420. 

Labor.  Noble  and  Holy  Order 
of  Knights,  of  America, 
388,  mi 

Labor,  Order  of  Knights  of, 
10,  11.  123.  310.  378.  37i),  380, 
3S3,  HKi.  lis:,,  388,  3'.)'.),  400, 
401.  411!,  420. 

Labor,  Provisional  Order 
Knights  of,  399. 

Ladies  of  Abraham  Lincoln, 
306,  30!). 

Lady  True  Blues  of  the 
World.  306,  .308.  30i). 

Lambda  Iota.  340.  356. 

Liberty,  Daughters  of,  298, 
301,  315.  310,  410. 

Liberty.  Guards  of,  290,  291, 
2'.)1,  301. 

Liberty,  Kniiibls  of.  198,  262. 

Liberty,  Sons  of.  2.iS.  239,  240, 
241,  242,  291,  292,  2<.)8.  303, 
311,  310,  319,  323,  324,  325, 
419. 

Liberty,  Sons  of,  (2d),  325, 
.320. 

Liberty,  Templars  of,  290, 
2',)1.  294.  315.  324,  327. 

Liberty,  Templars  of.  (2d), 
189 

Light  of  the  Ages,  156. 

Locomotive  Engineers.  Bro- 
therhood of,  379,  380,  ;i82, 
383.  384,  394,  400. 

Locomotive  Firemen,  Bro- 
therhood of,  121,  379,  380, 
382,  383. 

Lone  Star.  Order  of  the,  419. 

Loval  Additional  Benefit  As- 
sociation, 114.166,  104,187. 

Loyal  Circle,  156. 

Loval  Guard,  Knights  of  the, 
151,  If  14. 

Loyal  Kniuhts  and  Ladies, 
120.  121.  14.3.  156. 

Loyal  Knights  of  America, 
291,  299.  .302.  306. 

Loyal  Ladies"  League,  369, 
374. 

Loyal  Legion.  Military  Order 
of  the,  of  the  United  Slates, 
30.5,  371.  372,  370. 

Loyal  Men  of  American  Lib- 
erty, 2'.)1.  292,  294.  306. 

Loyal  Women  of  American 
Liberty.  290,  300,  315. 

Low  German  G.  L.  of  U.  S.  of 
N.  A..  114. 

Lnxor,  Hermetic  Brothers  of, 
97. 

Maccabees,  Knights  of  the, 
114,  11.5,  110,  117,  118,  143, 
140,  161,  1.54,  1.5.5,  159,  101, 
ItU,  1S5,  202,   290. 

Maccabees,  Ladies  of  the, 
114,  164. 

Machinists.  International  As- 
sociation of.  384. 

Matla.  The.  422. 

Magi,  Order  of  the.  101. 

Maitre  Jact^ues.  Sons  of,  18. 

Malta,  Ancient  and  Illustri- 
ous Order.  Kniu'lits  of,  115, 
120,  121.  218,  207.  273.  274. 
276.  277.  2SI,  290.  *I7. 

Malta.  Ancient  and  Illustri- 
ous Order.  Knights  of: 
Dames  of  Malta,  221. 

Malta,  .\ncient  an<l  Illustri- 
ous Order,  Knights  of: 
Daughters  of  Malta.  221. 

Malta,  Brethren  Hospitalers 


of  St.  John  the  Baptist  of 
Jerusalem.  230,  209. 
Malta.  Grand  Black  Lodge  of 

Scotland.  275. 
Malta,  Imperial  Parent  (Jrand 
Black  Lucanipmcnt  of  the 
Universe,  41,  218,  273,  27.5, 
27ti. 
Malta.  Knights  of,  270. 
Malta.  Knights  Hospitalers  ot 
St.  John.  272.  273. 

Alalta:    Knights    of  Cyprus, 

262,  270. 
Malta  :  Knights  of  St.  John, 
272 

Malta,  Knights  of  St.  John 
and,  114,  2!.s,  220,  266,  281, 
307. 

Malta.  Kni"hts  of  St.  John 
of  Jerusalem.  Uhodes,  Pal- 
estine and.  219.  220.  2:^0,  202, 
200,  207,  268,  274.  270,  277, 
340. 

Malta:  Non-Masonic  Orders 
of,  218,  220,  200,  207,  208, 
274.  28). 

Malta:  Order  of  Hospitalers, 
277. 

Malta:  Order  of  St.  John,  208, 
270. 

Malta.  Royal  Black  Associa- 
ti(m  of  Knights  of,  274.  28L 

Malta.  Sons  of.  2S2.  284,  417. 

Malta.  United  Military  and 
Religions  Orders  of  the 
Temple,  of  St.  John  of  Je- 
rusalem, Palestine,  Rhotles 
and,  274.  275,  270. 

Marshall  Temperance  Frater- 
nity, 408,  411. 

Marshall  Temple  No.  1,  Sons 
of  Honor.  411. 

Marshall  Temiile  of  Honor, 
No.  1.  Sons  of  Temperance, 
408,  412. 

Martinists,  Order  of,  98. 

Masonic  Protective  Associa- 
tion, 114. 

Mayflower  Descendants,  So- 
ciety of.  372. 

Mechanics.  Independent  Or- 
der of,  120.  121.  141. 

Mechanics.  Junior  Order  of 
tfnited  American,  115,  110, 
120,  121,  l:i4.  141.  199,  2',)0. 
291.  292,  294,  297,  300,  :W1, 
302,  305,  300,  ;W7.  :i08,  315, 
31li.  319,  324,  :iS2. 

Jlechanics,  Order  of  United 
American,  11.5.  141,  101,  2:W, 
2-t3,  290,  291,  292,  293,  294, 
29-;,  299,  *10,  .301.  :W2,  :»3, 
305,  .300,  311,  317,  318,  319, 
324.  320,  :i82. 

Mechanics'  LTnion.  American, 
314. 

Melchizedek,  Fifth  Order  of, 
and  Egyptian  Sphinx.  96. 

Mighty  liost.  Knights  of  the. 
419. 

Military  and  Ancestral  Or- 
ders,'369. 

Minute  Men.  31S. 

Minute  Men  of  '<)0,  310. 

Minute  Men  of  '90,  310. 

Mogribins.  The.  1. 

Motriillians.  Order  of,  129, 
174. 

Molly  Maguircs,  212,  279,  423. 

Moose,  Loval  Order  of,  of 
the  Woria,  274. 

Musci>vites,  Imperial  Order 
of.  2->-3,  2i;i. 

Mules.  Order  of.  421. 

Mutual  Aid,  Illinois  Order  of. 
141. 

Mutual  .Md.  Independent  Or- 
der. 114. 

Mutual  Aid,  Order  of,  144, 
174. 

Mutual  Benefit  Association, 
Catholic,  113,  120,  121, 
216. 


Mutual  Protection  League 
(New  Mexico),  422.  426. 

Mutual  Protection,  Order  of, 
114.  117.  ItU,  174. 

Mutual  Protection  Society, 
419,  421. 

Mysteries,  Adoniac,  81. 

MysK^ries,  Cabiric,  21. 

Mysteries.  K''yptian,  21. 

Mysteries,  Ktensian,  21. 

Mysteries,  Grecian,  21. 

Mysteries,  Mitbraic,  21. 

Mysteries,  Persian,  21. 

Myst«Ties,  Syrlac.  21. 

Mysterious  Ten,  Sisters  of 
the,  28.'^. 

Mystic  Brotherhood,  Order 
of  the,  396. 

Mystic  Brothers,  Independ- 
ent Order.  247. 

Mystic  Chain.  Ancient  Order: 
Daughters  of  Hnlh.  125. 

Mystic  Chain.  Aiuieni  Order: 
Degree  of  Naomi.  125. 

Mystic  Chain.  Ancient  Order, 
Knights  of  the,  124. 

Mystic    Legion    of  America, 

Loyal.  ll-»- 
Mystic  Shrine,  Ancient  Ara- 
bic Order.  Nobles  of  the, 

1,  2:i2.  201. 
Mystic  Shrine, .\ncient  Arabic 

Ordi'r  of  Nobles,  North  and 

South  America  (negroi.  6. 
Mystic  Shrine  :  Daughters  of 

Isis.  3. 
Mystic     Shrine      (negro): 
.    Daughters  of  the  Pyramid, 

6. 
Mystic  Star,  Order  of  the,  101. 
Mystic  Workers  of  the  World, 

114.  120,  121,169. 
Mystical  Seven,  If.,  17s,  179, 

3:i4,  :«5,  .■«1,  346,  349,  354, 

356,  304. 

National     Aid     Association, 

117. 
National  Aid  Degree,  386,  3S(l. 
National  Benevolent  Society, 

114. 
National  Dotare,  199, 202,  204. 
National  Fraternal  Congress, 

U.S.  110,  118,  120,160. 
National     Fraternal    Union, 

200. 
National  Fraternity,  120,  121, 

167. 
National   Protective  Legion, 

114.200. 
Nalioiuil  Protective  Society, 

120,  121.  122. 
National    Provident    Union, 

114,  110,  117,  104, 167. 
National     He.serve    Associa- 
tion, 114,  in,  118,  1(;4,  168. 
National  I'liion,  114,  lio,  117, 

118,  12:i,  157,  104,  168,  109, 

1S5,  292,  2'.Mi. 
Native  Sons  of  .America,  290, 

291,294,310,315. 
Native  Sons  of  the  Golden 

West,  109. 
Naval  Order  of  the    United 

states,  .371. 
Nazarites,      Grand       United 

Order  of,  236. 
New  Kngland  Order  of  Pro- 
tection, 114,  117,  llM,  169. 
New    Jersey     Loyal    Ladies' 

Leai:ue,  374. 
New    Life,    Brotherhood    of 

the.  18. 
Noah,  Sons  of,  10.3. 
North  .\mericnn  Union.  114, 

170.      . 
Nu  Sigma  Nu,  :i37,  366. 

Odd  Fellows,  Albion  Order, 

2.^)0,  2.5:} 
Odd    Fellows,    Ancient    and 

Honorable    Order  of,   248, 

353. 


432 


INDEX   TO   TITLES  OF   ORGANIZATIONS 


Odd  Fellows,  Ancient  Inde- 
pendent Order,  Kent  Unity, 
24S,  249.  iW. 

Odd  Fellows,  Ancient  Inde- 
pendent Order  of,  248,  253, 

Odd  Fellow:!.  Ancient  Noble 
Order.    Bolton  Unity,  250. 

Odd  Fellows,  Ancient  True 

Order  of,  2.50,  25;i. 
Odd       Fellows,       Auxiliary 

Order  of,  250,  253. 
Odd  Fellows,  British  United 

Order.  250. 
Odd  Fellows.  Derby  Midland 

United  Order,  250,  253. 
Odd     Fellows,     Economical 

Order  of,  250,  253. 
Odd  Fellows,  Enrolled  Order 

of,  250,  253. 
Odd  Fellows,  Free  and  Inde- 
pendent t)rder  of,  248,  249. 
Odd  Fellows,  Grand  I'nited 

Order  of,  90,  91,92,  93.116, 

120.  121.  235,  249,  250,  253, 
281.  287.  289,  307. 

Odd  Follows.  Grand  United 
Order  of:  Household  of 
Ruth.  237,  250,  253. 

Odd  Fellows,  Handsworth 
Order  of,  250,  2.53. 

Odd  Fellows,  Ukstone  Unity 
Order  of,  2.53. 

Odd  Fellows.  Improved  In- 
dependent Order  of.  250, 
2.53. 

Odd  Fellows,  Independent 
Order  of,  10.  11.  15,  90.  91, 
92,  112,    113,    115,.  117,  120, 

121.  122,  123,  124.  129,  1.32, 
135,  139,  140,  141,  142.  143, 
145,  146,  148,  149,  151,  157, 
168,  169.  172,  173,  174,  177, 
179,  184,  185,  186,  188,  189, 
191,  193,  195,  198,  200,  201, 
204,  206,  208,  211,  212,  219, 
221,  222,  224,  226,  232,  233, 
2:M,  235,  236,  237,  238,  242, 
244,  245,  247,  263,  2(i5,  278. 
281,  282,  283,  285,  288.  .304, 
314,  316,  327,  328,  332,  366, 
382,  383.  410,  412. 

Odd  Fellows,  Independent 
Order  of:  Daughters  Mili- 
tant. 232,  2.53.  2!il. 

Odd  Fellows.  Independent 
Order  of:  Daughters  of  Re- 
bekah.  129.  142.  151,  191. 
232,  234.  244,  250.  253.  259, 
260.  281,  410. 

Odd  Fellows,  Independent 
Order  of:  Imperial  Order  of 
Muscovites,  233.  238. 

Odd  Fellows,  Independent 
Order  of:  Patriarchs  Mili- 
tant. 253.  256,  265. 

Odd  Fellows,  Independent 
Orderof.Manchester  Unity, 
32.  128.  222.  223,  225,  235, 
236.  237.  239,  248,  249,  250, 
251.  252,  253,  2.54,  256,  257, 
258,  261.  286,  346,  403,  407, 
408. 

Odd  Fellows,  Kingston  Unity 
of.  2.50.  2.53. 

Odd  Fellows.  Leeds  United 
Order  of,  250.  2.53. 

Odd  Fellows.  Leicester  Unity 
Order  of.  2.53. 

Odd  Fellows,  Loyal  Union 
Order  of.  248.  249.  253.  287. 

Odd  Fellows.  National  Inde- 
pendent Order  of,  249.  250, 
253. 

Odd  Fellows,  Norfolk  and 
Norwich  Unity.  250,  253. 

Odd  Fellows.  Nottingham. 
Ancient  Imperial  Indepen- 
dent Order  of.  248,  249,  250. 
2.53.  281. 

Odd  Fellows:  "  other  Orders  " 
of,  250. 


Odd  Fellows,  Patriotic  Order 
of,  248,  2m. 

Odd  Fellows.  Staffordshire 
Order  of.  2.50.  2,5;^. 

Odd  Fellows.  United  Order 
of.  248,  249,  251,  2,53,  281, 
284. 

Odd  Fellows.  WestBromwich 
Order  of,  250.  2,5.3. 

Odd  Fellows.  Wolverhamp- 
ton Order  of.  2.50,252. 

Odd  Ladies,  174. 

Odd  Sisters,  112. 

Old  Men,  Independent  Order 
of,  422. 

Oniah  Language.  Order  of 
the,  101. 

Orange  Association  of  British 
North  America,  Lady,  309. 

Orange  Association.  Wo- 
men's Loyal,  308,  327. 

Orange  Institution,  Loyal, 
32,41.90,91,92,93,211,218, 
219,  220.  221,  248,  273,  274, 
275,  276.  281,  296,  297,  298, 
299,  306,  322,  327. 

Orange  Institution ;  Loyal 
Protestant  Women  of  Can- 
ada, 309. 

Orange  Institution  ;  Royal 
Black  Knights  of  the  Camp 
of  Israel,  296.  .308.  322. 

Orange  Knights,  American, 
296. 

Orangewomen.  Loyal.  112. 

Orient,  Order  of  the.  202. 

Orientals.  The,  229.  284. 

Osiris,  Ancient  Order  of,  8. 

Owls.  Independent  Order  of, 
97. 

Palladium,  Order  of  the,  101. 

Patriarchal  Circle  of  Amer- 
ica. 131,  184. 

Patriotic  League.  National 
Assembly.  298,  310,  316. 

Patriotic  Orders.  The.  290. 

Patriots  of  America.  292.  301, 
316.  .321.  323. 

Patrons  of  Husbandry,  Order 
of,  115.  116.  310,  378,  385, 
386.  ;i87.  388.  395,  399. 

Peudo.  Order  of.  201. 

Pente,  Order  of.  201. 

P.  E.  O..  338.  356. 

People's  Favorite  Order.  203. 

People's  Five-year  Benefit 
Order,  203. 

People's  Mutual  Life  Insur- 
ance Order.  203. 

Phi  Alpha  Sigma,  .337,  356. 

Phi  Beta  Kappa,  16,  238.  331. 
3:32.  333.  334.  .33ti.  344.  346, 
347.  354.  356,  360.  361,  363. 

Phi  Delta  Phi.  ,337.  358. 

Phi  Delta  Theta.  i;34,  .330,  334, 
335.  336,  3.>1.  358. 

Phi  Gamma  Delta,  330,  3;B4, 

335,  336,  361. 

Phi  Kappa  Psi,  330,  334,  .335, 

336.  353,  359. 

Phi  Kappa  Sigma,  330,  a34. 
33).  360. 

Phi  Nu  Theta.  341.  360. 

Phi  Sigma  Kappa.  337.  360. 

Phi  Theta  P.<i.  343,  360. 

Phi  Zeta  Mu.  :W2.  360. 

Pi  Beta  Phi.  337.  360. 

Pi  Kappa  Alpha.  3:%,  335, 360. 

Pilgrim  Fathers,  United  Or- 
der of.  114,  117,123,165.169, 
192.  193. 

Preceptors,  Order  of.  Frater- 
nal, 174. 

Progress.  Order  of  Sons  of, 
201. 

Progressive  Endowment 
Guild  of  America.  120.  121, 
203. 

Pro  Patria  Club,  293.  321. 

Protected  Fireside  Circle. 184. 

Protected  Home  Circle,  114, 
117, 164,  184. 


Protection. American  Knights 
of,  292,  316. 

Protection.  Knights  and  La- 
dies of.  199. 

Protection,  Order  of,  Knights 
and  Ladies  of  Honor,  147. 

Protestant  Association, 
American.  290,  291,  294.  296, 
298,  299,  300,  302,  306,  327. 

Protestant  Association, 
American  Junior,  299,  302, 
306. 

Protestant  Association, 
American  (Negro%  291.  299. 

Protestant  Benevolent  Asso- 
ciation of  New  York.  299. 

Protestant  Knights,  Order  of, 
174. 

Provident  League  of  Amer- 
ica, 185. 

Prudent  Patricians  of  Pom- 
peii of  the  United  States  of 
America,  120,  121. 185. 

Psi  Upsilon,  15.  179.  238,  330, 
334,  .335.  336.  340,  343.  344, 
346,  347,  im.  352.  360. 

Purity,  Grand  United  Order, 
Independent  Sons  and 
Daughters  of.  135. 

Pyramids,  Ancient  Order  of 
the,  113,  117.  128,  164. 

Pythian  Sisterhood,  265,  266. 
279 

Pvthian  Sisters,  265,  266,  280, 
"281. 

Pythias.  Chevaliers  of.  230. 

Pvthias.  Improved  Order. 
Knights  of.  238. 

Pythias.  Knights  of.  10,  113, 
114.  11.5,  116.  120.  121.  12:1 
124,  129,  1:^3.  l:}4.  149,  157. 
159,  161,  168,  1()9,  177,  184, 
19.5.  198,  199,  200,  201.  203, 
204,  229,  2:32,  2:33,  238,  263, 
266,  274,  279,  280,  281,  284, 
293.  302.  :304.  316.  400. 

Pythias,  Knights  of:  Khoras- 
san.  Dramatic  Order  of 
Knights  of.  232,  266.  284. 

Pythias,  Knights  of.  of  North 
and  South  America.Europe, 
Asia  and  Africa  (Negro), 
224,  266. 

Q.  T.  v..  :i37.  362. 

Queen  of  the  South,  97,  102. 

Railway  Carmen,  Brother- 
hood of,  of  America,  379, 
3 -SO.  383. 

Railway  Conductors,  Ladies' 
Auxiliary  of  the  Order  of, 
:M4. 

Railway  Conductors,  Order 
of,  of  America,  120.  121, 
379.  380.  :382,  383,  394,  400. 

Railway  Telegraphers,  La- 
dies' Auxiliary  of  the  Order 
of,  .395. 

Railway  Telegraphers,  Order 
of,  379.  :380.  382,  383,  .388, 
394. 

Railway  Trainmen,  Brother- 
hood of,  3i9.  :380,  382,  383, 
:395,  .399. 

Railway  Union,  American, 
379,  :382,  383,  384,  394,  395, 
400. 

Rainbow  Societv,  or  W.  W. 
W.,  179,  m4,  .335,  3.54,  364. 

Rathbone  Sisters.  265,  266, 
280. 

Rechab.  Encamped  Knights 
of.  of  North  America,  402, 
407. 

Rechab.  Sons  of.  406. 

Rechab. United  Daughters  of, 
409,  412. 

Rechabites,  Independent  Or- 
der of.  ill  North  America, 
90,  91,  92,  112,  113,  :382.  402. 
403.  406,  409,  410. 

Rechabites,  Independent  Or- 


der of,  Salford  Unity,  402, 

405,  406,  410. 
Reciprocity,  Knights  of,  292, 

303,  316. 
Red   Cross.   Legion   of   the, 

114,  117.  118,  150,156,  164. 
Red    Cross,    Order    of    and 

Knights  of  the.  181. 
Red  Flags.  68. 
Red  Men,  Improved  Order  of, 

15,   11:3,  116,  120,   121,   122, 

134,  141,   169.  177.  179,  181, 

198,  212,  238,  262,  285,  302, 

311,  314,  317,  323,  .324,  ;325, 

326,  :327.  :346,  :382. 
Red  Men.  Improved  Orderof : 

Daughters  of  Pocahontas. 

244.  246. 
Red  Men.  Independent  Order 

of.  115,  245.  262. 
Red  Men,  Metamora  Tribe  of, 

2()2. 
Red  Men,  Societv  of,  2.39,  242, 

243,  245,  290,  291,  292.  298, 

311,  319,  323,  324,  ;325,  .326. 
Red  School  House.  Order  of 

the  Little,  290,  291,  294,  315, 

318,  :325. 
Red.  White  and  Blue,  Order 

of  the.  292,  322. 
Relief  and  Beneficiary  Asso- 
ciation, Catholic,  113. 
Republic.   Daughters  of  the, 

301,-321. 
Reubens.  Order  of,  421. 
Revolution,  Daughters  of  the, 

.371 . 
Revolution,  Daughters  of  the 

American,  :371. 
Revolution.  Patriotic  League 

of   the.  290.   291,   294,   :306, 

315,  318,  :324. 
Revolution,     Sons     of     the 

American,  371. 
Revolution.  Sons  of  the,  371. 
Ribbonmen.  The,  423,  424. 
Ridgeby    Protective    Associ- 
ation. 114. 
Rochester  Brotherhood,  The, 

111. 
Roman  Colleges  of  Artificers, 

18,  20. 
Romans.  Ancient  Order   of, 

175,  250. 
Round    Table,   Knights  and 

Ladies  of  the,  145. 
Royal  Adelphia.  202,  204. 
Royal  Aid  Society,  185. 
Royal  Arcanum,  114, 115,  116, 

117,  118,  122,  123,  i;32,  135, 

148,   1.56,  157,  161,  164,  168, 

169,  176,  181,   185,  186,  188, 

189,  19.3,  194,  199,  201.  203, 

204,  213,  214,  296,  :350. 
Royal  Argosy,  Order  of  the, 

202. 
Royal  Ark,  Order  of  the,  204. 
Royal  Benefit  Society,  202. 
Royal  Circle.  114. 
Royal   Conclave  of   Knights 

and  Ladies,  187. 
Royal   Fraternal    Guardians, 

187. 
Roval  Fraternity,  187.  . 

Royal  League,   114,   117,   118, 

164,  187. 
Royal  Neighbors  of  America, 

114,  159. 
Royal  Standard  of  America, 

188. 

S.  S.  S.,  Order  of  the,   and 

Brotherhood  of  the  Z.  Z.  R. 

R.  Z.  Z..  102. 
St.  Andrew's  Societv,  241. 
St.  Anthony  Clubs,  353. 
St.    Crispin,    Daughters    of, 

384,  .385. 
St.  Crispin.  Knights  of,  384, 

385. 
St.  David's  Society,  241. 
St.  George,  Daughters  of,  232. 

279. 


INDEX   TO   TITLES   OF  ORGANIZATIONS 


4a3 


St.  George,  Order  of  Sons  of, 

IdO,  1^1,  2:«,  a41,  279,  424. 
St.     Patrick's    Alliance     of 

America,  217. 
St.  Patrick.  Friendly  Sons  of , 

:iir. 
Samaria,  Danjilitcrs  of,  402. 
Sanhedrim,  Order  of  the,  182. 
Sanhedrims,   Ancient    Order 

of,  229  2S4. 
Scottish  Clans,  Order  of,  114, 

121),  121.  278. 
Scroll  and  Key,  334,  .340,  :J41, 

■'i4l>,  362. 
Secret  Monitors,  Grand  Con- 
clave of,  1(«. 
Security,  Knights  and  Ladies 

of,  114.  117,118,  143,  ll>4. 
Security  Life  Association,  104. 
S.  E.  K.,  Order  of,  98. 
Select  Guardians,  Society  of, 

206. 
Seven.  Mystic  Order  of,  2(5.5, 

274. 
Seven  Stars  of  Consolidation, 

189. 
Seven     Wise    Men    of    the 

World.  Knights  of  the,  147. 
'Tti,  Supreme  Order  Sons  of, 

326. 
'7(i,   Order  of   Sons   of,   290, 

:im,   31,5.  mo.  .324,  326. 
Sexennial  League.  201.  204. 
Shepherds.  Ancient  Order  of, 

ir.-),  177,  19.5.  221,  225.  229, 

2:«,  2.50,  2.51.   2K2,  ;i07.  410. 
Shepherds,     Loyal    Ancient 

Order  of,  229. 
Shepherds,  Loyal  Order   of, 

251. 
Shepherds.  Loyal   Order   of, 

Ashton  Unity.  2.52. 
Shepherds  of  America,   175, 

1S3.  2,52. 
Shepherds     of     Bethlehem, 

Order  of,  121,  174,  177,  ia3, 

252. 
Sheiiherds,  Royal.  282. 
Shepherds.    Society  of    An- 
cient. 252. 
Shield  of  Honor,  114, 165. 189, 

292. 
Silver  Federation,  Freemen's 

rroteetive.  301,  321,  32.3. 
Silver    Knight^  <  f  America, 

292.  301.  316.   321,  322,  32:^. 
Silver  Ladies  of  America,  316, 

8. '2.  323. 
Sigma   Alpha   Epsilon.    .3;W, 

334.  :«5,  362. 
Sigma  Chi.  :«0,  :i32,  *«,  :3;i5, 

336.  :i5s.  362. 
Sigma  Chi  (2d),  363. 
Sigma  Delta  Chi.  .342.  363. 
Sigma  Kappa.  ;i'is.  363. 
Sigma  .\u.  :«o.  .335.  363. 
Sigma  Phi,  15.  179.  2.3S,  :i30, 

*«,  331,  *i5,  .3.36.  ;«(;.  347, 

.3.53,  355,  3';0.  361,  363. 
Sigma  Xi,  :«ti.  337. 
Silver  Head,  Soliir  Spiritual 

Progressive    Order   of  the, 

and  Golden  Star,  '.«;. 
Skull  and  Bones,  179,*W,a38, 

■ilO,  341,  343,  344,  346.  363. 
Sobriety,  Fidelity  and  Integ- 
rity, Knights  of.  114,  147. 
Soil,  Sons  of  the,  326. 
Soldiers  and  Sailors'  League, 

366,  374. 
Solid  Hock,  Order  of  the,  197, 

198,  201,  202,  203,  205. 

28 


Solomon,  Sons  of,  18. 
Solon,  Order  of,  201. 
Soubise,  Sons  of,  18. 
Soverei-rn  I'atriotic  Knights, 

Order  of,  426. 
Sovereigns  of  Indusiry,  399. 
Sparta.  Order  of,  12o,  121, 176, 

204. 
S.  P.  K.,  The,  265,  284. 
Star,  Templars  Order  of  the 

American,  ;W1,  317,  327. 
Star  of  Bethlehem  :  Degree  of 

I'roicction,  142. 
Star  of  Bethlehem,  Knights 

of  the,  154,  1K2,  1K3. 
Star  of  Bethlehem,  t)ider  of, 

131,  1.54,  174,  175,  182,  2.52. 
Star,  Order  of  the  American, 

290,  291,  294,  317. 
Star  Spangled  Banner,  Order 

of  the,    2<K),   300,   3U4,   315. 

319,  :120,  324,  326. 
Sufis,  Order  ol  the,  102. 
Sun,  League    of  Friendship, 

Supreme  Mechanical  Order 

of  the,  12S,  156. 
Swedenborg,  Bite  of.  102. 
Switchmen's  Mutual  Aid  As- 
sociation, 399,  400. 
Switchmen's  Union  of  North 

America,  ;CT,  380,  399. 


Tabor,  International  Order  of 
Twelve,  of  Knights  and 
Daughters  of,  198,  201. 

Tabor.  Knights  of,  198. 

Tamina  Society,  or  Colum- 
bian Order,  241, 

Tamina  Society,  St.,  239,240, 
242. 

Tamina,  Sons  of  St.,  241,  291, 
292,  298,  311,  319,  323,  324, 
326,  326,  327.  370. 

Tammany,  American  Sous  of 
King,  241,  325. 

Tammany  Hall,  241. 

Tammany  Society,  239,  324. 

Tammany  Society,  St.,  242. 

Tammany  Society,  or  Colum- 
bian Order.  291,  325,  326, 
370. 

Tammany,  St..  Society,  or 
'Columbian  Order,  242. 

Telegraphers,  Order  of  Com- 
mercial, 388,  395. 

Telegraphers,  Railway,  Order 
of,  379,  ;i80,  ;W2,  383,  :388, 
394. 

Temperance,  Cadets  of,  402, 
403,  408,  410. 

Temperance,   Daughters   of, 

402,  410. 
Temperance,  Sons  of.  10,  90, 

91,  92.     115.    314.    3S2,   402, 

403,  40S,  409,  410,  412. 
Templars  of  Honor  and  Tem- 

jierance,  403,  40S,  409,  410, 

411. 
Templars  of  Honor  and  Tem- 
perance. Junior,  412. 
Templars     of     Temperance, 

Uoyal,    114,    117,    145,   161, 

165,  403,  408. 
Temple,  Order   of  the,  270, 

27-2.  2;  3,  275.  346. 
Temple,  Ordre  du.  19,  29,  37. 

3-1. 
Teutonic  Knights,  270. 
The  (iraiid  Fraternity,    120, 

121,189. 
Theosophical  Society,  104. 


Theta  Delta  (  hi,  :i30,  a'M,  .'WS, 
.•«6,  317,  3.58,  363. 

Theta  Xi,  364. 

Thirteen.  Order  of,  310. 

Titus.  Iv'oval  Arch  of,  248. 

Tonti.  Order  of,  203. 

Tramp  Kraiernities.  426. 

Travelers  of  .America.  Order 
of  United  Commercial.  183. 

Triad  Society,  68,  69. 

Triangle,  Order  of  the,  183. 

Triangle,  The,  .394.  4(Mi,  401. 

Triangle,  The  (2d).  414. 

Triple  Link  Mutual  Indem- 
nity Association,  191. 

True  Brethren,  290,  291,  2»4, 
317,  327. 

Twelve.  International  Order 
of,  of  Knijjhts  and  Daugh- 
ters of  Tabor,  198,  201, 
262. 

Twelve,  Order  of,  198,  201, 


Uncle  Sam,  Order  of,  290,  :J04, 

311. 
Union  Beneficial  Association, 

191. 
Union.   Brotherhood  of  the, 

290,  291,  2<.M,  2!Ht,   300,  .30.5, 

300,  31.5,  319,   ;«4,  326. 
Union     Endowment.      The, 

206. 
Union  Fraternal  League,  120, 

121,  191. 
Union  Labor  Party.  387. 
Union  League  of  America, 367, 

418,  421. 
Union,  Order   of   American, 

290,  294,  296,  303,   310,  315, 

317,  318,  324.  .327. 
Union  Veterans'  Legion,  .365, 

mx  371.  376. 
United  African  Brotherhood, 

192. 
United  Brotherhood,  421. 
United  Endowment  League, 

205. 
United  Fellowship,  Order  of, 

184. 
United    Irishmen,     Brother- 
hood of,  413,  420. 
LTnited  League  of  America, 

174.  192. 
United     States     Benevolent 

Fraternity.  194. 
United     States     Benevolent 

Fraternity  (2d).  194. 
United  States  Daughters,  .372. 
Unity,  Order  of,  184. 
Universal  Brotherhood.  Sup- 
reme Coinmanderv  of  the, 

189. 
Universal    Republic  for   the 

United  States  of  the  Earth, 

401. 


•v.  A.  S.."194. 

Vegetarians.  The.  68. 

Venmgerichte,  The,  4,  6,  7, 
8,  22,  ;W6. 

Veiled  I'rophets  of  the  En- 
chanted Realm.  Mystic  Or- 
der. 97. 

Vesta,  Order  of,  202.  203. 

Veterans'  Legion.  Ladies 
Auxiliary  Union.  369,  .376. 

Veterans,  Order  of  Sons  of. 
371. 

Veterans,  Sous  of.  U.  S.  A.. 
365,369,  .371,  374. 


Veterans,  Sons  of,  U.  S.  A.: 
Ladies'  Aid  Society,  389, 
375. 

Veterans.  United  Confed- 
erate, .371,  376. 

Videttes,  National  Order  of, 
2'.M),  291,  21>4,  :il)\.  310. 


W.  W.  W.,  or  -The  Rain- 
bow," 179,  ;ii4,  .•i3.5.  .^54,  364, 

Wanetas,  The.  460.  401. 

War  of  1812,  Society  of  the, 
371. 

Washington.  Knights  and 
Ladies  of.  146. 

Wa>liinglon.  Order  of.  371. 

West  Gale.  Brotherhood  of 
the.  17. 

Western  Knights  Protective 
.V.H.sociation.  120.  121.  194. 

Western  Star  Order.  Inde- 
pendent, in. 

Wheel,  The  Agricultural.  378, 
397. 

'•  White  Caps."  426. 

Whitecaps,  The.  422.  426. 

White  Flags,  68. 

While  Lily.  OH. 

White  Lotus.  68. 

While  Shrine  of  Jerusalem, 
Order  of  the.  102. 

Wide  Awakes,  290,  291,  294, 
317,  327. 

Wolf's  Head.  3:i5,  :«0,  :«1, 
:«3.  .344.  364. 

Woodchoppers  Association, 
289. 

Wood  Cutters.  Order  of,  99. 

Woodmen,  Modem,  of  Amer- 
ica, 114,  11.5.  116.  117.  118, 
131,  l:».  136,  157,  159,  164, 
177.  195. 

Woodmen  of  the  World,  114, 
115,  117.  lis,  134,  143,  14.8. 
1.57,  1.59,  16.5,  194,  202. 

World  Mutual  Benefit  Asso- 
ciation. 196.  279. 

Worid,  Order  of  the,  196.  279. 

Worid.  Order  of  the.  of  Bos- 
ton. 203. 

Workingineii.  International 
Association  of,  386,  393.  400, 
401. 

Workmen.  Ancient  Order  of 
United,  113.  11.5,  116,  117. 
118.  122,  123.  128,  131,  132, 
l:«,  134,  l;i5,  141,  143,  144, 
146,  148,  1.16,  1.57,  VA).  161, 
1(>4,  166,  167.  1(J9,  V.O.  174, 
17.5,  181,  184,  186,  1,S8,  191, 
192,  193,  195,  196,  201,  204. 
229,  31.5,  4(K). 

Workmen,  Ancient  Order  of 
United:  Degree  of  Honor. 
129. 

Workmen.  Ancient  Order  of 
United  :  Mo<,'ulliaiis.  Order 
of.  129.  174. 

Workmen  of  America,  Inde- 
pendent. 141. 

^\  orkmen's  Benefit  Associa- 
tion. 114,  122.  196. 


Yellow  Caps,  68. 
Yellow  Flags,  68. 

Zetu  Psi.  .'»0,  3;«,  .3:i5,  3:J«, 

.340,  .313.  316,  3«4. 
Zodiac,  The,  327. 


-J3- 


INDEX    TO    PROPEE    :N"AMES 


Abales,  Carl,  208. 
Abbett,  Leon,  96. 
Abel,  Joseph  P.,  62. 
Abel],  C.  Lee,  ISO. 
Acker,  John  J..  162. 
Ackley,  H.  F.,  I(i4. 
Adam,  L.  Isle,  270. 
Adams,  Charles  Francis,  Jr., 

348. 
Adams,  Henry  C,  6.'j. 
Adams,  James  F.,  821. 
Adams,  John,  812. 
Adams,  John  O.  B.,  369. 
Adams,  John  (^nincy,  15,  16, 

.•«1,  :«(;,  :i%7.  8.')8. 
Adams,  Samiu-l  E.,  56. 
Adams,  William  B..  169. 
Adee,  George  A.,  341. 
Adelnbeha<ren,  Paul.  viii. 
Affleck,  Stephen  D..  62. 
Agricola.  2,S6. 
Aikin,  William  G.,  364. 
Aitkin,  D.  D..  164. 
Akers,  W.  J..  64. 
Akin,  Henry  C,  59. 
Alcon,  Albert,  171. 
Alden,  William  L.,  352. 
Aldrich,  Louis,  218. 
Alee,  Kallf,  4. 
Alexander  IL,  39,  272. 
Alfred,  King,  171. 
Alger,  Russell  A.,  95,  369. 
Alger,  William  R.,  61. 
Allan,  F.  W.,  viii. 
Allen,  George  H.,  61. 
Allen,  G.  T.,  3ti6. 
Allen,  John  H..  197. 
Allen,  Marcus  C,  62. 
Allison,  William  B.,  348. 
Allyn,  A.  W.,  198. 
Altheimer,  Benjamin,  58. 
Alvin.  Harry.  2.S9. 
Aramel,  C.  S..  183. 
Ammen,  S.  Z.,  .3.55. 
Anders,  E.  B.,  168. 
Anderson,  James,  14. 
Ander-on,  John,  fi3. 
Ander-on,  John  R.,  02. 
Andeison,  Leverett  M.,  .59. 
Andrae,  John  Valentine,  87. 
Andrews,  Allen,  64. 
Andrus,  Leroy,  160, 161. 
Angell,  James  B..  361. 
Anspacher.  Henry,  207. 
Anlhon,  John  Hone,  3.53. 
Anthony.  Jesse  B..  (>2. 
Applegute.  William  J.,  60. 
Archer,  Mrs.  Sielln,  309. 
Archimedes.  2()5. 
Arkell,  Bartlett.  341. 
Armatage,  Charles  H.,  ftl 
Armstrong,  C.  E.,  64. 
Armstrong,  H.  ('..  .55. 
Arnold,  (Jeorge  M.,  355. 
Arnold,  John  B.,(>4. 
Arnold,  Mewton  D.,00. 
Arthur,  Chester  A.,  .361. 
Arthur,  King.  124,  125. 
Arthur,  P.  M.,  viii.  .382. 
Ashby,  Joseph  K.,  59. 
Ashmole.  Elias.  19,20,87. 
Ashton.  Georiri' W.,  .57. 
Astor,  William.  ;^51. 
Atherton.  Henry  B.,  60. 
Atkinson.  (}.  W.,  56. 
Atwatcr,  W.  O..  ;i41. 
Atwater,  William  W.,  351. 
Atwood,  H.C.,27.49. 
Auer,  A.,  282. 
Auger,  James,  288. 
Aumont,  Peter,  38,  40. 
Austin,  K.  R..  .188. 
Avery,  William  R.,  64. 


Babbitt,  George  H.,  61. 
Bahcock,  Brenton  D.,  fiO. 
Backus,  Rev.  J.  E.,  viii. 
Backus,  J.  E.  N.,  402,  403, 

404. 
Bacon,  Lord,  4. 
Baden,  J.  A.,  164. 

Badgerow, ,  160. 

Bailey,  Elisha  L,  .59. 

Bailey,  Michael  B.,215. 

Bailey,  Wesley,  404. 

Bailey,  W.S.,  162. 

Bain,  George,  278. 

Baird,  William  Raimond,  178, 

329,  331,  332,  334,  33(i,  355, 

857. 
Baker,  E..  .56. 
Baker,  Jacob  G.,  314. 
Balding,  Ihonias  E.,  60. 
Baldwin  n.,269. 
Baldwin,  Aaron,  57. 
Baldwin,  C.  F.,  64. 
Baldwin,  Henry,  304,312,  323, 

419. 
Baldwin.  Nathan  A.,  62. 
Ball.  Robert,  .57. 
Balloch,  George  W.,  .57. 
Balmain,  George  P..  fi3. 
Bangs,  Algernon  S.,  viii. 
Bangs,  Francis  M.,  361. 
Banks,  Mrs.  N.  P..  309. 
Bannister,  James,  66. 
Barber,  James  S.,  63. 
Barbour,  A.  L.,  163. 
BarkL-r,  George  T.,  63. 
Barker.  J.  G.,  67. 
Barker,  Wharton,  300. 
Barkcy.  Peter.  64. 
Barlow.  John  H.,  .5(). 
Barnard.  Gilbert  W.,  60,  85. 
Barnard,  M.  R.,  402. 
Barnard.  Robert.  .360. 
Barnes,  J.  D..  1.50. 
Barnes.  Milton.  1;«. 
Barnes,  W.  H..  160.  161. 
Barns,    William   Eddy.    2.31, 

2;i2. 
Barre,  Isaac.  240,  .323. 
Barruel.  Abbe,  14. 
Barthelmes.  John  C,  192. 
Bartlett,  Clara  J.,  169. 
Bartlett,  Edward  G.,  351. 
Bartlett,  John  S.,  62. 
Bartlett,  William  M.,  169. 
Bartram,  B.  F  ,  .56. 
Bascom,  Frank  H.,  2. 
Baskctt,  S.  R..  viii. 
Bass,  Lyman  K..  801. 
Bass,  John  H.,  66. 
Batchelor,  James  (".,  48,  90. 
Bates.  J.  W.  P.,  164. 
Bates,  John  L.,  viii. 
Bates,  Stockton.  64. 
Bates.  William  L.,  65. 
Baumgarteii.  Emil.S. 
Baumgarten.  William,  198. 
Bailer,  William  II.,  65. 
Baylev,  J.,  viii. 
Bavne,  W.  M.,  164. 
Beach,  Abel.  3C4. 
Heach,  Alexander  J,,  3.50. 
Beall,  S.  W.,  .3(hi. 
Beamer.  A^'atha.  319. 
Bcarce,  Samuel  F.,  60. 
Beath.  Robert    B.,    366,  .368, 

869.  377. 
Beattie,  John,  278. 
Beatty.Claudiur'  F.,  63. 
Beiuijeu,  Count.  Ii8.  40. 
Bechtel.  CharU-.  1)3. 
Beck,  Charles  K..  viii. 
Becker,  Albert  J.,  62. 
Beck  ley,  John,  357. 


Bective,  Earl  of,  85. 
Bedarride,  78. 
Beliarrell,  C.  H.,  172. 
Beharrell,  T.  G.,  172. 
Bell,  Henry  K.,:i.53. 
Bell,  John,  9.5,  ISS. 
Bell,  John  N.,64. 
Bell,  Thomas  C,  362. 
Bellamy,  Marsden,  viii. 
Bellinger,   Frederick  P.,  Jr., 

351. 
Belmont,  O.  H.  P.,  96. 
Belmoni,  Perry.  3.52. 
Benedict,  XIV.,  Poi)e,  10. 
Benjamin,  S.  (J.  W..  355. 
Bennett,  Clement  W.,  57. 
Benson,  Charles  H.,  67. 
Benson.  Frederic  A..  62. 
Bentlev.  (ieorge  W..60. 
Benton.  Thomas  H.,  96,  .351. 
Benzenberg.  George  H.,  66. 
Bernstein,  Paul,  viii. 
Berry,  George  A.,  197. 
Berry,  Henry  ('.,  265. 
Berry,  Hiram  B.,62. 
Berry,  O.  F.,  160. 
Berry,  Stephen,  56.  60,  90. 
Berthoud,  Alexander  P.,  3.51. 
Besaut.  Mrs.  Annie,   vi,   viii, 

104,  109,  110,111. 
Betts,  George  C,  58. 
Bever,  George  W.,  57. 
Bibb,  George  M.,  96. 
Bideand.  Aiitoine,46,47,48, 50 
Bien,  Julius,  viii.  207. 
Bierce,  C.  A.,  viii. 
Bigelow,  John,  363. 
Bigelow,  Joseph  Hill,  viii. 
Biggs,  L).  S..  viii,  165. 
Billing,  Fay  McC.,56. 
Billings,  Charles  E.,  62. 
Billings,  Jacob,  Jr.,  122. 
Bingham,  Charles  D.,  63. 
Bingham,  J.  W.,  66. 
Birch,  John  M.,  60. 
Bishop,  Alfred  S.,  64. 
Bishop,  Joseph,  378. 
Bishop,  M.  J.,  310. 
Bissell,  Wilson  Shannon,  340. 
Black,  Chauncy  F.,  360. 
Black,  Hugh,  222. 
Black,  J.  C.,3.59. 
Black,  William  H.,  188. 
Blackburn,  J.  8.,  180. 
Blackburn.  Luke,  .3.59. 
Blackshear,  James  E.,  57. 
Blades,  Francis  A..  85. 
Blaine,  Walker,  340. 
Blakely.  Frederick  L.,  .57. 
Bland.  R.  P.,  96. 
Blatt,  William,  59. 
Blatz.  John,  282. 
Blavarskv,  Helena  Petrovna, 

vi,  104, "107. 108, 109, 110,  111. 
Blavatskv,  Nicephore,  107. 
Bli-.'h,  (J.  \V.,  186. 
Bliss,  Kliakim  R,  66. 
Bliss,  George.  361. 
Blocki,  William  F.,  66. 
Bloss,  J.  M.,  viii. 
Bloss,  N.  W.,  187. 
BIQcher,  95. 
Blum,  Robert,  20(i. 
BIyth,  John,  65. 
Boadicea,  (^ueen,  286. 
Hoehme.  102. 
Bolton,  Hewitt  C,  viiL 
Bolton.  Henry,  65. 
Bonaparte,  Jerome,  7. 
Bonaparte,  Joseph,  271. 
Bonaparte,  Napoleon,  271. 
Bonner,  Herman,  210. 
Bonneville,  Chevalier,  38. 


Bonsall,  N.  F.,  65. 
Booker,  Richard.  356. 
Boone,  PMwin,  r>4. 
Boone,  William  K..  65. 
Booth,  Edwin.  96.  218. 
Borden,  Jerome  B.,  63. 
Boughton,  J.  8.,  viii. 
Bowen,  Seranus,  61,  85. 
Bowen,  W.  R.,  56. 
Bowers,  H.  F.,  295. 
Bowie,  T.  F.,  Z6S. 
Bowker,  J.  C,  198. 
Bowles,  G.  F.,  viii,  189. 
Bowles,  Samuel  (l8t),  96. 
Boyd,  John  C.,  3.55. 
Boyd,  W.  T.,  viii. 
Boyle,  T.  N.,165. 
Boylen.  A.  F.,  169. 
Boylen,  Emma  F.,  169. 
Boylen.  Sarah  F.,  169. 
Boylen.  T.  F.,  169. 
Boynton,    N.  S.,   v,  153,  156, 

ItiO,  101.  102. 
Bracken,  Henry  S.,66. 
Bradburn.  O.  N.,  142. 
Bradford,  (  hester,  172,  189. 
Bradford.  L.  W.  T,  360. 
Bradlev,  W..  is»;. 
Bradwcll,  Jiiines  B..  66. 
Brag]^,  Edward  S.,355. 
Brant,  Josei)h,  95. 
Bravton.  James  B.,  61. 
Brazier.  William  H.,  66. 
Breckenridge,  C.  R.,  :J49. 
Breckeuridge.  John  C.,  95. 
Breen,  James  D..  213. 
Brewer,  Arthur  H..  62. 
Brewer,  C.  E.  P.,  198. 
Brewer,  Hamilton,  178. 
Brice,  Albert  G.,  .58. 
Brice,  Calvin  S..  352. 
Briggs.  Ethan,  313,  314. 
Briggs,  J.  Albion,  165. 
Briggs,  Samuel,  64. 
Bright,  Jesse  D..  420. 
Brine.  Dathe.  414. 
Bristol,  D.  W..402,  401. 
Britten,  Emma  H.,  KM. 
Brodie.  William  A.,  62. 
Bromlev,  Isaac.  ;^1. 
Bromwl'll,  J.  H.,  56,65. 
Bronson,  Iloratio  G.,  62. 
Bronson,  IraT.,  188. 
Bronson,  Samuel  M.,  62. 
Brooke,  Thomas,  (k3. 
Brooks.  Lee  H..  200. 
Brothers,  John  L.,  63. 
Brougham,  John,  IHi,  284,  364. 
Brown,  Austin  H.,  05. 
Brown,  B.  Gratz.  3.50. 
Brown,  C.  H..&5. 
Brown,  E.  H.,  60. 
Brown.  F.  L.,  viii,  164. 
Brown,  George  L.,  63. 
Brown,  IL,  64. 
Brown,  James  W.,  64. 
Brown.  John  M..  liJ. 
Brown.  Joseph  T..  57. 
Brown,  .M.  R  ,  IW. 
Brown,  Robert  Smith.  .S6. 
Brown.  Theodore  B.,.364. 
Brown,  W.  M.,.3«l. 
Brown.  W.  W..  197. 
Bruce,  .lohn,  278. 
Bruce,  Robert,  87,  88,  278. 
Brunson,  Amos,  .350. 
Brush.  John  T.,&5. 
Brush,  John,  Jr.,  151. 
Bryan, William  Jennings,  130, 

1.5S.  :iu).  :i88. 
Buchanan,  James,  ('5.  .306. 
Buchanan,  Janu->  I^aac,  viii, 

60. 


-f-r^* 


^,\ 


436 


INDEX   TO   PROPER   NAMES 


Bucliwalter,  M.  L.,  65. 
Buck,  ClmrU'S  F.,58. 
Buck,  Jerome,  2"27. 
Buck,  J.  D.,  108,  109. 
Buck,  Silas  M.,  57. 
Buckingham,      George     B.. 

61. 
Buckley,  Phillip.  252. 
Budd,  Cha^le^^  Arms.  .353. 
Buechncr.  William  L.,  64. 
BuL'bee.  A.  V.,  103. 
Buist,  John  S.,  59. 
Buist,  Samuel  S.,  59. 
Bullit,  John  C,  mo. 
Bundy,  William  E.,  viii. 
Bunn,  James  N.,  229. 
Bui  bage,  John  E.,  149. 
Burbank,  A.  P..  352. 
Burdetti',  S.  S.,  3(59. 
Burdick,  Leander,  64. 
Burdick.  W.E.,  197. 
Burge,  Carrie  M.,  374. 
Burke,  Andrew  H.,  59. 
Burlingame,  Anson,  96. 
Burmester,  Charles  E.,  viii. 
Burnett.  D.  L.,  263. 
Burnett,  D.  Z..  viii. 
Burnett,  W.  H..  263. 
Burnham,  Edward  P.-,  60,  85. 
Burnham,  W'illiam  J.,  60. 
Burnham,  George  H.,  62. 
Burns,  Frances  E.,  164. 
Burns,  Henry  T.,  197. 
Burns.  Robert,  95. 
Burnside,  A.  E.,  369. 
Burr,  Aaron,  95. 
Burr,  Charles  H.,  122,  169. 
Burr,  Thomas  W^.  60. 
Burras,  Thomas,  250. 
Burrill,  Henry  F.,  1(59. 
Burroughs,  Benjamin,  353. 
Burt,  Eugene  D.,  62. 
Burton,  Alonzo  J.,   viii,  99, 

101. 
Burton,  John  R.,  viii. 
Burton,  Laura  L.,  101. 
Bury,  R.  A.,  65. 
Bush,  J.  Foster,  162. 
Bush,  John  S.  F.,61. 
Bushnell,  Asa  S.,  6.5. 
Butler,  Benjamin  F.,  96. 
Butler,  C.  R.,  65. 
Butler,  J.  Haskell,  161. 
Butler,  J.  L.,65. 
Butler,  M.  C,  .352. 
Butler,  MahlonD.,66, 
Butler,  Marion,  96. 
Butler,  W^illiam  Allen,  361. 
Biittlar,  Charles  J.  R.,  59. 
Buttenheim,  S.,208. 
Buttner,  C.  H.,  172. 
Buzzell,  Daniel  T.,  122. 
Bynum,  William  D.,  350. 
Byron,  Lord,  95. 

Cabel,  William,  357. 
Cable,  Ben  T.,364. 
Cadsvallader,  George.  373. 
Cady,  Daniel,  402,  403,  408. 
Cagliostro,  30,  46,  54. 
Calderwood,  Charles  R.,  61. 
Caldwell,  A.  B..  139,  227. 
Caldwell.  J.  D..  (14. 
Caldwell,  James  P..  362. 
Calhoun,  John  C.  420. 
Calladon,  Lord,  307. 
Callen,  Thomas,  216. 
Camp,  Walter,  ;i40. 
Campbell,  D.  W..  399. 
Campbell,  James  E.,  130. 
Campbell,  Mary  J.,  169. 
Campbell,  Sherwood  C,  2. 
Campfleld.  Georse  A.,  viii. 
Canfield,  H.  A..  107. 
Cannon,  Henry  W^.,  96. 
Cannon,  J.  G..  130. 
Capeheart,  Thomns,  350. 
Cardinal  of  Lorrain,  273. 
Carence,  78. 
Carleton,  Will,  .3,54. 
Carlos,  James  J.,  viii. 
Carmichael.  Hartley,  59.  103. 
Carnahan,  James  R.,  viii. 


Carpenter,  George  O..  61. 

Carpenter,  George  S.,  61. 

Carpenter,  John  C,  .57. 

Carpenter,  W'.  E.,  mi. 

Carr,  Erasmus  T.,  56. 

Carrington,  G.  W^.,  56. 

Carroir,  DeM'itt  C,  63. 

Carroll,  John  D.,  213. 

Carson,  E.  T.,  ix,  18,  60,  72, 
90. 

Carter,  Benjamin,  288. 

Carter,  Charles  W.,  60. 

Carter,  James  C,  348. 

Carter,  John  M..  ix. 

Carter,  Samuel  R.,  2. 

Carter,  Thomas  H.  297. 

Carter.  William  H.,  364. 

Cary,  Charles,  64,  85. 

Catharine  II.,  271. 

Cato,  3^6. 

Case.  Henry,  351. 

Casey.  I,.  E.,  200. 

Cash.  Eliza,  169. 

Cash,  Granville,  169. 

Cass,  Lewis,  95. 

Cassard,  Andrew.  101. 

Cassin,  Thomas.  213. 

Caswell,  Thomas  H.,  48,  49, 
56. 

Caswell,  Richard  W.,  96. 

Caufy,  L.  L.,  66. 

Cavanaugh.  John  H.,  57. 

Caven,  John,  60. 

Cavin,  John,  172. 

Cavour,  4. 

Cerneau,  Joseph,  41,  44,  46, 
47,  4H,  50,  51.  54. 

Chaflfee,  Albert  H.,  61. 

Chance,  George  H.,  .59. 

Chandler.  Zachariah,  95. 

Chamberlain.  Austin  B.,  56. 

Chamberlain,  C.  W.,  64. 

Chamberlain,  Daniel  H..  340, 
361. 

Chamberlain,  J.  W.,  64. 

Chamberlain,  M.  H.,  65. 

Chamberlain,  T.  C,  359. 

Champan,  R.  H..  363. 

Chambers,  N.  B.,383. 

Champion,  Robert  H.,  263. 

Chapell,  James  S.,  2. 

Chapin,  Luther,  313,  314. 

Chapman.  Alfred  F.,  87. 

Chapman,  Silas,  Jr..  62. 

Chappell.  Philip  E.,  188. 

Charlemagne,  6. 

Charles  V..  Emperor  of  Ger- 
many, 270. 

Chase.'AlbroE.,  60. 

Chase,  Herbert  A.,  169. 

Chase,  Ira  J.,  ix,  190. 

Chase,  Kate  D..  169. 

Chase,  8.  B.,  404. 

Chastelan,  Chevalier,  272. 

Chasten  ier,  30. 

Cheatham,  John,  256. 

Check.  G.  W.,  142. 

Cheesman,  George  G.,  219, 
220. 

Chessman.  John,  250. 

Cherry.  James  J.,  350. 

Chessman,  William  H.,  61. 

Chester,  George  F.,  352. 

Childs,  Georare  W.,  96. 

Choate,  Josepii  A.,  348. 

Choate,  Rufns,  96. 

Christian,  J.  H..  164. 

Christiancy,  H.  C.,363. 

Church,  James  E..  66. 

Churchill.  C.  Robert,  ix. 

Churchill,  J.,  288. 

Cisco,  Charles  T.,  58. 

Clancy.  J.  J.,  ix. 

Clapp.  JohnM.,  64. 

Clare.  Ralph  B.,ix. 

Clark,  Charles  P.,  62. 

Clark.  E.  E.,ix,  382. 

Clark,  Emmons.  363. 

Clark,  F.  M.,  ix. 

Clark,  H.  G.,  188. 

Clark,  J.  D.,  164. 

Clark,  Louis  G.,  59. 

Clark,  S.  W.,  74. 


Clarke.  Edward  F.,  275. 
Clarke,  George  H.,  62. 
Clarke,  Haswell  C,  66. 
Clarke,  John  H.,  61. 
Clarkson,  Thaddens   S.,    ix, 

31)9. 

Classon,  James  H.,  374. 
Clay,  Henry,  14,  95. 
Cleaves,  George  P.,  56,  60. 
Cleburne,  William,  59. 
Clement  V.,  Pope,  37,  182. 
Clement  XII..  Pope,  9,  12. 
Clendenen,  G.  W.,  ix,  159. 
Cleveland,  (irover,  297. 
Clift,  J.  Augustus,  ix. 
Cline,  Henry  A..  57. 
Clinton,  DeWitt,  47,  96. 
dowry,  John  K..  215. 
Cluff,  Milon  ().,  169. 
Coates,  Charles,  288. 
Coates,  Rennel,  318. 
Cobb,  Howell.  95. 
Cobb,  John  Stover,  104. 
Cochrane.  J.  B.,  197. 
Cockerill,  John  M..  96.    ' 
Cockrell,  Nathan  E..  362. 
Codding,  James  H..  60. 
Codman,  John  T.,  135. 
Coffin,  Selden  J.,  ix. 
Cohen,  Moses,  44,  50. 
Colby,  A.  W.,  ix. 
Cole,  Cyrill  B.,  65. 
Cole,  George  W.,  168. 
Cole,  Jeremiah  S.,  58. 
Cole,  Otis,  62. 
Cole,  Sidney  H.,  66. 
Colfax,  Schuyler,  260. 
Coleman.  John,  6. 
Coleman,  Katie,  216. 
Collamore.  John  H.,  61. 
Collins,  Charles  A.,  64. 
Collins,  C.  P.,  197. 
Collins.  Jolin  F.,  2. 
Collins.  J.  A..  64. 
Collins,  Martin,  56. 
Collins,  William  J.,  58. 
Collyer,  Robert,  96. 
Columbus.  Christopher,  325. 
Colwell,  Daniel,  216. 
Commenus,  Emperor,  81. 
Condon,  O'Meagher,  414. 
Coiigdon.  J.  W..  ix. 
Conlin,  M.  R.,  .399. 
Connor,  Washington  E.,  96. 
Conover,  J.  H.,  65. 
Conover,  J.  S.,  56. 
Constantine  the  Great,  81, 376. 
Conyngham,  John  B.,  352. 
Cook,  Abel  G.,  62. 
Cook,  James  W..  59. 
Cook,  Robert  J..  340. 
Cook,  William,  390. 
Coon,  L.  E.,  404. 
Cooper,  Daniel  W.,  362. 
Cooper,  James  Fenimore,  351. 
Cope,  Alfred,  375. 
Coppinger,  J.  J.,  297. 
Corey.  Giles.  183. 
Corliss.  John  B..  6.5. 
Cornwall  is.  Lord.  333. 
Cortland.  J.  Wakefield,  56. 
Corwin,  Thomas.  96. 
Cotter,  FninkG..  ix,  218. 
Cotterall.  J.  W^,  Jr.,  65. 
Cottrill,  Charles  M.,  60. 
Cotton,  AylettR..57. 
Conlson,  Nicholas.  65,85. 
Coulter,  Henry  W.,  58. 
Coulter,  James  P..  66. 
Court,  Robert  T.,  194. 
Covert,  Isaac,  402. 
Cowdery,  Oliver,  71. 
CowdreV,  Robert  H.,  387. 
Cowen.  T.  B.,  ix. 
Cowes,  Robert.  77.  79. 
Cowper,  Archibald.  218. 
Cox,  William  R..  95. 
Coxe,  Daniel,  26.  27. 
Craig,  A.  L..  134. 
Craig,  Emmett  De  W.,  58. 
Craig,  J.  T..  164. 
Craighill,  Edward  A.,  59. 
Crapo,  William  W.,  340,  348. 


Crawford,  Charles,  63. 
Crawford,  Dougal,  278. 
Crawford,  E.  M.,  186. 
Cregier,  Dewitt  C,  66. 
Crocker,  Charles  F.,  57. 
Crockett,  Charles  N.,  314. 
Crofts,  Daniel  W.,  362. 
Cromwell,  Charles  T.,  363. 
Cronin,  P.  H..  413,  414. 
Crosby,  Francis  J.,  66. 
Crosby,  Howard,  35.3. 
Crosby,  Lemuel.  314. 
Cross,  J.  L.,49. 
Cruett,  John  W.,  ix.,  137. 
Cruft,  John  W  ,  65. 
Cruickshank.  John  D.,  278. 
Culbertson,  William,  ix. 
Cumback,  William,  172. 
Cumberland,  Diikc  of,  307. 
Cummings,  Charles  H.,  64. 
Cummiiigs,  Daniel  E.,  59. 
Cummings,  John  A.,  135,  186. 
Cumming.s,  Silas  W..  61,  85. 
Cummings,  Thomas  H.,  ix. 
Cummings,  William,  314.  315. 
Cunningham.  Harper  S.,  58. 
Cunningham,  James,  1.57. 
Cunningham.  W.  J..  189. 
Cunningham,  William  M.,  64. 
Cunningham.      William    R., 

353. 
Currier,  George  W.,  60. 
Currier,  Mary  P.,  193. 
Curry,  John  A.,  314,315. 
Curtis,  Charles  F.,  57. 
Curtis,  David  A.,  108. 
Curtis,  Dexter  D.,  63. 
Curtis,  George  Ticknor,  352. 
Curtis,  George  W.,  66. 
Gushing,  Caleb.  96. 
Cushman,  Charles  W.,  63. 
Cushman.  Lewis  N.,  122. 
Custis,  Joseph  S.,  6. 
Cutler,  Eben  J.,  64. 
Cutting,  Walter,  61. 

Da  Costa,  Isaac,  44. 
Dalby,  John  N.,  188. 
Dalcho.  Frederick,  44,  45,  48, 

49,  50. 
d'Alembert,  9. 
Dallas,  Cieorge  M.,  95. 
Dalton,  W.  B.,214. 
Daly,  Charles  P.,  77. 
Dame,  Charles  C,  60. 
Dame,  Percy  A.,  169. 
Damon.  Henry,  135. 
Dana,  Edward  S.,  341. 
Danforth,  Charles  C,  61. 
Danforth,  Mrs.  M.  M.,  164. 
Daniell,  William  H.,  57. 
Daniels,  N.  C,  66. 
Daniels,  Newell,  184. 
Daniels.  William  P.,  Ix. 
Darling,  C.  K.,  186. 
Darrair,  Thomas  M.,  60. 
Darrow.  Edward  McF.,  59. 
Dase,  William  H  ,  ix. 
D'Aubigne,  Oswald  Merle,  2. 
Daugherty,  Charles  M.,  57. 
Davenport.  E.  L..  284. 
D.ivie,  William  R.,  95. 
David  I.  of  Scotland,  87. 
Davidson,  J.  F.,  165,  190. 
Davies,  William  A.,  57. 
Davis,  A.  P.,  374. 
Davis,  C.  K.,  353. 
Davis,  Evan,  57. 
Davis,  G.  W.,  65. 
Davis,  Jacob  Z.,  57, 
Davis,  James  E.,66. 
Davis,  Jefferson,  376. 
Davis,  M.  C.  172. 
Davis,  S.  S.,  265. 
Davison.  W.  B..  144. 
Day,  David  F..  63. 
Day.  Fesseiiden  I.,  ix,  60. 
Dayton,  William  H.,  364. 
Dean,  Amos,  3,54. 
de  Bouillon,  Godfrey,  183, 269. 
Debs,  Eugene  V.,  379,  383. 
deBulow;  A.  H.,  76,  77. 
De  Clairmont,  Ralph,  57. 


INDEX   TO   PROPER   NAMES 


437 


De  Cortnenin,  9. 

DeenuT,  E.  H.,  314. 

Defebauffh,  James  E.,  232. 

Defoe,  Daniel,  247. 

Deiier,  .T.,214. 

De^^lirasse  Tilly,  A.  F.  A.,  44, 

43,  40,  47,  4S,  ,50. 
De  Griiw,  CliurleB  S.,  SM. 
De  Hompesch,  Louisa,  271. 
De  Jon  J,',  Erie,  197. 
De  Kalii,  Baron,  95. 
Delaho'iiie,  J.  B.,  47,  .'50. 
de  la  Motta,  Emanuel,  47,  51. 
De  Leon,  Daniel,  ix,  401. 
Deleviin,  Erastus  L. ,  G3. 
Demaree,  J.  .\..  142,  14<i. 
Deniarest,  William  E.,  RB. 
Deininj;.  Lucius  P.,  164. 
de  Molay,  Jacques,  19,  37,  3S, 

lf<3. 
Demiisev,  D.  W.,  C. 
DeuipsiiT,  William,  3S0. 
Dennis.  8aniuel  M.,  3tJ2. 
Dennis,  T.  E.,  142. 
DenZer,  V.,  2:14. 
Depew.  Chauncey  M..  W).  340. 

.3«1. 
Derl)y.  Lord,  109. 
Dermott,  Laurence.  23,  34,  .M. 
De   Kohan,   Prince    Camille. 

273. 
Desdoity.  J.  B..  47.  .""jO. 
Desjardins,  F.  X.,  192. 
De  Soto,  Ferdinand,  239. 
de  St.  Martin,  Louis  Claude, 

98. 
Deuel.  Harry  P.,  ,58. 
Devens,  ("liarles.  Jr.,  309. 
De  Vertot,  41,  270. 
De  Villanova,  Ilelion,  270. 
De  Villiiret.  Fulk.  271. 
DeVotie,  Noble  L.,  302. 
Devov,  John,  414. 
De  Wees,  F.  P.,  423. 
Deyo,  John  H.,  ix.  67,  75. 
Dickerman.  John  S.,  2. 
Dick.-y.  John,  183. 
Dickinson,  D(m  M.,  351. 
Dickinson.  Edward,  00. 
Dickinson,  Ella  M..  100. 
Dickson.  Moses.  19S. 
Diderot.  9. 

Diehl.  Christopher.  56,  70. 
Dill.  J.  11.  C,  56,  70. 
Dillic,  F.  M..200. 
Dingley.  Nelson,  Jr.,  .364. 
Ditienhoefer,  Isaac,  207. 
Doane.  William  Croswell,  353. 
Dobbin,  Joseph  L..  5s. 
Dodge,  GrenvilleM.,  342,  365. 
Doheny,  Michael, 415. 
Dolph.  Joseph  N.,  59,  96. 
Donelson,  A.  J..  306,  326. 
Donnelly.  T.  M..  ix. 
Doolitlle.  ErastusII..  01. 
Dore.  John  P.,  ix. 
Doremus,  R.  Ogden.  3."3. 
Dorf,  Samuel,  ix. 
Doris,  T.  C.  ix. 
Dorward.  W.  N.,  194. 
Dorwell,  R.  R..  ix. 
Doublednv.  .Xbner.  108. 
Douu'liertv.  John,  ix.  399. 
DoiiL'las.  'Sl<-|)hen  A..  95. 
Douglas.  Sylvester  M..  322. 
Douglas.s,  S.  W.,  65. 
Di)nglas8,  W.  W.,  172. 
Downs,  George,  251. 
Drake,  Chester  T.,  06. 
Drake,    Robert    Thompson, 

3.59. 
Drewry,  John  C.  56. 
Drexler,  William.  H. 
Drill kle.  11.  C,  i:«. 
Driscoll,  Cornelius  T..  216. 
Drummond,  Josiah  II.,  IS,  49, 

52,  60,  K5.  90.  103. 
Duane,  James  C.,  351. 
DuBois.  F.  T.,  90. 
Dudley.  Ed-iar  S..  59. 
Dudley.  Tlminas  U.,  .5S. 
Duu'aiine.  A.  J..  101. 
Dugro,  Pliilip  H.,  360. 


Duke,  Elbert  T.,  59. 
Dulberger.  Osias,  210. 
Dumary,  T.  Henry,  03. 
Duncan,  John.  05,  250. 
Duncan,  John  Holt,  349. 
Duncan,  William  J..  63. 
Duncanson.  Charles  C  57. 
Dunckerley,  Thomas.  34,  3H. 

39,  S2. 
Dunham,  William.  65. 
Dunlop.  Robert.  ;i55. 
Dunmorc.  J.  W..  6. 
Dunn,  Joseph  II.,  04. 
Dunn.  William  A..  123. 
Dunnell,  CliiirlesT..  63. 
Dunnrll.  llenrv  N..  64. 
Dunnell.  MarkH.,  3.53. 
Du  Plessis.  P.   Le  B.,  44.  47, 

50. 
Du  Pont,  A.  v..  360. 
Du  Potet,  A.  Mathieu,  44,  46, 

47,  50. 
Du  Puy.  Raymond,  270. 
Durand,  E.  E.,  IKH. 
Durand,  James  II.,  03. 
Dutton,  Alpheus  D.,  02. 
Duval  I.  Henry,  189. 
Dwight.  Sarah  E.,  264. 
Dwight,  Timothy.  340,  348. 
Dwyer,  Dennis,  210. 

Eaby.  Joel  S.,  lU. 
Eakins,  Joseph  B..  3.  02. 
Earle,  Alexander  C,  353. 
Earle,  Joseph  O..  02. 
Earley,  Charles  R.,  03. 
Earnshaw,  William,  369. 
Eastman,  Charles  II.,  .59. 
Eaton,  Calvin  W..  (i3. 
Eaton,  W.  C.  97. 
Eavenson,  Marvin  M..  ix. 
Eckels.  James  H..  1.58. 
Eddv.  Andrew  B..  02. 
Eddy.  Ed\vard.  2. 
Eddy  Brothers,  The,  107. 
Edelstein.  John.  ix. 
Edgecomb,  E.  F..  137. 
Edger.  Lilian,  105. 
Edmunds.  G  .  ix,  70. 
Edmunds,  George  F.,  90. 
Edward  IIL.  35. 
E<lwards,  AmosS.,  63. 
Edw:irds,  George  B.,  03. 
Edwards.  Isaac  ('..  00. 
Edwards.  Jonathan.  264. 
Eels.  Samuel,  347. 
Etleudee,   Rizk   Allah    Has- 

son.  1. 
Egan,  Wiley  M..  60. 
Eggers.  T.  J..  137. 
Egfe.  William  H.,  03. 
Ehle,  John  N.,  105. 
Ehlcrs,  Edward  M.  L.,  2,  .50. 

02. 
Eichbaum,  Joseph.  Vhi. 
Eidson.  W.  R..  ix,  197. 
Elizabeth,  (iueen,  270. 
Ellerinan.  L.,  200. 
Ellinger.  Moritz.  ix.  208. 
Elliott,  Bvron  K.,  05. 
Elliott,  J'lm.s.  302. 
Elliott,  Nathan  Kelley.  00. 
Elliott.  William  E.,  109. 
Ellis,  Georsre  II.,  389. 
Ellis,  Lvman  A..  57. 
Ellis.  Waring  II.,  05. 
Ellison,  .Saram  R.,(;3. 
Ellmaker,  Amos.  14. 
Ellsworth,    Ephraim    Elmer. 

29.5. 
Ely,  Foster.  02. 
Emery,  Temple.  05. 
Emmi-t.  Hubert.  414. 
Emmons.  Alonzo  C.  .54. 
Emmons,  Theodore  II.,  01. 
Endicott.  Henry,  01. 
Engelbardt.  An<rust.  ix. 
English.  William  H.,95. 
Eno.  Jolni  C,  310. 
Entwisle,  John  P..  254. 
Erhardt.  Joel  B..  30.3. 
Erwin.  C.  K..  194. 
Eusebius.  Bishop,  81. 


Euston,  Earl  of,  103. 

Everett,  D.,  ix. 

Everett,  Edward,  10,  :«1,  340, 

357,  3.58. 
Everett,  Percival  L..  01. 
Everhart,  R.  E.,  144. 

Failey.  James  F..  ix. 
Faircliild,  Charles  S.,  a52. 
Fairchild.  Leroy.  97. 
Faircliild.  Liieiiis.  90.  .374,  .■j<!9. 
Falkenburg,  F.    A..   1:14,  IW, 

194. 
Fanner,  C.  C.  194. 
Fariiham,  Augustus  B.,  00. 
Farrel,  Jacob  A..  ;i51. 
Farreli,  J.  II.,  ix. 
Farrington,  George  E.,  05. 
Fasold,  Eli,  04. 
Faulkner,  A.  O..  104. 
Faulkner,  C.  J.,  iMi. 
Faulkner,  George,  220. 
Fawcett.  Edgar  A.,  SbH. 
Feeney.  Edward.  214. 
Fellows.  JohnQ.  A.,  56. 
Fellows,  Joseph  W.,  60. 
Felt,  G.  H.,104. 
Fenimore.  John  C..  ^Ki. 
Fennimore,  William,  :?J0. 
Fenwick,  Bishop.  312. 
Feriiinaiid  IV.,  271. 
Ferdinand  V.,  Emperor,  312. 
Ferguson,  James  F.,  02. 
Ferry,  John  C.  .58. 
Ferry.  O.  S..  301. 
Fesskr.  Ignaz  A...32. 
FiiUtii,  John  F.,  59. 
Fidlar.  Wilbur  F.,  57. 
Field.  Eii-ene,  359. 
FicUl,  Henry  C,  62. 
Fields.  James,  2:50. 
Fields,  Kate,  72. 
Fields,  M.  F.,ix,  49,  67. 
Fifield,  Eugene,  65. 
Fifield,  S.  S.,00. 
Fillmore,  Millard,  95, 306,  326. 
Filmer,  William,  (io. 
Finch.  John  B..  404. 
Findlater.  James,  05. 
Fish.  G.  H..  0.5. 
Fish.  Hamilton,  Jr..  3.53. 
Fish.  Nicholas,  3.5:i. 
Fish.  Stiiyvesant.  3.53. 
Fisher.  Frederic  S.,  01. 
Fisk.  Charles  II..  58. 
Fitch.  William  E.,  02. 
Fitts,  Edward  A.,  01. 
Fitzgerald,  Adolphus  L..  50. 
Fitz-Gerald.  Francis  W..  215. 
FitzhiiL'h,  Daniel.  3.56. 
Fitzhugli.  Tlieodoric.  350. 
Flach.  C.  II..  04. 
Flagg.  Charles  B..  183. 
Flagler.  Benjamin.  t;2. 
Flammer,  J.  A.,  327. 
Flanders.  Dana  J. .01. 
Flci-chmaiin.  AuL'Ust  T.,  188. 
FhniiiiLT,  Riifns  E.,  50. 
Fleming,  Walter  M.,  1,  02. 
Fletcher,  Leroy  D.,  57. 
Fletcher,  Naamen,  3  .2. 
Fhleher,  Thomas  M..  til. 
Fleiiry.  Cardinal,  35. 
Flood.  Martin,  3tM;. 
Florence.  William  J..  1,  90. 
Flower,  Roswell  P..  90. 
Floyd,  W.  P..  0. 
Fln'd.l.  Robert.  87. 
FIvnn.  Dennis  T..  V  5. 
FlVthe.  Augustus  W..  :«0. 
Folger.  Charles  J..  3)3. 
Folger.  R.  B..  49. 
Follet.  John  A..  109. 
Follett,  John  F..  133. 
Fondey,  Townsend,  2. 
Foiutey.  William  H.,  358. 
P'oole.  Frank  M.,  56. 
Foiaker,  JosfMib  B.,360. 
Forrest,  Edwin,  IHi,  21H. 
Fort,  G.  F..  18. 
Foster,  John  R..  .59. 
Fi>ster.  Wade.  302. 
Foulhouze.  John.  48. 


Fowle,  George  W.,  ix,  65. 
Fowler,  William  C,  68. 
Fox,  Christopher  G.,  56. 
Fox.  James  A.,  01. 
Fox,  J.  P..  aso. 
Fox,  i*.  v.,  05. 
Fox  Sisters,  The,  16. 
France,  George  B..  59. 
Francis,  Charles  K.,  64,  67, 

K3,  8.5.  80. 
Francis.  D.  M..3.50. 
Francis  and  Mary.  273. 
Francken.  Henry  A.,  37,  44, 

45.  .50. 
Frank.  Henry  L..  58. 
Franklin,  Benjamin,    17,   26, 

27,  9.5.  300,  414. 
Franklin.  Thomas  I.,  852. 
Frasier,  Daniel  E.,  169. 
Frasier,  Mrs.  D.  E.,  109. 
Fraiu/.en,  C.  J.,  ix. 
Frazee.  Andrew  B..  00. 
Frederick  the  Great,  4,  32,  45. 
Freeland.  James  U.,  61. 
Freeling,  Peter  J.,  .57. 
Freeman,  Ambrose  W.,  58. 
Freeman,  Merrill  P.,  56. 
Fremont,  John  C, 300. 
French,  A.  J.,  193. 
Fresson.  (J.  8.,  xii. 
Fricke.  W.  B.,  100. 
Friedlein.  Emanuel  M.,  207. 
Frisbie,  Byron  S.,  02. 
Frost,  D.  M.,  ix,  303. 
Frye,  Daniel  AI.,  169. 
Frye,  William  P.,  361. 
Fuller,  George  L.,  ltj«. 
Fuller,  Gcorg(!  W.,  62. 
Fuller,  H.  N..  135. 
Fuller,  Melville  W.,  351. 
Fullcrton.  A  lexaiider,  105,  111. 
Fulleys,  James  A.,  .58. 
Fulton,  Justin  D..  353. 
Furnas,  Robert  W.,  58. 

Gage,  r.lbridge  F..  57. 
Gage.  Frank  N.,  102. 
Gafami.  M..  ix. 
Gale.  William  H..  m. 
Gallandet.  Thomas,  338. 
Galloway.  C.  B..  453. 
Gans,  William  A.,  ix. 
Gardiner,  Silas  Wright,  57. 
Gardner,  George  J..  02. 
Gardner,  William  Sewall,  49. 
(iarfield.  James  A.,  95,  260. 
Garibaldi,  4,  95. 
Garland.  M.  M.,378. 
Garrett,  John  B.,56. 
(Jarrett,  Robert,  :5«4. 
Garrett,  Thomas  E.,  58. 
Garrigues,  Franklin,  63. 
Garwood.  S.  S.,  ix. 
(Jassett,  Henry,  15. 
Gaston.  Frederick,  is. 
Gates.  Albert  F..  01. 
Gaudcriip.  Thomas.  144. 
Geary.  William  M..  210. 
Gelbbiigh.  Frederick  M.,  .59. 
Gellanis.  Emmanuel,  80. 
George,  Milton,  3a5. 
Gerard,  D.  W.,  ix,  165,  190. 
Gerard.  Peter.  209. 
(Jerhardl.  W.  F.  C.  1:J7. 
Gernnnm.  F..  'SH.  235. 
(terinann.  J.,  2:J4. 
Gerow.  John  .\.,  05. 
Gerry.  Eldridge  T..  351. 
(ietty.  Henry  II..  66. 
Cthefardi.  Bancroft,  374. 
Gibbon,  John,  :r:4. 
(iibbons.  Cardinal.  10. 
Gibson,  W.  H..28,><, 
Gilbert,  F.O..a5. 
(iilbert,  George  W..  62. 
Gilbert,  Mahlon  N..  304. 
Gilderslecvc,  Charles  E..  ix, 

317. 
(iillett.  Charles  E.,  57. 
Gillelt.  Simeon  P.,  6C. 
Gillette,  EmmaM..  Ita. 
Gilinan.  Daniel  C.  .'MO,  348. 
Gilroy.  John  J..  64. 


438 


INDEX   TO   PROPER   NAMES 


Gilroy,  Thomas,  297. 
Girartl,  Steiihen,  !)6. 
Giustiniani,  Abbe,  81. 
Gladstone,  G.,  JOS. 
Gladstone,  W.E.,  252. 
Glahn,  A..2;M. 
Glake.  William.  (15. 
GUizebrook.  Otis  A.,  340. 
Gleasoii,  James  M..  (il. 
Gleaves.  Hichard,  73. 
Glenn,  O.  W..  x. 
Gobin,  John  P.  S.,  369. 
Goble,  Frank  15..  6:^. 
Goddard,  I.eroy  A.,  66. 
Goethe,  Johann  W.  von,  4. 
Goff,  Nathan,  ',)5. 
Golieen,  J.  \V..  164. 
(Joldberg,  Edward,  58. 
Goldsmith,  H.  J.,  20i). 
Goldsmith.  Louis,  57. 
Golley,  F.  B.,  66. 
Gompers,  Samuel  M.,  96. 
Goodale,  A.  G.,  87. 
Goodale,  H.  G..  x,  79,  80. 
Goodale,  L.  C,  64. 
Goodale,  Samuel,  360. 
Goodale.  William  C.  302. 
Goodman.  Theodore  H.,  .57. 
Goodspeed,  J.  McK.,  64. 
Goodwin,  William  W.,  63. 
Gordon,  James  B.,  i;6. 
(lOrdon,  John  B.,  376. 
Gordon,  Lord  George,  248. 
Gordon,  Theodore  P.,  64. 
Gordon,  Thomas  B.,  349. 
Gorgas,  Ferdinand  J.  S.,  55. 
Gorman,  Arthur  P.,  s,  90. 
Gottlese,  Alter,  200. 
Gould,  Benjamin  A.,  01. 
Gould,  James  L.,  62. 
Gould,  R.  F..  XV,  10,  18, 19,  21, 

28,  35,  30,  40,  78. 
Gould,  S.  C,  79,  98,  101,  102, 

221. 
Gourgas,  G.  G.  Z.,  50. 
Gourgas,  J.  J.  J.,  47,  48,  49. 
Gove,  Aaron,  57. 
Gowen,  Franklin  B.,  425. 
Gowey,  John  F.,  00. 
Grady,  Henry  W.,  90,  351. 
Graham,  G.  S..  x. 
Graham.  Kobert  McC,  90. 
Graham,  W.  G.,  168. 
Granger,  Salmon  A.,  169. 
Grant,  H.  B.,  50. 
Grant,  Robert,  352. 
Grant,  U.S.,  260. 
Grass,  Daniel,  366. 
Gratz,  L.  A.,  104. 
Gray,  Henry  W.,  58. 
Greeley,  A.  W.,  96. 
Greeley,  Samuel  F.,  66. 
Green,  Andrew  H.,  364. 
Greene,  Frank,  v. 
Greene,  Nathanael,  95. 
Greenleaf,  Lawrence  N.,  57. 
Greenwood,  Frederick,  59. 
Greenwood,  Joseph,  172. 
Greenwood.  Marvin  I.,  63. 
Gregg,  Ellis  B.,  362. 
Gregory  XVI.,  Pope,  10. 
Gretzinger,  W.  C,  x. 
Gridley,  Jeremy,  95. 
Griest,  W.  C,  x. 
Griffin,  Lemuel  G.,  77. 
Griffin,  M.  I.  J.,  x. 
Griffith,  Charles 'T.,  63. 
Griggs,  J<.hn  W.,  297. 
Grimes.  J.  D.,  133. 
Grhinell.  J.  M.,  x. 
Griswokl.  A.  Miner.  3.52. 
Groesbeck,  W.  S.,  348. 
Grosch,  A.  B.,  395. 
Gross,  Albert,  182. 
Gross,  F.  W.,  X. 
Grosvenor.  J.  W.,  165. 
Grow,  Galusha  A.,  361. 
Grummond, Frederick  W.,  63. 
Guild,  William  H.,  01. 
Guiwitts.  W.  Murray,  194. 
Gunner,  Rudolph,  59. 
Gunther.  Charles  F.,  66. 
Guptil,  Albert  B.,  59. 


Guthrie,  George  W.,  60. 
Guthrie,  Henry  H.,  58. 
Guthrie.  James,  95. 
Gwynn,  R.,  64. 

Hacker,  J.  H.,  314. 
Hacquet,  Germain,  45,  50. 
Haddock,  C.  B.,  341. 
Hadley,  Arthur  T.,  340. 
Hadley.  O.  S.,  172. 
Hadley.  Sterling  G.,  360. 
Hadley.  W.  A.,  141. 
Hahne.  I.  A.,  x. 
Haisler,  Michael  J.,  66. 
Hale,  Edward  Everett.  348. 
Hale,  George,  64. 
Hall,  Alfred  A..  01. 
Hall,  Amos  H.,  64. 
Hall,  A.  Oakey,  363. 
Hall,  Caroline  A..  395,  396. 
Hall,  David  H.,  .59. 
Hall.  Edwin  C,  63. 
Hall,  Edwin  G.,  58. 
Hall,  Frank  M.,  59. 
Hall,  John  K..  61. 
Hall,  Pnnce.  72,  73. 
Hall,  Robert  H.,  59. 
Halladay.  Calvin.  64. 
Hallenbeck,  William  E.,  187. 
Hambly,  W.  J.  D.,  310. 
Hamburger,  Isaac,  209. 
Hamburger,  S.,  208. 
Hamilton,    Alexander,    312, 

370. 
Hamilton,  Benjamin  O.,  59. 
Hamilton,  Gail,  351. 
Hamilton,  James,  366. 
Hamilton.  William  R.,  x,  70. 
Hammer,  H.  H.,  x. 
Hampson,  R.  V.,  64. 
Hamsher,  L.  E.,  197. 
Hancock,  John,  95. 
Hancock,  Winfield  Scott,  374. 
Hand,  Walter  M.,  63. 
Hanmer,  John,  34. 
Hansbrough.  H.  C,  96. 
Hansen,  Emil  C,  202. 
Harburger,  Julins.  x,  208,  209. 
Hardin,  Henry,  349. 
Hardy,  Samuel.  357. 
Hare,  Edward  R..  60. 
Harlan,  James  M.,  350. 
Harlan,  John  M.,  96. 
Harmon,  Fletcher  H.,  59. 
Harper  Brothers,  312. 
Harper,  G.  S.,  x. 
Harper,  James,  313,  317,  324. 
Harper,  John  W.,  353. 
Harper,  Joseph  A.,  353. 
Harper,  Samuel,  2,  375. 
Harper,  Samuel  H.,  2. 
Harris,  Herbert,  60. 
Harris,  John  T.,  64. 
Harris,  L.  D.,  0.5. 
Harris,  Martin,  71. 
Harris,  Thomas  Lake,  10. 
Harrison,  Benjamin,  102,260, 

3.50. 
Harrison,  H.  L.,  x. 
Harrison,  Wallace  K.,  169. 
Harte,  H.  M.,  x. 
Hartmaii,  Franz,  111. 
Hartranft,  John  F.,  369. 
Harvey,  Charles  M.,  14,  305, 

312,  419. 
Harvey,  William,  .58. 
Harvev,  William  II.,  321,  322. 
Haskell,  John,  102. 
Haskins,  Seth  F.,  (i6. 
Hass,  James  H..  58. 
Hassewell,  J.  N.,  x. 
Hastings,  D.  H.,90. 
Hastings,  Moses  M.,  60. 
Hastings,  S.  D.,  404. 
Hatch,':Edward  W.,  03. 
Hatch,  H.  W..  187. 
Hatch,  John,  01. 
Hatch,  Oscar  C,  01. 
Hathaway,  Nicholas,  61. 
Haven,  E.  O.,  338.  341. 
Hawes.  Charles  W.,  158,  104. 
Hawkes,  B.  F.,  360. 
Hawkes,  George,  162. 


Hawkins,  R.  O.,  65. 
Hawley,  James  H.,  60. 
Hawley,  Joseph  R.,  361. 
Hawthorne,  Julian,  352. 
Haxton,  B.  F.,  65. 
Hay,  John,  364. 
Ilayden,  Francis  A.,  58. 
Hayden,  James  R.,  50. 
Hayes,  Charles  C,  61. 
Hayes,  Charles  E.,  63. 
Hayes,  J.  J.,  228. 
Hayes,  John  W.,  x,  389,  394. 
Hayes,  Moses  M.,  44. 
Hayes,    Rutherford   B.,  260, 

338,  374. 
Hays,  Edmund  B.,  49,  51,  52, 

.54. 
Hays,  M.  M.,  .50. 
Hays,  O.  L.,  04. 
Hays,  Samuel  T..  314,  .315. 
Haywood,  Charles.  288. 
Hazen,  A.  D..3()4. 
Hazen.M.  W..  201. 
Hazleton,  William  N.,  288. 
Hazzard,  C.  W.,  162. 
Head,  Albert,  57. 
Head,  John  F.,  .59. 
Heald,  Charles  M.,  65. 
Heartt,  R.  D.,  402. 
Heath,  EibridgeG.,  60. 
Heath,  John,  356. 
Heaton,  Charles  H.,  61. 
Hecht,  Jonas,  207. 
Heckethorn,  344. 
Hedges,  Cornelius,  56,  68. 
Heilman,  S.,  104. 
Heinenifin,  Hirsch,  207. 
Ileiner,  George,  282. 
Helena,  mother  of  Constan- 

tine,  81. 
Heller,  S.  M.,  x. 
Heller,  William,  206,  210. 
Helm,  Meradith,  71. 
Hempstead,  F.  H.,  .55. 
Henderson,  F.,  65. 
Henderson,  Matthias  H.,  64. 
Hennessy,  J.  C,  x. 
Henry  I.,  212. 
Henry  VIII.,  270,  271,  274. 
Henry,  James  A.,  56. 
Henry,  Patrick,  .3.50. 
Henry,  William,  x. 
Heraclius,  272. 
Herman,  L..  x. 
Hermann.  Philip,  282. 
Hero.  Andrew,  Jr.,  58. 
Herrick,  Charles  W.,  60. 
Herriford,  J.  E.,  x. 
Hersey,  Freeman  C,  61. 
Hess,  James  W.,  05. 
Hewitt,  Abram  S.,  241. 
Heyneman,  Charles,  208. 
Heyzer,  Charles  H.,  3,  62. 
Hibben,  E.  H..  x. 
Hibbs,  Philip  F.  D.,  55. 
Hickman,  J.  J.,  404. 
Hicks,  Elias,  48. 
Hicks,  Millard  F.,  60,  85. 
Higbee,  Albert  E.,  ,58. 
Higby,  William  R.,  00. 
Higginbotham,  Marcus,  63. 
Higgins,  Anthony,  340,  361. 
Highly,  Francis  M.,  00. 
Hill,  A.  N.,  133. 
Hill,  Frank  B.,  57. 
Hill,  Howard  F.,  01. 
Hill,  James  A.,  200,  280. 
Hill,  R.  C,  100,  101. 
Hill,  Robert  W.,  57. 
Hills,  C.  T.,  05. 
Hilsee,  James  M.,  390. 
Himmelsbach,  Jacob,  8. 
Himrod,  William,  04. 
Hinckley,  Eben  S.,  109. 
Hinckley,  G.  C,  x. 
Hinckley.  Sarah  C,  109. 
Hine,  Omar  A.,  (')3. 
Hinkley,  Rufus  H.,  00. 
Hitchcock,  C.  F.,  66. 
Hitman,  Cyrus  W.,  58. 
Hitt,  G.  C,  X. 
Hoadley,  George,  64. 
Hobart,  G.  A.,  95. 


Hobe,  George  J.,  57. 
Hodge,  J.  B.,  300. 
Hoffman,  John  T.,  303. 
Hoke,  William  B.,  139. 
Holden.  S.  F.,  x. 
Holliday,  J.  H.,66. 
Hollingsworth,    George   W., 

355 
Hollister,  A.  H.,  158. 
Hollister,  Lillian  M.,155,  104. 
Holman,  O.  D.,  x. 
Holraan.  William  S.,  96. 
Holmes,  Americus  V.,  04. 
Hi.lmes,  Edwin  B.,  61. 
Holmes,  M.  B.  x. 
Holt,  Fred.,  174. 
Holton,  Eugene  A.,  61. 
Homan,  Wnliam,  60. 
Home,  John,  218. 
Homermiller,  W.  C,  194. 
Honour,  John  Henry,  48. 
Hooley,  G.  T.,  00. 
Hooper.  John,  95. 
Hopkins,  A.  W.,  X. 
Hopkins,  Frank,  363. 
Hopkins,  James  H.,  63. 
Hopson,  J.  W.,3e3. 
Horner,  Levi,  164. 
Horton,  W.  Walter,  352. 
Horwood,  William,  192. 
Hotchkiss,  Charles  A.,  59. 
Hotchkiss,  Edward  A.,  58. 
Houck,  M.  J.,  04. 
Howard,  George  H.,  169. 
Howard,  George  W.,  379. 
Howard,  Robertson,  360. 
Howe,  Henry  E.,  366. 
Howell,  Richard  G.,  313,  314. 
Hoy,  A.B.,375. 
Hovt,  Henry  L.,  59. 
Hoyt,  Henry  M.,  355. 
Hubbard,  Charles  L.,  62. 
Hubbard,  Samuel  F.,  61. 
Hubbard.  Warren  C,  02. 
Hubbell,  J.  A.,  348. 
Hubbell,  Levi.  3.54. 
Hucless,  Robert  H.,  x,  6. 
Hudson,  William  B.,  404. 
Hudson,  William  G.,  65. 
Hugg,  Mrs.  S.  D..  374. 
Hughan,  W.  J..  18,  39,  82.  85, 

103. 
Hughes,  J.  L.,  x. 
Hughes,  John  C.,  314,  315. 
Hughes,  Mary  J.,  216. 
Hughes,  Rupert,  338. 
Hugo,  Trevanion  W.,  58. 
Hulsart,  C.  B.,  402. 
Hunde,  Baron,  82. 
Hiinn,  Thomas,  ,3.54. 
Hunn,  Townsend  S.,  63. 
Hunt,  John  L.  N.,  353. 
Hunt,  J.  S.,  56. 
Hunt,  Nathan  P.,  61. 
Hunter,  Craig,  59. 
Hunter,  John  H.,  .354. 
Hunter,  M.  L.,  6. 
Huntington,  Charles  S.,  59. 
Huntington,  Eugene,  59. 
Hurlburt,  Stephen  A.,  369. 
Hurlburt,  Vincent  L.,  2,  90. 
Hurlburt,  William  H.,  353. 
Husband.  William  E.,  62. 
Huston,  Alexander  B.,  64. 
Hutchins,  E.  R.,  104. 
Hutchins,  Waldo,  ,361. 
Hutchinson,  Charles  C,  60. 
Hutchinson,  Charles  H..  360. 
Hutchinson,  Charles  L..  05. 
Hyde,  Orson,  71,  103. 
Hyslop,  William,  ,364. 

Ide,  Charles  E.,  60. 
Iliff,  W.  S.,  229. 
Inessmilch,  F.  L.  Von,  66. 
Ingalls,  John  J.,  96,  363. 
Ingle,  Christopher,  57. 
Inglesby,  C,  50. 
Ingram,  B.  H.,  188. 
Ireland,  William  M.,  90,  .395. 
Irvin,  H.  A.,  65. 
Irving,  E.  B.,  x,  67,  74. 
Irving,  J.  D.,  101. 


IXDEX   TO    PROPER    XAMKS 


439 


Irwin.  J.  D..  107. 
Isaacson,  Alfred  11.,  58. 
Iverson,  Joliu,  144. 
Ives,  Brayton,  3G1.  ' 

Jacobs,  Abraham,  44,  48,  40, 

5()  .54. 
Jacobs,  Albert.  I ..  131.  3(il. 
Jacobs,  William  Boyd,  ;i5'.J. 
Jackson,  Andrew,  14,  9.5,  JMl. 
Jackson,  E.  (iilbert,  Wi. 
Jackson,  II.  II.,2i)(i. 
Jackson,  Isaac  W.,  3.54. 
Jackson,  J.  Henry,  Gl. 
Jackson,  M.,  t»5. 
Jackson.  Stonewall,  3T(i. 
Jackson,  Thornton  A.,  s,  49, 

ti",  rti. 
Jackson.  W.H.,37C. 
James  II.,  3()t>. 
James  IV., -27^.273. 
James,  Tliomas  L.,  97,  403, 

404. 
Jamison,  Henry,  l(i4. 
Jarreti,  John,  378. 
Jay,  John.  :148. 
Jeffers,  Allen,  (14. 
Jefferson,  Joseph,  218. 
Jefferson.  Thomas,  :M0,  312, 

327,  410. 
Jeffris.  M.  G.,  102,  103. 
Jenkins,  Henjamin  W.,  .58. 
Jennings.  Joseph  J.,  02. 
Jewell.  B.  Wood,  194. 
Jewell,  Marshall,  90. 
Jewett,  William  E.,  ()5. 
Jewett,  William  P.,  .58. 
Johnson,  Andrew,  95.  307, 390. 
Johnson,  B.  Arthnr,  231,  2;J2. 
Johnson,  David  M..  ti3. 
Johnson,  Frances  E..  tOl. 
Johnson,  Frank  II..  58. 
Johnson,  (J.,  ,55. 
Johnson,  George  H.,  122. 
Johnson,  John  C,  353. 
Johnson,  John  (i.,  103. 
Johnson,  John  Taylor,301,380. 
Johnson,  Miron  W..  01 
Johnson,  Richard  M..  95. 
Johnson.  Kobert  M..  0(). 
Johnson,  William  K.,  57. 
Johnston.  J.  G..  .x. 
Johnston.  J.  H.,  05. 
Johnston.  Ovid  F..  300. 
Johnstone.  George  C.  04. 
Joly,  78. 
Jonas,  A..  71. 
Jones,  Austin.  2(i0. 
Jones.  C  C.  X. 
Jones,  C.  R..  x. 
Jones,  f'h.irles  M.,  .58. 
Jones,  Edwin  F.,  02. 
Jones,  Florin  L.,  .57. 
Jones.  Henry.  207. 
Jones,  John!  35ti. 
Jones,  John  (J.,  li,  07. 
Jones,  Peter,  145. 
Jones,  Wallace.  2><8. 
Jones,  William  T..  243. 
Jordan.  Isaac  M..  302. 
Jordan.  Lord  of  Briset,  272. 
Judd.  Orange.  301. 
Judge.  W.  Ci.,   104.   lOS.   109. 

111). 
Jiidson.  E.  Z.  C.  318. 

Kalakaua.  King,  95. 
Kales,  Marten  W..  .56. 
Kanouse.  Theodore  D..  404. 
Kane.  Klisha  K..  90. 
Kani.  Immimiiel.  4. 
Kastor.  H.  W..  283. 
Katzensleiii.  (ieorge  B.,  404. 
Kaiiffman.  Andrew  J..  K5. 
Kautrowitz.  .Joshua.  208. 
Kayser,  Abraham.  210. 
Keanev.  Patrick  F..213. 
Keen,  A.  A..  50. 
Keene,  Louis  MeL..  .59. 
Keene,  Robert  W.,  390. 
Keifer.  Charles  ('..  04. 
Keightley.     Archibald,     109. 
110. 


Kei"htley.  Bertram,  105. 
Keil,  Osciir,  57. 
Keiley.  John  D„  213. 
Keliher.  Sylvester,  x,  379, 383. 
Keiley,  O.  II.,  395.  390. 
Keiley.  William  D..  90. 
Kellogg.  A.  J..  05. 
K.llogu'.  Andrew  H..  4. 
Kell(>Mi;li.  Thomas.  01. 
Kells.  Charles  Edmund.  58. 
Kelsev.  Albert  H..  01. 
KcnicVs-Tvnte,  Colonel,  .39. 
Keiidall.  Hugh  II..  0:i. 
Keiidrick,  Edmund  P..  01. 
Kcndrick.    (Jeorge    W..  Jr.. 

04. 
Kennedy,  Charles,  327. 
Kennedy,  Emi.  17i!,  202. 
Kennedy.  II.  A..  65. 
Kennedy.  Joseph  S.,  390. 
Kennedy.  Sainm-I  B.,  64. 
Kenney.  M.  B..  193. 
Kenny.  W.  P.,  66. 
Kent.  Duke  of.  23. 
Kent.  Henry  O.,  01. 
Keiiyon,  George  H..  60. 
Ken"y(m,  William  J.  C,  f9. 
Kerr,  James.  Jr.,  64. 
Kerr,  John  W.,  362. 
Kerr,  Mark  G.,  277.278. 
Kerrigan,  John  T.,  216. 
Kev.s.  A.  E..  108. 
KeVser.  P.  D..  372. 
Kiezer.  C.  P..  161. 
KilviuiTton.  Samuel  S..  58. 
Kimball.  E.  S.,  203. 
Kimball,  IIeberC..71. 
Kimpton,  C.  W^.,  x. 
King.  C.  M..  X. 
King.  1).  L..  04. 
King,  Edmund  B.,  65. 
Kint:.  Henry.  207. 
Kiiiu'.  IlonitioC.,360. 
King.  Kcnd:ill  W.  L.,  56. 
King.  AIar(iiiisF.,60,  85. 
King,  Preston,  3.54. 
Kingsland,  W..  111. 
Kingston.  C.  W.,  x. 
Kinsley.  Edward  V.,  :»2. 
Kinsley.  George  II.,  61. 
Kinsman.  David  N.,  60. 
Kirk,  P..  192. 
Kirker.  G.  A.,  174,  175. 
Kirker,  G.  F.,  192. 
Kirker,  James.  62. 
KirUp.ilrick.  W.  B..  164. 
Kile.  ThoMKis.  05. 
Kittrell.  L.  A.,  x. 
Kliiig,  Henry,  207. 
Knapp.  Christian  F.,  03. 
Kneisley.  Charles  C,  59. 
Knii^'ht.  Jesse.  60. 
Knight,  William  M.,  66. 
Knitore,  Earl  of.  80. 
Knowles,  Edwiu.  62. 
Knowles,  Thomas C.  275. 276, 

Knowlton,  Julius  W..  62. 
Knowltoii.  Uoswell  W.,  59. 
Knox.  Henry.  370.  373. 
Knox.  J.  J..  303. 
Knox.  John,  273.  274. 
Knox.  John  R..  349. 
Kohler.  W..  2f«. 
Kolm.  Friedman.  208. 
Koon.  Valentine,  207. 
Kopuieier.  (Jeorge.  58. 
Korty.  Lewis  H..  .59. 
Kranier.  Frederick.  50. 
Kniiiier.  Leopold.  200. 
Kra|)e,  W.  W.,  x. 
Kniu>e.  F.  11..  399. 
Kuhn,  (leortrc  R..  213,214. 
Kuhn,  Henry  II..  04. 
Kuhn.  J.  R..  X. 
Kuutz,  John  S.,  369. 

Lacey.  Samuel  P..  104. 
Lacey.  Thomas  B..  57. 
LaChelle.  Iluet,  44. 
Ladd.  W.  E..  142. 
Lafayette.  Marquis    de.    95. 
242,  *«. 


Lallin,  J.  W..  56.  60. 
Lakin,  .lolin  II.,  lil. 
Lamb,  Artemus,  .57. 
Lamb,  E.  F.,  x,  174,  192. 
Lambcrson,  Samuel  L.,  353. 
Lambert,  .1.  Leavitt.  tW. 
Lambert,  Richard,  .50,  58. 
Lamprey.  A.  A..  1K4. 
Lancaster.  Henry  II..  00. 
Land.  Robert  E.  A..  220.  200. 

207.  275. 
Lander.  W\  F..  x. 
Lane,  .lames,  313.  314. 
Lane,  W.  O..  40.5. 
Langdon.  Burton  E..  58. 
Langdon,  Frederick  S.,  57. 
Langfelt,  .\ugust.  57. 
Langlitt.  .1.  A..  164. 
Lansburgh,  James.  57. 
Larabee.  Henry  C.  58. 
Larmenius.  37.  3S.  40. 
Lashorn.  Millard  IL,  58. 
Lask,  Harry  J.,    57. 
Latham.  Lorenzo.  347. 
Lathe,  Lenora  F..  109. 
Laughton.  Charles  E..  .59. 
Laurent.  A..  4,S. 
Lawler,  Thomas  G..  x.  369. 
Lawless.  William  .1..  02. 
Lawrence.  B.  B..  169. 
Lawrence.  Daniel  W.,  01. 
Lawrence.  P'rank  R..  62. 
Lawrence.  G.  E..  x. 
Lawrence.  R.  D..  x. 
Lawrence.  Samuel  C.  GO.  90. 
Lawrence.  William  B..  01. 
Lawrison.  Samuel  C,  ;J53. 
Lawson.  W.  II. .  2HS. 
Leach.  Joshua  A..  Jis;}. 
Lead  beater.  C.  W..  109,  111. 
Leahy,  David  T.,  213. 
Leahy,  J.  P.,  xi. 
Leahy,  Thomas,   xi,  07,  8:j. 
Le  Caron.  413. 
Lechangeur,  78. 
Lee,  James  G.  C,  57,  59. 
Lee,  J.  I'.,  xi. 
Lee.  Richard  Henry,  95. 
Lee,  William  IL,  IfU. 
Leighty,  .Jacob  D..  05. 
Leisersohn.  Leonard,  xi.  209. 
Lemmon.  R.  C.  (»4. 
Lenbert.  J.  G..  xi. 
Lenhart.  Philip  F..  2. 
Lenzarder.  B.  T..  tKi. 
Leo  XII..  Pope.  10. 
Leo  XIII..  Pope.  10,  35. 
Leonard.  D.  II..  214. 
Lerch,  G.  L..  xi. 
Leroy.  Lewis  (i..  .59. 
Lester.  J.  C..  419.  421. 
Letterman.  W.  H..  359. 
Leverin:;.  Anthony  Z..  58. 
Levi,  A.  L..  100. 
Levin.  Nathaniel.  50. 
Levy.  Aaron.  206. 
Levy,  Ferdinand,  xi.  210. 
Levy.  ^lagnus.  xi.  200. 
Levy.  S.'imuel  W..  57. 
Lew'enstein.  Carl  L.,  206. 
Lewis.  C.  T..  65. 
Lewis.  .lames  H..  0. 
Lewis.  W.  T..  2S.S 
Leyman.  N.  N..  HW. 
Libbey.  Oliver.  (Hi. 
Liepman.  .Joseph  H..  58. 
Lightfoot.  E.  A..  266. 
Li^'htfoot.   John  A..  300. 
Lilienthal.  Rev.  Dr..  207. 
Lincoln.   Abraham.  129,  209. 

372. 
Lincoln.  Robert  T..  a52. 
Linden.  Robert  .L.  61. 
Lindlcy.  John  Wolfe.  3.59. 
Lindsav.  George  W..  265. 
Lines,  ll.  Wales.  ()2. 
Linn.  T.  B..  171. 
Linthicum.  C.  C.  KM. 
Linton.  David.  ;i49. 
Linton.  .Idhn  P..  2(K5. 
Linton.  W.  S..  1,S5. 
Li|>pard.  George.  ."jOO. 
Lippitt.  Costello,  62. 


Lister.  Richard.  222. 
Lister,  T.  B.,  2h2. 
Litchfield.  Earl  of.  226. 
Litchman.  Charles  H.,  239. 
Litter.  Count.  271. 
Little.  David  II..  8.5.3. 
Little.  Robert  Wenlworth.  86. 
Littlejohn,  Abram  N.,  ;W1. 
Liltlejolm.  N    M.,  0(i. 
Livermore.  Mary  A.,  .'lOO, 
Livezej'.  Thomas  E..  58. 
Livingston.  .lames  IL.  105. 
Livingston.  Philip.  95. 
Liviuirston,  Robert  U..  95. 
Livingston,  William  E..  61. 
Livingstone.  William,  Jr..  05. 
Lloyd.  Charles,  193. 
Llovd.  Daniel  D..  362. 
Lloyd,  James  H..  <Si. 
Lloyd.  Reuben  IL,  .57. 
Lobel.  Lazarus.  208. 
Lockard.  L.  B..  xi. 
Locke.  Joseph  A..  f>0. 
Lockwood,  Daniel  N..  304. 
Loekwood.  W.  C.  20(i. 
Lockwood.  William  L..  302. 
Loder,  George  F..  2. 
Lodet,  Sir  Jean,  183. 
Lodge.  Henry  (;abot.  353. 
Loewenstein.  E..  xi. 
Logan.  J.  E..  169. 
Logan,  John  A..  96.  367.  Wi. 
Logan,  Samuel  B..  169. 
Logan,  Thomas  W..  6. 
Loker.  William  N..  .58. 
Lombard,  Thomas  R..  62. 
Long.  John  D..  :i52. 
Long,  Hvnian  I.,  44,  50. 
Long.  Odel  S..  56. 
Long.  Samuel  A..  299. 
Long.  Thomas  B..  05. 
Loockcrman.  Thomas  G..  57. 
Loomis.  Albert  C.  169. 
Loomis,  A.  L..  .361. 
Loomis.  Edward  J..  62. 
Loomis.  Henry  C.  .58. 
Lorillaril.  Pierre.  62. 
Lorimer.  (ieorge  C  (Ki. 
Loring.  (ieorge  B..  361. 
Losey,  M.  D..  172. 
Louis  Philippe.  271. 
Loverin;.'.  Joseph  F..  377. 
Lowe.  Jaci>b  S..  ;j5;i. 
Lowell.  James  R.,  :il8. 
Lowry.  David.  375. 
Luce.  Frank  M.,  66. 
Lucian.  3.5ii. 
Lunstedt.  II..  xi. 
Lu.scomb.  Charles  II..  63. 
Luthin.  O.  L.  F..  xi. 
Lutz.  Isaac  D..  1)3. 
Lvman.  Amasa.  71. 
Lvon.  D.  Murrav,  xi.  18.  103. 
Lyte.  Eliphalet  O..  04. 
Lyte.  Joshua  L.,04. 
Lyitle.  La  Fayette,  64. 

Mac.Vrthur,  Arthur,  02. 
Macaulev.  Robert  C.,  ifiK). 
Macbeth".  F.  I)..  142. 
MacGreirory.  J.  F..  97. 
Mac(irottv.  Edwin  B.,  .57. 
Mack.  Max  J..  tU. 
MacKenzie,    William    Lyon, 

421. 
M.ickey.  A.  G..  1.5.  IS.  :i7.  43 

47.  7S,  8M.  IKI,  9!!.  104. 

Mackey.  John  W.,  '.Mi. 
Mackev.  L..  xi. 
MacLellan.  Daniel  M..  62 
Ma(omb.  Jotin  N.,  ti2. 
Macov.   Robert.    75.   9S.    10(1 

101. 
Macv.  John  P..  .57. 
Madden.  W.  W..  0. 
Madison.  James.  312. 
Magee.  Charles  D..  102. 
Magee.  Christopher,  3.5:1. 
Ma-iill.  J.  R..  xi. 
Mahomet.  Thomas  P.,  6. 
Mahonev.  J.  R..  xi. 
Major.  John  C.  .58. 
Major.  Patrick  U.,  351. 


440 


INDEX   TO   PROPER   NAMES 


Malcolm  IV.,  272. 
Malcolm,  Philip  S.,  50. 
Malcolm,  S.  L.,  xi. 
Maliiis,  Joseph,  405. 
Mallard,  R.  Q.,  xi. 
Mullet.  EdmuiKl  B.,  Jr.,  60. 
Mallory,  (ieorge,  3*!. 
Maloney.  Louis,  102,  164. 
MaloneV,  Kichard  M.,  59. 
MaiicheVtpr.  Mrs.  I.  C,  309. 
Maudersoii.  Charles  T.,96. 
Mann,  D.  II.,  xi.  405. 
Manning,  Joseph  A.,  65. 
Marble,  Manton,  34S. 
Marconis,  Jacques   Etienne, 

TH,  79. 
Marion,  Francis,  95. 
Marius,  3.56. 
Markey,  D.  P..  xi. 
Marois,  A.,  Iil2. 
MMrqiiette.  Father,  297. 
Marsh,  Ephrjiim,  305. 
Marsh,  Henry  C,  61. 
Marshall,  Alfred,  349. 
Marsliall,  John,  95,  96. 
Marshall,  Samuel  T.,  349. 
Marshall,  Thomas  R.,  66. 
Marshall,  Wyzeman,  61. 
Marston,  Arlington  B.,  60. 
Martin   ("  successor   to   Mo- 

rin  "),  46. 
Martin,  A.  T.,  197. 
Martin,  Adam  W.,  169. 
Martin,  Charles  R.,  393. 
Martin,  Leonora  M.,  169. 
Martin,  Sidney,  .59. 
Martin.  William  H.,  169. 
Martindale,  Edward,  360. 
Marx,  Karl,  390. 
Mason,  E.  C,  xi,  188. 
Mason,  J.  J.,  xi. 
Mason,  J.  W.,xi. 
Mason,  John,  353. 
Mason,  Joseph,  xi. 
Mason,  William  Castein,  60. 
Masten,  Joseph  J.,  353. 
Matier,  Charles  F.,  85. 
Matthew,  John  O.,  124. 
Matthews,  E.  W.,  64. 
Matthews,  Stanley  M.,  350. 
Matthews.  William  J.,  63. 
Maulsby,  D.  L.,  xi. 
May,  John  A.,  66. 
May,  W.  H..  xi. 
Mayburv,  W.  C,  6.5. 
Mayer,  Gustavus  W.,  350. 
Mayer,  Jacob.  ,59. 
Maver,  John  P.,  56. 
Maynard,  G.  V.,  108. 
Maynard.  Horace,  348. 
Mayo,  William  II.,  56,  58. 
May  worm,  Joseph,  65. 
Mazzini,  4. 
McAmbley,  C.  F.,  197. 
McBath,  M.  C,  161. 
McBride,  E.  J.,  142. 
McCahon,  James,  00. 
McCarroll,  F.,  xi. 
McCarthy,  Ch;irles,  193. 
McCarty,  John  T.,  362. 
McCash,  James,  2;s. 
McCleary.  Alexander  J.,  175. 
McClees,  Levi  B.,  64. 
McClellan,  George  B.,  95. 
McClenachan.  Charles  T.,  xi, 

2,  18,  28,  43.  85.  H7.  90. 
McClinlock,  Charles,  219,  220. 
McCiintock,    E.    S.,  xi,   164, 

267. 
McClure,  Charles  H.,  321. 
McClurg,  John,  Jr.,  xi. 
McCollum,  C.  A.,  164. 
McConihe,  Samuel,  .59. 
McConnell,  James,  175. 
McCoy,  Hiimillon,  172. 
McCrae,  Pliilip  A.,  164. 
McCreary.  J.B  ,96. 
McCune,  John  P.,  05. 
McCnrdy,  Hugh,  40,  60,  85. 
McDaniel,  Jc^hn  R.,  90. 
McDermott,  I).  J.,  424. 
McDermott,  Fenton  L.,  .58. 
McDonald,  Alexander,  48. 


McDonald,  D..  243. 
McDonald,  Joseph  E.,  350. 
McDowell.  F.  M.,  395,  396. 
McDowell,  Simon  Y.,  62. 
McEnery,  S.  D.,  360. 
McFadden,  Robert  H.,  351. 
McFatrick,  James  B.,  66. 
McGechin,  Thomas  H.,  194. 
McGee,  James,  62. 
McGee,  M.  B.,  6.5. 
McGill,  Alexander  T.,  297. 
McGivny,  Michael  J,,  216. 
McGown,  George,  62. 
McGuire,  John  C,  213. 
Mcintosh.  H.  P.,  6.5. 
McKean,  Thomas  C,  267. 
McKee,  J.  Frank,  63. 
McKee,  William  J.,  66. 
McKeever.  William  P.,  192. 
McKillip,  Harvey  A.,  64,  85. 
McKinley,  Thomas  S.,  65. 
McKinley,  William,   95,  296, 

329. 
McKinstry,  J.M.,  164. 
McLane,  Allan,  3.54. 
McLaren,  John,  66. 
McLauglilin,  J.  J.,  si. 
McLainey,  Thcmias  C,  353. 
McLean,  Alexander,  xi,  66. 
McLean,  James  W.,  341. 
McLean,  John,  Jr.,  350. 
McLean,  William  A.,  56. 
McLellan,  Archibald,  66. 
McLellan,  David,  79. 
McMaster,  John  Bach.  353. 
McMurtry,  E.  M.,228. 
McNamee,  James  T.,  192. 
McNeir,  Laura,  374. 
McParlin,  James,  425. 
McVengh,  Franklin,  340. 
McVeagh,  Wayne,  352. 
Meacham,  G.  A.,  97. 
Mead,  G.  R.  S.,  10.5,  109,  110, 

111. 
Medairy.  J.  H.,  56. 
Meech,  J.  H.,  161. 
Meeks,  Jolm  W.,  189. 
Meigs,  A  If  red  E.,  65. 
Melish,  T.  J.,  64. 
Melish,  William  B.,  64. 
Melvin,  T.  J.,  197.  ' 
Mendelssohn.  Moses,  208. 
Mendeiiliall,    B.,    xi,  70,   71, 

350. 
Mercer,  John  J.,  .59. 
Meredith,  Gilmor,  56. 
Meredith,  William  B.,  64. 
Merkel,  Philip,  234,  23.5,  282. 
Merrill,  George  S.,  369. 
Merrill,  Giles  W.,  .58. 
Merrill,  Jonathan  A.,  60. 
Merritt,  James  B.,  57. 
Mertz,  William,  8. 
Merz,  S.,  234. 
Merzbacher,  Leo,  207. 
Metcalf,  A.  T.,  00,  85. 
Metcalf,  George  R.,  58. 
Metcalf,  Oscar  M.,  .58. 
Metternich,  Prince,  312. 
Metzel,  George  V.,  1.37. 
Meyer,  Charles  E.,  87. 
Meyers,  John  G.  H.,  164. 
Meyers,  J.  W.,  104,  168. 
Michie,  William,  04. 
Mildruin.  John,  314. 
Miles,  C.  S..  402. 
Millar,  George  W.,  2,  62. 
Millard,  Alden  C,  66. 
Millard,  Orson,  164. 
Miller,  Charles  R.,  364. 
Miller,  DeLaskie,  66, 
Miller,  D.  McL.,  66. 
Miller,  Matthew  M.,  57. 
Miller,  Robert  T.,  58. 
Miller,  Warner,  90. 
Milligan,  W.  L.  R.,  66. 
Milhnan,  Thomas,  164. 
Mills,  A.  G.,  xi. 
Mills,  Edward,  03. 
Milner,  John,  251. 
Miner,  S.  L.,  xi,  200. 
Mirabean,  4. 
Missimer,  W.  S.,  383. 


Mitchell,  C.  W..  xi. 
Mitchell,  Donald  G.,  343. 
Mitchell,  John,  44,  45.  49,  50. 
Mitchell,  John,  79. 
Mitchell,  John  G.,  137,  164. 
Mitchell,  Samuel  L..  240. 
Mitchell,  S.  B.  W..  360.  372. 
Mitchell,  William  Starr,  231. 
Mitchner,  Garrett,  314. 
Moffitt,  J.  B.,  175. 
Mohammed,  4. 
Monacliesi.  H.  D.,  104. 
Monahan.  James,  xi. 
Monell.  John  J..  Jr.,  58. 
Montague,  Dtike  of.  22. 
Montesquieu,  9.  95. 
Montgomery,  Isaac  S.,  66. 
Montgomery.  T..  56. 
Montross,  R.  W.,  65. 
Moonev,  William,  326. 
Moore,"Barbara  B..  366. 
Moore,  CliarlesP.  T.,  359. 
Moore,  E.  'I'.,  xi. 
Moore.  F.  M..  6.5. 
Moore,  George  F..  .56. 
Moore,  James  M..  404. 
Moore.  John  A..  2. 
Moore.  Joseph  C.  63. 
Moore,  Robert  B..  xi. 
Moore,  Sidney,  64. 
Moore.  Thomas,  63. 
Moore,  W.  J.  B.  McL.,  85,  86. 
Moorman,  George,  xi. 
Mordecai,  Thomas  M.,  .59. 
Mordhurst.  Henry  W.,  56.  66. 
Morgan,  Albert.  104. 
Morgan,  Charles  B.,  288. 
Morgan,  John  T.  96. 
Morgan,  J.  H.,  412. 
Moriran,  William,  8, 13. 15,  32, 

179,331,  346,420. 
Morgan,  William.  Mrs.,  72. 
Moriartv,  Albert  P.,  2. 
Morin,  Stephen,  28,43,  44,  45, 

50. 
Morris,  E..  64. 
Morris,  John  W.,  60. 
Morris,   Robert.   79.   99,   100, 

101. 
Morrison.  P.  H.,  .383. 
Morrison,  Robert,  359. 
Morrison,  William,  278. 
Morrow.  Tliomas  R.,  58. 
Morse.  F.  A  ,  64. 
Morse,  H.  H.,  xi,  162.  189. 
Morse,  Oliver  A.,  347. 
Morst.  Charles  S..  59. 
Morton,  James,  57. 
Morton,  Oliver   P.,   96,    260, 

3.50,  419. 
Moscowitz.  Mayer,  210. 
Moses,  J.  B.,  192. 
Moss.  L.  J..  194. 
Moss,  R.  E.,  164. 
Mott,  J.  L.,  xi. 
Mott,  J.  Varnura,  196. 
Mott,  v..  xi. 
Moulton,  George  M.,  66. 
Moyer,  Henry  A.,  65. 
Muekle,  Mark  R.,  63. 
Muhlenburg.  F.  A.,  95. 
Mulford,  J.  M.,  xi. 
Mull,  George  F.,  xi. 
Mullen.  James  T.,  216. 
Mulligan.  John.  xi.  164. 
Mulligan.  R.  R..  xi. 
^Mulliken,  Henry,  61. 
Mulliner,  E.  S.,66. 
Mumford,  Charles  C,  62. 
Mundie,  P.  J.,  xi. 
Munger,  Frank  E.,  sii,  164. 
Munn.  Loyal  L..  66, 148. 
Munroe,  Thomas,  65. 
Munroe.  Timothy,  13. 
Murphy,  John,  411. 
Murray,  J.  M.,  314. 
Murray,  Mary  A.,  216. 
Murrow,  J.  S..  ,56. 
Myens,  A.  B..  184. 
Myer.  Albert  J.,  3.55. 
Myer,  Allen  O..  xii,  229. 
Myers.  Eugene  B.,  66. 
Myers,  Joseph,  44. 


Myhan.  Robert,  213. 
My  rick,  Herbert  W.,  xii. 

Nash,  Charles  W.,  58. 
Nash.  Francis  B..  59. 
Nason,  Edwin  IL.  xii. 
Naylor.  Allison.  Jr.,  ,57. 
Needham,  James  P.,  xii. 
Nelson.  Benjamin  F.,  58,  162, 

164. 
Nelson,  Halvor,  161. 
Nelson,  Samuel.  162. 
Nelson,  Thomas,  Jr.,  95. 
Nembach,  Andrew.  64. 
Nemberger.  B..  206. 
Nero,  Emperor,  2^6. 
Nesbit,  Michael,  xii,  189. 
NesbitI,  C.  A.,  59,  67,  103. 
Nest,  William  M.,  97. 
New,  Harry  S..  363. 
Newhall.  Charles  C,  62. 
Newell,  George  A.,  63. 
Newell,  Henry.  .59. 
Newell,  John  T.,  63. 
Newton,  H.  J.,  104,  189. 
Niblack,  Mason  J.,  66. 
Nichols.  AlbroF..61. 
Nichols.  Alonzo  S..  66. 
Nichols.  Edward  W.  L.,  61. 
Nichols,  John,  xii. 
Nichols,  Sayles,  61. 
Nicholson,  "Daniel  N..  61,  85. 
Nicholson,  James  B.,  xii. 
Nicholson.  John  P.,  xii,  374. 
Nickerson,  J.  B.,  172. 
Nickerson,  Sereno  D.,  56,  61. 
Nielsen,  Rennus.  xii. 
Niles,  William  Woodruff,  361. 
Nimmo,  Joseph,  Jr.,  364. 
Noah,  Mordecai  M.,  208. 
Noble,  Horace  A..  03. 
Noeckel,  A.  G.,  xii. 
North,  A.  A..  360. 
Northcott,  W.  A.,  xii,  158, 164. 
Northrop,  Aaron  L.,  2,  62. 
Norton,  John  E..  00. 
Norton,  Jonathan  D.,  58, 
Norwood,  Abel  J,,  58. 
Noteware,  C.  N.,  56. 
Nott,  John  C  .  184. 
Noyes,  Charles  J.,  364. 
Noyes,  Edward  F.,  348. 
Noyes,  Edward  L.,  169. 
Noyes,  Isaac  P.,  57. 
Noyes,  Mary  C,  169. 
Nun,  Richaid  J.,  56. 
Nybrogatan,    A.    Zettersten, 

106. 
Nye,  Mortimer,  65. 

Oakes,  Henry  W..  xii. 
Oakley.  Isabel  Cooper,  109. 
Oakley,  Roland  H.,  58. 
O'Brien,  Fitz  James,  364. 
O'Brien,  Russell  G.,  59. 
Ochs,  Jacques,  80. 
O'Connell.  .James,  xii. 
O'Connell.  Matthew  C,  81C. 
O'Conner.  Annie,  216. 
O'Connor.  P.  J.,  xii,  211. 
Oddi.  J.  S..  xii. 
Odiorne.  James  C.  15. 
O'Ferrall.  Charles  T.,  204. 
Ogden,  Peter.  230. 
Olcott,    Henry    Steele,    104, 

107,  108,  110,  111. 
Old.  Walter  R..  111. 
Oliphant.  Lawrence.  17. 
Oliver.  Edward,  xii. 
Oliver,  George.  Rev.,  99. 
Oliver,  Isaac  J,  409. 
Oliver,  John  W.,  409. 
'Olney,  Hervey  A.,  59. 
O'Malioney,  John,  415. 
O'Neil,  John,  00. 
Openheimer.  Louis  M.,  59. 
Orahood,  Harper  M.,  57. 
Ome,  J.  H..  404. 
Oronliyatekha,    M.    D.,    xii, 

140.  164.  405. 
O'Rourke.  J.  J..  214. 
O'Rourke.  William,  xii. 
Osborn,  J.  W..  65. 


INDEX   TO   PROPER    NAMES 


441 


Otis,  James.  95. 
Oviedio,  Sir  Herman,  ISS.' 
Osnard,  Thomas,  3(5. 
Ozias,  A.  N..  l:«. 

Pace,  E.  C.  W5. 
Packard,  James*.  ;J94. 
Pa-jo,  Charles.  5ii. 
Page.  Edwanl  D..  ()4.  1:15. 
Page.  Thomas  Nelson.  :ibZ. 
Page,  Walter  11..  17-J.  ;i4'.l. 
Paige,  C'liiUoii  F.,  (10. 
Paine,  Milton  K.,  (Jl. 
Paine.  Thomas.  241.  311.  411!. 
Pait,  James  L,.  32-,'. 
Pallon.  Charles  L..  57. 
Palmer,  Alunson.  xii,  107. 
Palmer.  George  \V..  xii.  :J2T. 
Palmer.  Henry  L..  49,  (jO.  90. 
Palmer.  John.  .3t>9. 
Palmer.  John  M..  90.  3(i7. 
Palmer.  Thomas  M..  3.51. 
I'almer,  Thomas  \\'.,  65. 
Palmer,  W.  J.,  185. 
Palmer,  W.  S.,  VA. 
Palmer.  William  T.,  62. 
Pancoast.  E.  H..  xii. 
Pancoast,  S.,  1C4. 
Pankin.  Charles  F..  59. 
Papineaii,  Josej)!!  Louis.  421. 
Park.  William  A.,  57. 
Parker.  B.  F.,  xii. 
Parker.  George  W..  57. 
Parker.  Henry  L..  62. 
Parker.  Hichard  H..  62. 
Parkman,  Francis.  348. 
Pariualee.  Edward  C,  5(i,  57. 
Parmele.  Elisha,  357. 
Parsons,  J.  B.,64. 
Parsons.  John  E..  .363. 
Parsons,  John  K..  5S. 
Parsons,  John  W..  64. 
Partlow,  William  II.,  172. 
Parvin,  Newton  It..  57. 
Parvin,  T.  S.,  18.  40,  5(5,  73. 
Pascal.  Dr..  110. 
Paschalis.  Martinez,  98. 
Pa-sou.  David.  .58. 
Paton.  A.  II..  xii. 
Patrick.  Benjamin  F.,  66. 
Patten.  James.  277. 
Patterson.  George.  57. 
Patterson.  Robert  E.,  60. 
Paterson,  William  S..  2,3,  4, 

(52. 
Patton,  A.  G..  64. 
Patton,  Abuer  E.,  362. 
Patton.  Thomas  R..  63.  85. 
Patton.  William.  327. 
Paul  I..2ri. 
Paul  III..  210. 
Paxton.  Thomas  C.  59. 
Pearce.  Gforge  11..  219. 
Pearce.  Willard  A.,  (52. 
Pearson,  A.  L..  xii.  :J75. 
Pearson,  Charles  D..  172. 
Pearson,  John  Mills.  66. 
Pearson,  William.  12:}. 
Peary.  R.  E..  iiti. 
Pease.  LeviC.  ls.3. 
Peaslee.  John  B..  200. 
Peck,  Cuihbert  E..  86. 
Peck.  Edwards..  1(14. 
Peck,  Geor-re  W..  9(5. 
Peckham.  Rufus  W..  354. 
Peckham,  William  II.,  55. 
Peckinpaugh.  T.  E..  xii. 
Peel,  Sir  Robert.  2;2. 
Peffer,  William  .\..  96. 
Peixotto.  Benjamin  F..  207. 
Peixotto.  IVI.  L.  M.,  50. 
Pellin,  J.  F..  xii. 
Pelton.  F.  W..  64. 
Penley,  Albert  M..  60. 
Penn,  Williiim.  239. 
Pepper,  William  P..  SfA. 
Percey.  George  Henry,  183. 
Percival.  Frederick  A.,  57. 
Perkins.  E.  C.  xii. 
Perkins,  Henrv.  65. 
Perkins.  Henrv  P.,  61. 
Perkins.  Marsh  C,  60,  85. 
Pernetty,  :J0. 


Perpener,  Anthony  S.,  235. 
Perry,  J.  A.,  xii. 
Perry,  o.  II.  P.,  293. 
Perry.  Robert  J..  57. 
Perry,  William  Stevens,  96. 
Peter.  George  A.,  243. 
Peter  the  Hermit.  2(W. 
Peterkin,  Peter  C,  278. 
Peters.  A.  C,  xii. 
Peters.  Augustus  W..  3,  (52. 
Peters.  Charles  R..  193. 
Peters.  S.  R..  30;i. 
Petrie,  William  M..  57. 
I'etter.  Frank  S..  xii.  164. 
Pettibone,  Amos,  (X). 
Pettigrew.  G.  A.,  56. 
Pfafflin.  II.  (,'.,  65. 
Phelon.  W.  P..  1(M. 
Phelps.  A.  Alanson.  200. 
Phelps,  John  S..  Sm. 
Phelps.  Sheffield.  340. 
Phelps.  William  Walter,  340. 

361. 
Philip.  Duke  of  Orleans,  37. 
Phillips.  E.  S..  xii. 
Phillips.  William  H.,  390. 
Philo.  :&;. 
Piatt.  J.  J..  .3(53. 
Pickering.  Timothy,  312. 
Pickrell.  F.  II.,  197. 
Pierce,  Charles  L.  J.  W..  57. 
Pierce,  William  F..  .56. 
Pierson.  Charles  W..  :i97,  .398. 
Pike,  Albert,  18,45.48,  49.  73. 

74,  90,  96,  100. 
Pike,  George  W.,  310. 
Pinckard,  George  J.,  58. 
Pinckney.  Charles  C,  312. 
Piper,  C".  L..  142. 
Pirkev.  Stephen,  188. 
Pius  VII  ,  Pope.  10. 
Pixley.  George  W..  65. 
Plant,  David  A.,  378. 
Piatt.  ().  H..  96. 
Piatt,  Thomas  C,  96. 
Plot,  Robert.  14. 
Plumacher.  Eugene  H.,  59. 
Plumb.  Hiram  W..  (52. 
Plumley.  Horatio  O..  59 
Plummer.  Moses  C.  61. 
Polk.  James  K..  95. 
Polk.  L.  L..  3S(i. 
Pollard.  Arthur  G.,  61. 
Pomeioy.  ('.  II..  (55. 
Pomeroy.  Riciiard  A.,  57. 
Pond.  Henrv  H..  (i6. 
Pool.  Frederick  L..  1(59. 
Pope.  Seth  L..  .59. 
Popper.  II..  xii. 
Porcher,  William  L..  420. 
Porter,  Albert  G.,  35(J. 
Porter.  Cyrus  K.,  161,  408. 
Porter,  E.  H..  xii. 
Porter,  George  L.,  62. 
Porter.  George  N..  3(53. 
Porter,  John    Addison,   329, 

3:30.341. 
Posner.  Abraham.  20t. 
Post.  August,  xii.  ;i85. 
Potter,  (larkson  X.,361. 
Potter,  Eliphalet  N.,a55. 
Potter.  Henry  C.  t>3,  9(5. 
Poulson.  William  E..  (5(5. 
Pound.  Jnhn  E..  1C4,  181. 
Powell.  Andrew,  317. 
Powell.  J.  B.  R..  xii. 
Powell.  Milton  E..  58. 
Powell.  M.  v..  xii. 
Power,  J.  L..  !j(i. 
Power.  Maurice  J..  241. 
Powderlv.  T.  v..  392.  394. 
Prall.  William.  131. 
Prall.  William  A..  101. 
Prasad.  Rama,  111. 
Pratt.  Irving  W.,  5(i. 
Pratt,  Orson,  71,  Ti. 
Pratt,  Orson.  Mrs..  72, 
Pratt.  Parley  P..  71,  103. 
Pratts.  Jose  Alaban  y.  58. 
Prentice.  Geori;<!  D  .  96. 
Prescott.  Joel  11..  Jr..  rci. 
Prevost,  August.  44,  .50. 
Price,  Ilcnry,  26. 


Price.  Justin  F.,  1(54. 
Price,  Sterling.  420. 
Prichard.  Samuel.  14. 
Prince.  Edward.  3')6. 
Pritchard.  Truman  S.,  (53. 
Pruetr.  John  W.,  .58. 
I'ungs.  William  A..  131. 
Punly,  Warren  T.,6(5. 
Putnam,  Israel,  95. 
Putnam.  James  O.,  :J48. 
Pvlbagoras.  21.  22,    107,  285, 
35(5. 

Quackcnbush,  Mar\-in,  1.58. 
Quantrell.  Jacob.  9«>. 
Quarles.  Greenfleld.  363. 
Quay.  M.  S..  <Mi.  130. 
Quayle.  Mark.  58. 
Quick.  John.  405. 
(^uiniby.  Henry  B..  60. 
Quincy.  Josiah".  96. 
Quintard.  Eli  S.,  62. 

Rader.  Frank.  .57. 
Kal|)li.  D.  Clark.  180. 
Kanisay,  Chevalier.  9.  35. 
Ramsey.  Frederick  M..  (5(5. 
Ram.sev.  W.  M.,  xii. 
Randall.  John  II..  ,58. 
Randall.  Samuel  J..  96. 
Randall.  Theop.  W..  .56. 
Randolph.  Alfred  M..  ;i64. 
Randolph,  Edmund.  9(5.  312. 
Randolph,  Pevton.  95. 
Rankin.  Charles  S..  (56. 
Ranney.  Henry  C.  (;(>. 
Ranshaw,  Henry.  58. 
Rathbone.     Justus    H.,   2(53. 

264,  265,  274. 
Raviler.  George.  202. 
Rawalt.  Benjamin  F..  59. 
Rawlins.  John  A..  3(55. 
Riiwson,  A.  L.,  2. 
Ray.  Frank  G.,  57. 
Ray,  Peter  W..  xii.  76. 
Raymond,  E.  A.,  49.  51.  52. 
Raymond,  George  E.,  60. 
Raymond,  George  H.,  97. 
Raymr)nd.  John  M.,  61. 
Rea.  John  P..  :i69. 
Read.  J.  Meredith.  348. 
Read.  Samuel.  265. 
Reason,   Patrick  IL,  76,  2.36, 

2:37. 
Reaugh,  R.  S.  C,  188. 
ReckTey.  R.  R..  64. 
Red    Jacket    (Indian   chief), 

181. 

Redstone,  A.  E..  .310. 
Redway,  T.  II.  R.,  56. 
Reece,  J.  N.,  1.5.8,  164. 
Reed,  Charles  E.,  16'.>. 
Reed,  T.  M..  56.  5'.l. 
Reed,  Thomas  B.,  351. 
Reeve,  S.  Lansing,  xii,  293. 
Regensberirh.  I.,  208. 
Reid,  Whitelaw.  352. 
Reinicke.  William.  58. 
Heinhard.  John  G.,  i:i3. 
Kenan,  William,  207. 
Revere,  Paul.  95,  211.  .32.3. 
Reynolds.  David  C.,204. 
Reynolds.  George  A.,  185. 
Reynolds,  John  F..  1!»2. 
Reynolds,  W.  D.,  xii. 
Kevnolds.  Warren  G..  5().  61. 
Hhixl.s.  Georce  H.,  61. 
Rho.lis.  Henry  L.,  66. 
Rhodcieanakis,     Prince.     86, 

103. 
Rice.  A.  H...361. 
Rice,  M.  H.,  65. 
Rici-.  Walter  A.,  180. 
Richard,  James  A.  B..  322. 
Richards,  EuL'eiie  H.,  61. 
Richards,  William.  71. 
Hichardson.  Albert  L.,  61. 
Richardson.  James  D..  .56,9(5. 
Richardson.  John  W..  (52. 
Kichard.son,  Llovd  D..  («>. 
Richardson,  William,  97. 
Richardson,  William  A.,  61. 
Richardson,  William  E.,  58. 


RIckon.  Frederick  J.  H..  56. 
Ridings,  c.  C,  xii. 
Ridings,  G.  C,  184. 
Riesenherger.  A.,  xii. 
liigden.  Sidney.  71. 
Riggs.  Jo.seph  E.,  164. 
Righter,  Chester  N.,  352. 
Riley.  J.  M..  mi. 
Ripka.  A.  A..:i60. 
Ritchey.  J.  E..  188. 
Ritner,  Joseph.  14. 
Roberts.  Andrew,  .58. 
Roberts.  Ellis  H.,  ;J40,  .348. 
Robie.  W.  J..  65. 
Robinson.  C.  H..  xii. 
Robinson.  Eugene  A.,  .58. 
Robinson,  J.  C  369. 
Robinson,  James  F.,  .56. 
Robinson,  John,  14. 
Robinson,  John  C.  (52. 
Robinson,  W.  A.,  xii. 
Robinson.  W.  D..  .380. 
Robinson.  William  E.,  .'jei. 
Robinson.  Simon  W.,  49.  52, 

55. 
Robson.  W.  0..  1(54.  186. 
Rockefeller.  Charles  M.,  5!t. 
Rodacher,  Iteuben,  207. 
Rodgers.  W.  O.,  I'.U. 
Rodmann.  Th..  2.«. 
Rodrigues.  F.  de  P..  xii. 
Rogers,  Andrew  Watt.  .359. 
Rogers,  Ardivan  W.,  ."159. 
Rogers,  B.  F..  172. 
Rogers.  Charles  D.,  66. 
Rogers.  Edward  L..  355. 
Rogers.  Henry  W..  193. 
Roirers.  L.  W.,  :j79. 
Rogers,  W.  C,  1(55. 
Rollins,  Daniel  G..  361. 
Ronemus,  F.  L..  xii,  :iiSi. 
Ronemus.  W.  H.,  :iXi. 
Roonie.  Charles.  90. 
Roome,  Henry  C  6.3. 
Roome,  William  Oscar,  57.  67. 
Rooney.  John.  213. 
.Roose,  F.  F,  xiii.  134,  194. 
Roosc,  William  S..  .57. 
Roosevelt.  Thendore,  452. 
Root,  Elihu.  *i.3. 
Root.  J.  Cullen,  xiii.  157.  165, 

I'.M. 
Root.  John  G.,  (52. 
Root.  Oren,  97. 
Root.  Russell  C.  317. 
Roper.  (Jeorge  W.,  75. 
Rosecrans.  W.  S..  .3(>5. 
Roseiibaum.  Chat  les  E..  .56. 
Rosenbourgh.  Isaac.  207. 
RosenstocK.  Samuel  W..  57. 
Rosenthal  B  .  xiii. 
Rosenlhal.  H.,  xiii. 
Rosenthal,  M.,  xiii. 
Roskruge,  George  J.,  5.5,  .56. 
Ross.  Apollos  M..  lA. 
Ross,  J.imes  C.  xiii,  2(56. 
Ro.s,-».  T.  A.,  xiii. 
Ross,  William.  405. 
Ross.  William  G..  213, 
Rcissa.  O'Donovan,  415. 
Rothblum.  S..  11(2. 
Rothschild.  Baruch.  207. 
Roundy.  Frank  C.  (5ti. 
Rousseau.  J.  J  ,9.  241.  .311. 
R(>uss,.||.  Kdward.  xiii. 
How.  T.  Subba.  111. 
Rowan,  John,  '.16. 
Rowell,  Itenjamin  W..  61.67, 

85. 
Rowley.  Charles  N..  368. 
Rovse.  W.  T..  liiO. 
Ruckle.  Nicholas  R.,  60. 
Ruilulph.  John  B..  362. 
Rugh,  \V.  J.,  xiii. 
Ruiidle.  Nathan  B..60. 
Runkle.  Benjamin  P.,  ;j'i2. 
Runvon,  Theodore.  :t41. 
Rushworth,  Richard,  256. 
Rusk.  J.  M.'.Hi. 
Russ.  Herman  H..  62. 
Russ,  Jam   s  H  ,  169. 
Russell,  Alfred.  (16. 
Russell,  John,  401. 


442 


INDEX    TO    PROPER   NAMES 


Russell.  John  S.,  tiO. 
Russell,  W.  T..  xiii. 
Russell.  William  H.,  338. 
Rutledge,    William   J..    36C, 

3(i7. 
RviiiK  Archbishop.  11,21.5. 
Rvaii.  MichiK'l  C.  ;«!). 
Ryan.  William.  .5S.  .W.  103. 

Sabine.  Oliver  C.  322. 

Sackelt.  M.  W..  1(>3. 

Sadd.  E.  A..  3!I4. 

Safford.  James  B..  6.5. 

Sage.  George  R..  (>4. 

Sage.  John  I,..  (i2. 

Sage.  William  L..  .59. 

St.  George.  A.,  xiii. 

Sander.*,  Frank  L..  61. 

Sanders,  J.  1'.,  xiii. 

Sanderson.  Percy,  xiii. 

Sandilaiids.  Right  Ilonorable 
Robert.  273. 

Sandilands,  Sir  James.  273, 
274. 

Sands.  Daniel.  400. 

Sands,  S.  P..  64. 

Sanger,  Frank  W..  218. 

Samel.  Luciau.  401. 

Sanno.  Jjimes  M.  J.,  .56. 

Sans<mi.  J.  S..  314. 

Sargent,  Frank  P..  xiii,  382, 
38;^. 

Sarsfield.  Patrick.  211. 

Sartain.  John,  03.  85. 

Sater.  John  E..  65. 

Sannders,  Alexander  L..  178. 

Saunders,  Caleb,  85. 

Sannders,  T.  W.,  xiii. 

Saunders,  William,  39.5,  396. 

Savage,  A.  R.,  162.  16;}. 

Savage.  Minot  J..  61. 

Savary.  P.  M..  101. 

Scanlan.  John  F.,  215. 

Scarborough.  John,  361. 

Schaale,  C.  F.,  xiii. 

Schafer,  Samuel,  207. 

Schaus,  L.  P..  65. 

Schell,  Augustus,  355. 

Schivendel,  R..  282. 

Schlener,  John  A.,  58. 

Schlumpf.  William.  8. 

Schmid,  John  E.  C,  57. 

Schmidt.  W.  H..  66. 

Schnatz.  Peter.  234,  2.35. 

Schneiden,  Paul  M..  58. 

Schoder,  Anthony,  63. 

Scholfleld,  Thomas,  251. 

Schord,  L.  G.,  xiii. 

Schultz.  Edward  T..  85. 

Schuyler,  Eugene,  ;}40,  361. 

Schwab,  Michael,  207. 

Schwartz.  George  W.,  2.31. 

Schwarz,  W..  234. 

Schwellenbach.  Ernest  J.,  59. 

Sclatter.  James  B.,  360. 

Scobey,  Frank  H.,  362. 

Scott-Elliott,  W.,  111. 

Scott,  G.  A.,  xiii. 

Scott,  George,  xiii.  2.  63. 

Scott,  J..  10.5. 

Scott,  J.  D.,  6. 

Scott.  J.  F.,  6. 

Scott,  Robert  R.,  278. 

Scott,  S.  S.,  6. 

Scott,  William  A.,  59. 

Scott,  W.  N..  355. 

Scottron,  S.  R.,  xiii,  49,  67, 73, 
76. 

Scribner,  Charles.  3.53. 

Sears,  F.  W.,  164.  168. 

Sears,  John  M..  xiii.  67. 

Sears,  John  McK.,  59. 

Seaton,  David,  273. 

Seaver,  R.  N.,  161,  162. 

Seaver,  W.  L.,  193. 

Seeley,  William  E.,  62. 

Seelye,  (President  of  Am- 
herst), 330. 

Seigel,  George  J.,  164. 

Seitz.  John  G.  O.,  58. 

Seixas,  M.  L.,  209. 

Sells,  F.  A.,  183. 

Semple,  R.  E.,  363. 


Sendersen,  W.  C,  xiii. 
Sens.'.  K.  II..  142. 
Senter.  O.  A.  B..  64. 
Server,  John.  xiii. 
Seville.  D.  F..  6. 
Sevin.  Nathan  D..  62. 
Sewall,  Arthur  W..  95. 
Seward.  Clarence  A.,  348. 
Seward.  Josiali  L..  61. 
Seward,  William  H.,  1.3.  15. 

.3.5;}. 
Sewell,  Thomas.  59. 
Sexton.  James  A..  ;i(i9. 
Seymour.    George    Franklin, 

;}61. 
Seymour.  II.  J..  49,  51,  54,  79, 

HO. 
Sevmour.  Sir  Henry,  im. 
Seymour.  T.  W.,  142. 
Shafcr,  John  F.,  62. 
Shaffer,  Vosburg  N..  64. 
Shakespeare.  William.  171. 
Shannon.  William.  2'J9. 
Shapleigh.  ElishaB.,  .352. 
Shapherd.  J.  E..  162. 
Siiarkev.  John,  425. 
Sharp,  E.  M.,  65. 
Shattuck,  Joseph,  00. 
Shaw,  George  R..  60. 
Shaw,  Levi  W..  169. 
Shaw.  Margarette,  169. 
Shaw.  Samuel,  122. 
Shaw.  William,  251. 
Shedd.  O.  M.,    161,   162,    163, 

184. 
Sheffield.  James  R.,  341. 
Shepard.  James  E..  16.3,  193. 
Shepard.  William.  64. 
Shepherd,  Mrs.  Margaret  L.. 

300. 
Shepley.  George  L.,  62. 
Sherer.  William,  63.  96. 
Sheridan,  Philip  H.,  365.  ;}74. 
Sherman.  Adrian  C  57. 
Sherman.  Buren  R.,  56,  194. 
Sherman,  Edwin  A.,  57. 
'Sherman, "John,  260. 
Sherman,  Roger,  317. 
Sherman.  W.  T.,  3a5. 
Sherwood,  Benson,  2. 
Sherwood,  Thomas  D..  352. 
Shields,  D.  H..  161,  162,  163. 

164. 
Shipman.  O.  W..  6.5. 
Shipp,  J.  F..  xiii,  370. 
Shiras.  (leorge.  .341. 
Shirrefs.  Robert  A.,  xiii,  60. 
Shook,  B.  M.,  6. 
Shoup,  G.  L..  96. 
Shreve,  Joseph  H..  6. 
Shryock,  Thomas  J..  58,  67, 

87. 
Shurtliff,  Ferdinand  N..  .59. 
Sickels,  Charles  E.,  63. 
Sickels,  Sheldon.  64. 
Sickles,  Daniel.  2,  60. 
Silberstein,  Adolph,  210. 
Simmons,  C.  E.,  104. 
Simmons,  J.  Edward.  62.  96. 
Simmons.  William.  314,  315. 
Simons,  .John  W..  2. 
Simons,  Seward  A.,  364. 
Simons.  W.  N..  xiii. 
Simpson,  Jeremiah  E.,  96. 
Sinexon,  Henry  L.,  ;}90. 
Singleton.  WilHam  R.,  56,  57. 
Sinn,  William  A.,  56. 
Sinnett.  A.  P..  108,  109,  111. 
Sisson,  John  W..  03. 
Sisson,  William  W.,  63. 
Skiff,  Charles  W..  62. 
Skillman.  John  M.,  364. 
Skinkle,  Jacob  W..  66. 
Skinner,  Charles  M.,  240. 
Slack,  William  H..  64. 
Slattery,  M.  J.,  xiii. 
Sloan,  Augustus  K.,  63. 
Sloan,  George  White,  66. 
Sloan.  James,  307. 
Sloss.  Levi.  58. 
Smalley,  Frank,  xiii. 
Smith,  Adon,  xiii. 
Smith,  Albert  C,  61. 


Smith,  Armistead.  356. 

Smith,  Barton,  60. 

Smith,  Benjamin  D..  1.58.  164. 

Smith.  B.  F..  366. 

Smith,  Charles  Emory.  348. 

Smith,  D.  P..  xiii. 

Smith.  Edi:ar  F..  64. 

Smith.  Edwin.  145. 

Smith,  G.  D..  65. 

Smith.  George  Kimball,  xiii. 

231. 
Smith.  Henry  B..  61. 
Smith.  Hiram.  71. 
Smith.  Hoke.  95. 
Smith.  J.  D..  I(i2. 
Smith,  J.  Hungerford,  63. 
Smith.  Jacob  W..  65. 
Smith.  James  George.  349. 
Smith.  Jeremiah  G..  58. 
Smith.  John  Corson,  xiii,  60, 

85. 
Smith,  John  S..  192. 
Smith,  Joseph.  70.  71,  96. 
Smith,  Joseph  L..  65. 
Smith,  Joseph  W..  60. 
Smith,  Kilbourn  W.,  58. 
Smith.  Lee  S..  64. 
Smith.  M.  A.,  Mrs..  231. 
Smith.  R.  A..  66. 
Smith.  S.  Merwin.  404. 
Smith,  Stephen,  63. 
Smith.  Sydney  D..  67. 
Smith.  Thomas.  356. 
Smith.  T.  J.,  xiii. 
Smith.  W.  B..  402. 
Smith.  William.  71. 
Smith.  William  A..  61. 
Smith,  William  H.,  175. 
Smith.  W.  J.,  xiii. 
Smithson,  John,  222. 
Smulling.  John,  313.  314,  315. 
Smvthe,  William  H..  56.  65. 
Snider.  S.  H..  144. 
Snike.  Elisha.  243. 
Snodgrass.  Furman  E.,  60. 
Snow.  B.  M.,  169. 
Snyder,  F.  L..  190. 
Snyder,  John  M..  366. 
Souierby.   Freeman   D.,   172, 

199,  ^m. 
Somers.  A.  N..  425. 
Somerville,  Thomas,  57. 
Sommers,    John    B.    Yates. 

364. 
Sotheran,  Charles.  104. 
Soule.  George.  .58. 
Sovereign.  James R..  394.  401. 

416. 
Spalding.  R.  L..  214. 
Spaulding,  Enoch  R..  67. 
Spaulding.    John    Franklin. 

;}61. 
Spaulding,  Nathan  W.,  57. 
Speed,  Frederic,  58. 
Speelman,  H.  V..  xiii. 
Speer,  Emory.  .351. 
Spellman.  Charles  C.  61. 
Spencer.  Edward  B.,  85. 
Spencer,  Frederic  A.,  62. 
Spencer,  J.  M.,  64. 
Spencer,  Philip.  351. 
Speth,  G.  W.,  xiii. 
Spies.  Josepli,  66. 
Spinoza,  4. 
Spitzev.  B.  M..  44.  50. 
Spooner,  Samuel  B..  61. 
Spooner.  W.  R..  xiii.  163. 
Sprenkel,  Peter  K..  64. 
Spring,  Frederick  H..  61. 
Spring,  S.  O.,  66. 
Springer.  William  M..  .350. 
Spry.  Daniel.  85. 
Squire,  Andrew,  65. 
Stafford.  Norman  M.,  169. 
Stagg.  Alonzo  A..  340. 
Stahlnecker.  William  G.,  ;563. 
Stanford.  Leland.  96. 
Stansberry.  J.  B.,  6. 
Stanton.  Edwin  M..  95. 
Stark.  E.  J..  66. 
Stark.  John,  356. 
Staton.  James  W..  58. 
Stead,  T.  Ballan.  xiii. 


Stearns.  J.  B..  xiii. 
Stebbins.  John  W.,  xiii. 
Steber,  Louis  A..  164. 
Stedman.  Edmund  C,  361. 
Steed,  George  W..  63. 
Steele,  Chades.  ;i80. 
Steele,  Richard.  95. 
Steele,  Samuel  C.  62. 
Steen,  David,  299. 
Steeie,  Joseph  H..  65. 
Stees,  F.  E..  xiii. 
Steffe,  Christian  G.,  64. 
Stein.  C.  H..  161. 
Stephens,  Uriah  S.,  38.5.  389, 

:}90.  ;}91.3'.!2. 
Stephenson.    Benjamin     P., 

366,  ;367.  369. 
Stephenson.  Mary    H..   xiii. 

;}66. 
Stephenson.  S.  M..  65. 
Stern,  H..  208. 
Stetson,  Alfred  E..  ;3o2. 
Stetson.  Francis  Lynde.  348. 
Stettinius,  John  L..  2,  60. 
Steuben.  Baron.  9.5.  ;370,  373. 
Stevens.  A.  E..  xiii,  164. 
Stevens,  Albert  C,  63. 
Stevens.  E.  B.,  66. 
Stevens,  D.  E..  xiii,  133,  161, 

162.  16:3.  164. 
Stevens.  George  B..  122. 
Stevens,  Mark  W..  164. 
Stevens.  Thaddens,  16. 
Stevens,  T.  Jeffer.son,  63. 
Stevens,  Walter  A.,  60. 
Stevens,  William,  314. 
Stevens.  William  J.,  61. 
Stevenson.  David  A..  64. 
Steward,  C.  C.  xiii. 
Stewart.  Aljjhonse  C.  .58. 
Stewart.  J;imes  F.,   xiv.  302. 
Stewart.  John.  63. 
Stewart.  Merwin  H.,  360. 
Stewart.  Neil.  278. 
Stewart.  Robert,  219,  220. 
Stewart.  W.  M..  322. 
Sticknev.  Horace  W.,  61. 
Stiles,  Albert.  65. 
Stiles,  Benjamin  F..  62. 
Stiles.  George.  314.  315. 
Stiles.  Robert  B..  63. 
Stipp,  Joseph  A..  64. 
Stockdell.  Henry  C,  57. 
Stocker.  Anthony  E.,  85. 
Stoker.  Eugene  LeC,  66. 
Stolts,  W.  A.,  xiii. 
Stone,  Charles  E.,  57. 
Stone,  Horace  A.,  63. 
Stone,  J.  T..  360. 
Stone,  Sevmour  H.,  62. 
Stone.  William  L.,  15. 
Storke.  E.  F..  66. 
Storrs,  Henry  L..  347. 
Storrs,  R.  S."  348. 
Story.  Joseph.   16.   331,   357, 

:i58. 
Story.  William.  62. 
Stoskoff,  Michael,  66. 
Stow,  Orson  W..  352. 
Stowe.  James  G.,  58. 
Stowell,  C.  L.,xiii. 
Stowell,  Henry,  63. 
Strang,  James  J.,  102. 
Strauss,  A.,  2;31. 
Strauss.  Henry,  208. 
Stray er,  S.  H..  183. 
Streator.  Andrew  J.,  387. 
Striker,  D.,  65. 
Stringer,  T.  W..  266. 
Stringham.  L.  M.,  xiii. 
Strong.  Orlo  W..  404. 
Stuart.  John.  3.56. 
Stuai  t.  William.  :357. 
Stubbs,  T.  J.,  xiv. 
Studley.  J.  Edwards,  62. 
Stull,  John  M.,  65. 
Sturtevant.  Stephen  V.,  63. 
Sudborough,  Thomas  K.,  59. 
Suetonius.  Paulinus,  286. 
Suleb.  M..  xiv. 
Sullavou.  E..  xiv. 
Sullivan.  Alexander,  413,  414. 
Sullivan,  B.  F.,  xiv. 


INDEX   TO   PROPER   NAMES 


443 


Sullivan,  T.  F.,  xlv. 
Sulzberger.  Solomon,  208. 
Sumner,     William    Graham, 

340,  3(il . 
Sussex.  Duke  of,  39,  S-i. 
Sutherland.  William  A.,  &i. 
Swain,  JuliiisM.,135,  1(54,180. 
Swallow.  James  H.,  109. 
Swart  out.  R.  D.,  0.5. 
Swayne.  Wiiger,  341. 
Sweden  borg.  ilH,  lOa. 
Sweeny.  D.  D.,3ii9. 
Sweet,  Samuel  B.,OB. 
Sweigard,  Isaac  A.,  64. 

Taber,  Samuel  T.,  :i51. 
Tabor,  August  B.,  0.5. 
Taft,  Alfonso,  3as. 
Taft,  Elihu  B.,  01. 
Taft,  J.  S..  105. 
Taft,  William  H.,  340. 
Talbot,  A.  R.,  158. 
Talleott.  Edwin  C,  03. 
Tiilmage,  T.  DcWitt.  180. 
Tamanend  (Cniiel).  5J39,  240. 
Tamina  (Chiel),  825. 
Tardy.  J.  G.,  40,  .50. 
Tarr,  Eugene.  3.5;i. 
Taschereau,  Cardinal,  12. 
Tate,  J.  G.,  103,  164. 
Taylor,  Frederick  S.,  300. 
Taylor,  George,  209. 
Taylor,  Harold,  xiv. 
Taylor,  Jesse,  303. 
Taylor,  John,  71. 
Taylor,  Joseph  C,  57. 
Taylor,  J.  B.,98. 
Taylor,  Leroy  M.,  .57. 
Taylor,  L.  G.,  137. 
Taylor,  Marshall  W.,  288. 
Taylor,  W.  R.,  xiv. 
Tecumseh.  95. 
Telfair.  Jacob  R.,  62. 
Tell,  William.  414. 
Teller,  Henry  M..  .56.  90. 
Temple,  Thomas  F..  61. 
Ten  Eyck,  James.  02. 
Tenney,  Hannah  J.,  169. 
Tenney,  Samuel  P.,  169. 
Terhuiie.  William  F.,351. 
Terrell,  George,  xiv. 
Thacher.  John  Boyd,  62. 
Thacher,  Stephen  D.,  58. 
Thayer.  H.  G..  05. 
Thiele.  T.  B.,  xiv. 
Thomas,  Catharine  A.,  109. 
Thomas,  Charles  H.,  109. 
Thomas,  George  H.,  305. 
Thomas,  (ieort'e  !>..  355. 
Thomas,  Theodore  H..  194. 
Thomas.  Warren  La  Rue,  58. 
Thompson,  Caleb  C,  04. 
Thompson.  F.  J..  .50. 
Thompson,  Frank  J..  .59. 
Thompson,  Hopkins,  49,  51, 

.55. 
Thompson.  Jacob.  95. 
Tliom))son,  Jesse  E.,  01. 
Thompson.  John  K.,  lt)9. 
Thompson.  Joseph  H.,  .58. 
Thompson,  J.  W.,  xiv. 
Thompson,    Mrs.    Margaret, 

30K. 
Thompson,  Maurice,  862. 
Thompson.  Walter  J.,  tw. 
Thomson.  Charles  H.,  2. 
Thorndike.  Samuel  L.,  61. 
Thorp,  D.  D..  fMJ. 
Thrall.  Edwin  A..  02. 
Thnrn,  Herbert  J.,  137. 
Thurston.  John  M.,  90. 
Tice,  Josiah,  03. 
Tilden,  Samuel  J..  241. 
Tilden,  Thomas  W..  03. 
Tillou.  Edward  L..  (i3. 
Tinder.  J.T.,ltS. 
Tink,  D.  C.  159. 
Tipper.  F.  8.,  xiv. 
Titcomb,    Virginia   C,    xiv, 

318. 
Titus.  Robert  C.  03. 
Todd,  Samuel  M.,56. 
Todd.  Q..  xiv. 


Tompkins,  D.  D.,  47,  48,  95. 
Tompkins,  U.  W.,  xiv. 
Tompson.  John  R.,395,  306. 
Tone.  Wolfe.  414. 
Toombs,  Robert,  90. 
Toomcy,  D.  P.,  xiv. 
Torre,  Giovanni.  59. 
Torry,  George  W.,  02. 
Totten.  James  S..  64. 
Totteu.  Warren.  160,  161. 
Ton  I  gee.  Albion  W..  301. 
Towle.  CliMrlesN..  01. 
'I'ownslund.  Charles. 323. 
Tracy.  Henjaniin  F.,  95. 
Tracy.  David  B..  57.00. 
Tracy,  D.  Burnham,  85. 
Trainer.  Mary  A.  M.,  210. 
q>all.  R.  T..411. 
Trask.  Wavland.  02. 
Traynor.  W.  J.  H.,  294,  295, 

290. 
Treby.  Johnson.  00. 
Trefry,  William  D.  T..  01. 
Trimble.  John,  xiv,  395. 
Trimble.  Robert.  90. 
Trippe.  A.  C..  Hil. 
Troulman.  C.  E..  xiv. 
Trvon.  Edward  K..  314. 
Tucker.  C.  H..  04. 
Tucker.  George.  313.  314. 
Tucker.  John  C.  3.50. 
Tucker.  Philip  C.  48. 
Turberville.  George  L.,  357. 
Turnbull.  William  W.,  404. 
Turner.  Daniel  J..  Jr.,  59. 
Turner.  James.  314. 
Turner.  William  H.,  66. 
Tuthill.  David  S..  59. 
Turtle.  George  W..  360. 
Twank'v.  James,  59. 
Tweed.'WilliamM.,  241. 
Twitchell.  Joseph  H.,  341. 
Tyler.  C.  W.,  xiv. 
Tyler,  (Jeorge  O.,  00.  85. 
Tvler,  Moses  Coit.  340,  348. 
Tyler.  Wat.  272. 
Tvng,  Steplien  H.,  90. 
Tyng,  Stephen  H.,  Jr.,  351. 
Tyson,  N.  W..  375. 

Underbill.  C.  F..  xiv.  187. 
Underwood,  John  C,  347. 
Underwood.  Levi,  01. 
Underwood.  William  J..  02. 
Unverzagt.  C.  U..  xiv.  198. 
Upchurch,  John  Jordon,  128, 

129. 
Upson.  I.  S..  xiv. 
Urban  IL,  209. 
I'rner,  Henry  C,  04. 

Vail.  Walter,  05. 
Vallandigham,    Clement   L., 

420. 
Vallerchamp,  John,  63. 
Van  Buren.  James,  421. 
Van  Buskirk.  George  W.,  63. 
Vance.  A.  F.,  Jr..64. 
Vance.  Zebulon  B..  90.  302. 
Van  Der  Voort.  Paul.  309. 
Van  Deventer,  James  T..  57. 
Van  Nuys.  Franklin.  220. 
Van  Rensselaer.   Killian  H., 

49,  51. 
Van  Shultz.  Shultz.  421. 
Van  Valkeiiburg,  John,  204, 

205. 
Vaiix.  Richard.  90. 
Veazey.  Wheelock  G.,  369. 
Verner.  Thomas.  30S. 
Vertican.  F.  W..  xiv.  399. 
Vick.  Frank  ll..t;3. 
Victor  Emmanuel.  4.  95. 
Vilas.  William  F..  3.59. 
Vincent,  Walter  B..  02. 
Vincil,  J.  D..  50. 
Vining.  Harrison  S..  62. 
Vivian.  Charles  Algernon  S., 

23<t. 
Vogt.  Charles  C.  58. 
Voltaire.  0.  05.  241.  311. 
Von  Helraont.  John  Baptist, 

87. 


Von  Hund.  .30.  .38. 

Von  Swaitworst,  William H., 

&M8. 
Voorhees,  Daniel  W.,  96,  350, 

420. 
Voris.  S.  E.,  190. 


Wachtmeister,  Countess,  109. 

Wadleigh.  Leroy  B..  .57. 

Wadsworth.  II.  A..  103. 

Wadsworth,  J.  C.  L..  06. 

Wagenhals.  F.  S.,  i:«,  164. 

Wagner.  A.  H.,  00. 

Wagner,  Charles  W.  A.,  57. 

Wagner.  Louis.  .'iOO. 

Waide,  S.  Leonard,  194. 

Wait.  Albert  S..01. 

Waite,  Almon  C.  00. 

Waite.  G.  H..  xiv. 

VV'akennin,  Edgar  L..  30;^. 

Walbridge,  Frederick  G.,  01. 

Walden,  J.  M.,64. 

Waldron,  Frederic  H.,  02. 

Wales.  Prince  of.  220. 277,  ;W. 

Walker,  Charles  P..  100. 

Walker.  Francis  A.,  ;i52. 

Walker,  Ivan  N.,  300. 

Walker.  Kephart  D.,  60. 

Walker.  Mary  L..  109. 

Walker.  Philip.  185. 

Walker.  Sidney  F.,  62. 

Walker.  William  T.,  164. 

Walkinshaw.  L.  C,  xiv. 

Wallace,  Lew.  100. 

Wallace,  R.  Bruce,  xiv. 

Wallack.  J.  W..  Jr.,  218. 

Waller,  Thomas  M.,  90. 

Wallick.  J.  F..  172. 

Walsh,  William  A. ,355. 

Walshe,  Robert  J.,  66. 

Walters,  J.  W.,  110. 

Ward.  A.  G.,  Mrs..  154. 

Ward,  Charles  S.,  (i2. 

Ward,  Francis  G..  63. 

Ward,  J.  H.  Hobart.  00. 

Warner,  Charles  Dudley,  301. 

Warner,  H.  A..  164. 

Warner.  William.  :i09. 

Warnock,  Adam,  113. 102, 103. 

Warren,  Edward  F..  50. 

Warren,  Frederick  R..  103. 

Warren,  Joseph.  05,  27. 

Warvelle,  GeorL-eW.,  00,  83. 

Washburne.    Edwin    D.,    03. 

Washburne,  W.  1).,  :^02. 

Washington.  George,  32,  95, 
129,  273,  3(10.  305,  312,  320, 
:«o.  .3:«,  370,  .373.  414. 

Waterhouse.  Columbus,  .57. 

Waterman.  Robert  IL,  2. 

Waterman.  Thomas.  01,  1.35. 

Watkins,  James  S..  xiv,  137. 

Watrous,  Jerome  A.,  06. 

Watson,  John,  .50. 

Watson.  Thomas.  104. 

Watson.  Thomas  F..  03. 

Watson.  William  P.,  57. 

Wcaiherbee,  J.,  xiv. 

Weatherbv.  Charles  J.,  221. 

Weaver.  L  M.,  Mrs..  280. 

Weaver.  James  B..  300. 

Weaver,  James  E..  388. 

Weaver.  William  IL,  63. 

Weaver.  W.  (J..  105. 

Weaver.  W.  R..  107. 

Webb.  H.  Walter,  :«3. 

W'ebb.  Thomas  Smith,  34. 

Webb.  W.  Nehemlah.  214. 

Webb,  W.  Seward.  3.5:}. 

Webber,  Frederick,  56,  85. 

Webber.  G.  H..  172. 

Webster,  Charles  II..  CO. 

Webster,  Daniel  P.,  61. 

Webster.  Edward  C..  59. 

Welister.  John  F..  00. 

Webster.  W.  P..  .56, 

Wechselberg.  Julius.  CO. 

Wechsler,  Rev.  Dr..  20<.t. 

Weed,  Thnrlow.  13.  15,  MG. 

Weeks,  Joseph  D..  xiv.  'Mi. 

Weihe,  William,  xiv.  378. 

Weishuupt,  Adam,  4,  344,  456. 


Welch,  Albion  F.,  61. 
Welch,  Charles  A.,  61. 
Welch.  John.  256. 
Welch,  Orrin.  2. 
Weld.  John  F.,  70. 
Weld.  Otis  E.,  61. 
Welde,  John,  145. 
Weller.  John  J.,.59. 
Wellington.  Lord,  95. 
Wells.  Daniel.  71. 
Wells.  Samuel.  00. 
Welsh,  Robert  A..  175, 
Wende.  Ernest,  xiv,  180. 
Wentworth.  H.  M.,  109. 
Wentworth,  Maggie,  169. 
Wescott.  David.  390. 
West,  Bina  M..  1.55. 
West,  (iideon.  .57. 
Westbrook.  R.  B..  lOJ. 
Wetmore,  George   Pcabody, 

;«o. 

Wheeler.  Daniel  IL.  59. 
Wheeler,  Edward  D..  05. 
Wheeler.  Everett  P.,  .348. 
Wheeler.  F.  A,  66. 
Wheeler,  Franci.«,  .380. 
Whipple.  Helen  M..  169. 
Whipple.  John  IL.  61. 
Whipple.  John  J..  169. 
Whitaker.  E.  S..  04. 
Whitaker.  Jo.-eph.  314. 
Whitaker.  Ozi  William.  361. 
Whitcomb,  Charles  W.,  61. 
White.  Ahira  R..  6.5. 
White.  Andrew  D..  340,  361, 

3(i3. 
White,  Hunter  C,  62. 
White,  John  A.,  380. 
White.  John  U.,  261. 
White,  J.  W..  158. 
White,  R.  L.  C,  xiv,  265. 
White.  Stillman,  02. 
White.  W.  H..  314. 
White.  William  H..  63. 
Wliitehouse.  Benjamin  G.,  59. 
Whiting.  William  IL,  2. 
Whitman.  Ozias.  58. 
Whitney.  John.  13. 
Whitney.  LeRoyC,  00. 
Whitney.    William    Collins, 

.'MO.  301. 
Whitney.    William    Dwight, 

3(«. 
Whytehead.  Thomas  B..  86. 
Wiener.  Oscar.  209. 
Wier.  William.  304. 
Wiesenfeld,  David.  58. 
Wies.<ert.  A.  G..  :169. 
Wiggin,  J.  IL,  104. 
Wigley,  Arthur  B.,  M. 
Wilder.  Marshall  P.,  96. 
Wildey.    Thomas,   2.36,    256, 

257.  288. 
Wile.  Samuel  F.,  3(H. 
Wilkinson.  Francis  M.,  66. 
Wilkinson.  S.  E..  :is4. 
Willard.  Frances,  s33. 
William    ML.     Prince    of 

Orange.  211.  .'^Oe.  309. 
Williams.  Duane.  360. 
Williams.  E.  A..  0. 
Williams,  Henry.  44. 
Williams.  Henry  H..  57. 
Williams,  James  M.,  58. 
Williams,  John  D.,  2,  62. 
Williams,  J.  IL.  (i4. 
Williams.  Richard  P.,  59. 
Williams,  Robert  D.,  63. 
Williams.  S.  S..  04. 
Williams.  Thomas  II. ,  66. 
William.-oii.  E.  J..  142. 
Williamson.  I.  D..  280. 
Willis,  Edward  M.,  57. 
WilU.  S.  A.,  l&i. 
Wilmot,  David.  96. 
Wils-.n.  A    D..411. 
Wilson.  Albert  K.  56. 
Wilson.  Charles  L..  292. 
Wilson.  D.  L..  410.  421. 
Wilson.  D.  M..  2;o. 
Wilson.  Daiius.  123,  186. 
Wilson.  David  H..  68. 
Wilson.  J.  G..317. 


\ 


444 


INDEX   TO   PROPER    XAMES 


Wilson,  James  W..  xiv.  :}85. 
Wilson.  John  McMillan.  359. 
Wilson.  Sanuiei  B..  362. 
Wilson.  Thomas.  :nrr. 
Wilson.  William.  :j53. 
Wilson.  William  B  .  164. 
Wilson.  William  B..  3!)3. 
Wilson,  W.  H..  xiv. 
Wilson.  W.  Warne.  xiv,  131. 
Wiltse,  Hiram  L..  66. 
Winchell,  Rev.  Dr..  :J41. 
Wincgarner.  D.  C.  64. 
M'iiifield.  Albert  B..  63. 
Wing.  George  W..  61. 
Winii.  A.  M..  169. 
Winsor.  Lou  B..  6.5. 
Winthroi).  Theodore.  .352. 
Wirt.  William.  14. 
Wishard,  A.  W..  IGl. 
Wiiherill.  L.  D..  143. 
Witherspoon.  James  L..  .3,51. 
Withinston.  George  E..  59. 
Witt.  Bernard  G..  58. 
Wolf.  Simon,  208. 
Wolihin,  Andrew  M..  56, 57. 


Wood.  Austin  C.  62. 
Wood,  C.  B.,  xiv. 
Wood.  David  Ward,  385. 
Wood.  Edwin  O.,  xiv,  151. 
Wood,  (ieorge.  63. 
Wood,  James  W..  355. 
Wood,  Julian  E..  360. 
Wood,  Julius  C  66. 
Wood,  Marshall  W..  59. 
Wood.  M.  D..Mrs..  265. 
Woodburv.  Charles  Levi,  60. 
Woodford.  A.  F.  A..  18. 
Woodford,  Stewart  L.,  35;3. 
Woodliara.  Alfred.  62. 
Woodman.  Francis  J..  57. 
Woodman.   William  Robert, 

86. 
Woodruff.  Carle  A.,  59. 
Woodruff.  C.  S..  xiv. 
Woodruff.  David  B..  265. 
Woodruff.  Wilford.  70. 
Woods.  Leonard.  354. 
Woods.  William  B..  350. 
Woodward,  Benjamin  S..  57. 
Woodward,  Charles  A.,  64. 


Woodward.  Clarence  L.,  63. 
Woodward,  Henry,  62. 
Woolsey.  G.  F..  xiv. 
Woolsey,  Theodore  S.,  .340. 
Work.  Joseph  W..  61. 
Works.  Charles  A. .66. 
■Wray,  Samuel  W.,  64. 
Wright,  Alfred  G.,  63. 
Wright,  Carrol!  D..  388,  390. 
Wright,  C.  F..  109. 
Wright.  Edwin.  61. 
Wright.  George  W.,  xiv,  178. 
Wright,  J.  H.,  186. 
Wright,  James  L.,  390. 
Wright,  Pitkin  C.  59. 
Wright.  Robert  J.,  61. 
Wright.  Walter  Rodwell,  82. 
Wright,    William     B.,     xiv, 

1.57. 
Wright,  William  H.  S..  58. 
Wroth.  W.  J..  108. 
Wyatt.  T.  J..  142. 
WVckoff.  Edward  S.,  63,  85. 
Wycoff,  Ira  A.  M.,  174. 
Wyman,  David  A.,  71. 


Yarker,  John,  80. 

Yates,  G.  F..  48,  49. 

Yates,  John  T.,  194. 

Yeames,  James,  405. 

Yoder,  S.  S..  322. 

Young,   Alva  A..  Mrs.,  265, 

279,  280. 
Young,  Brigham,  70,  71,  96, 

102,  103. 
Young,  Charles  F.,  61. 
Young,  E  Bentley,  61. 
Young,  Edward  L.,  164. 
Young,  Frank  H.  O.,  59. 
Young,  G.  C,  273. 
Young,  James,  xiv. 
Young,  James  H.,  61. 
Young,  J.  D..  165. 
Youngs,  Melvin  L.,  66. 
Youngs.  William  H.,  288. 
Yusef  Bey,  1. 


Zeigler,  Louis.  .59. 
Zell,  T.  Elwood,  373. 


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